The first reactions to Jumanji: The Next Level have called the threequel a "blast", but even if it's a hit with critics, is it wise for the movie to go up against the box office behemoth that is Star Wars?
According to Jumanji's stars, no, not really, but they're okay with that.
Chatting exclusively to Digital Spy at Jumanji: The Next Level's European premiere, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson admitted that they were both "crazy" and "bananas" to compete with The Rise of Skywalker – but hopeful nonetheless.
Related: Jumanji had another sequel that you probably forgot about
"We're bananas to go against [it]," he joked. "This Star Wars is gonna be awesome. [But] just like we proved a few years ago when we came out against Star Wars, there's enough to go around and enough holiday spirit for families to enjoy Jumanji as well as Star Wars."
Kevin Hart agreed, arguing that there's "enough movie space" for everyone, and anyway, sharing is caring in the movie industry. "It's not about crushing," Hart added. "We're all fans of each other's work. There's room for us all to share success."
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Defending Jumanji's place in the festive period market, Karen Gillan added that The Next Level was basically "an antidote to Star Wars", commenting "We did it once and managed it".
Related: Exclusive: Jumanji stars want to play this Marvel star in The Next Level sequel
"You know what? I think people need an antidote to Star Wars. I love Star Wars, Star Wars is amazing, but there's room for both."
Although it's pretty likely that Star Wars: Episode IX will take the top spot at the box office, The Rock is happy as long as the Star Wars cast themselves enjoy his work.
Reflecting on the release of Welcome to the Jungle in 2017, Johnson said: "The first day our movie came out, somebody asked Mark Hamill about it. He was like, 'You know what? The force behind Jumanji feels very strong'. It was so cool. That's our guy."
And with Luke Skywalker on your Jumanji team, what more could you want?
Jumanji: The Next Level is out in UK cinemas on December 11, with previews on December 7 and 8, and in US cinemas on December 13.
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Freelance film & TV writer, Digital Spy
Critic and writer Jo Berry has been writing about TV and movies since she began her career at Time Out aged 18. A regular on BBC Radio, Jo has written for titles including Empire, Maxim, Radio Times, OK!, The Guardian and Grazia, is the author of books including Chick Flicks and The Parents’ Guide to Kids’ Movies.
She is also the editor of website Movies4Kids. In her career, Jo has interviewed well-known names including Beyonce, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Kiefer Sutherland, Tom Cruise and all the Avengers, spent many an hour crushed in the press areas of award show red carpets. Jo is also a self-proclaimed expert on Outlander and Brassic, and completely agrees that Die Hard is a Christmas movie.
