Awkwafina to star in 'Jumanji' sequel?

Awkwafina.Picture: Bang Showbiz

Awkwafina.Picture: Bang Showbiz

Published Jan 4, 2019

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Awkwafina is in talks to star in 'the Jumanji' sequel, alongside returning cast Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan.

The 29-year-old actress is said to be in the middle of final negotiations for a role in the sequel to Sony's 2017 movie 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle', which was in itself a sequel to the 1995 movie 'Jumanji', which starred the late Robin Williams and was based on the 1981 children's book of the same name by Chris Van Allsburg.

If Awkwafina does land a role in the production, she'll join a star-studded cast of returning faces from the 2017 flick, with Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan all reprising their roles.

Director Jake Kasdan, who helmed the feature that made $962 million worldwide, is back to direct. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, although Awkwafina's role is being kept under wraps, sources claim the part is "key" and "significant."

Plot details for the new movie are not yet known, but the original book and 1995 movie both told the story of a magical board game in which wild jungle animals came into the real world.

In 'Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle', that concept was updated by making the game into a video game and having four teens transported into its world, where the kids then transformed into avatars portrayed by Johnson, Black, Hart and Gillan.

The script for the new movie is being penned by Kasdan alongside Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner, whilst Kasdan is also producing the feature with the help of Matt Tolmach and Johnson's Seven Bucks.

For Awkwafina - whose real name is Nora Lum - the role comes after she rose to fame in 2018 with breakout roles in 'Ocean's 8' and 'Crazy Rich Asians'.

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