Jumanji: Open World: Countdown to the Final Game

One Last Game

Jumanji 3 finally has a name: Jumanji: Open World. It lands in US cinemas on Friday, 25 December 2026, which makes it a Christmas Day present. Sony is calling it the final instalment, so this is the last time Dwayne Johnson gets to play a nerdy teenager trapped in a very muscly avatar.

Who's Back

Pretty much everyone. Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart and Karen Gillan return as the avatars. Alex Wolff, Madison Iseman, Morgan Turner and Ser'Darius Blain are back as the real-world teens. Rhys Darby, Nick Jonas, Awkwafina and Danny DeVito reprise their roles too.

That's twelve returning cast members, which is either a farewell tour or the world's most expensive class reunion.

Who's Making It

Jake Kasdan directs again, after Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level. He co-wrote the script with Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg. Henry Jackman is back on music, and Johnson is a producer.

A Quick Recap of the Franchise

1. ***Jumanji* (1995):** Robin Williams, a board game, and stampeding animals in a small town.
2. ***Zathura: A Space Adventure* (2005):** the same idea, in space.
3. ***Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle* (2017):** the board game became a video game, and the teens became Johnson, Black, Hart and Gillan. It made nearly a billion dollars worldwide.
4. ***Jumanji: The Next Level* (2019):** DeVito and Danny Glover joined the chaos, and characters swapped avatars.
5. ***Jumanji: Open World* (2026):** the fifth film, the third in the new series, and the last.

The title suggests the game is going open world, so the jungle could be just the starting map. Sony hasn't said much more about the plot, so treat every theory as a side quest.

What the Buzz Says

October has been busy. Sony released a trailer, then a run of new posters, and Johnson shared a new look at the cast with the tagline "One Final Game". The official Jumanji account posted a cast photo captioned "We are so back". Release dates are also being confirmed around the world, including 25 December in India.

When Exactly?

Friday, 25 December 2026 in the US. Earlier reports had a mid-December date, so if you wrote 11 December in your calendar, cross it out. Christmas Day it is. If it moves again, our countdown updates straight away.

Surviving the Wait

• Rewatch the last two films. Bonus points for doing Jack Black's "Bethany" voice the whole way through.
• Learn your strengths and weaknesses. Every avatar has them. Yours might be "cake".
• Count your lives. Everyone gets three in Jumanji. Spend them wisely.
• Clear Christmas afternoon. Turkey, then the jungle. That's the plan.

FAQ

What is Jumanji 3 called?

Jumanji: Open World.

When is it out?

Friday, 25 December 2026, in US cinemas.

Is it really the last one?

That's the plan. It's billed as the final instalment of the Jumanji films.

Is the original cast back?

Yes, the whole ensemble from Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level, including Danny DeVito and Awkwafina.

Follow the live countdown to Jumanji: Open World on Byte of Humor, and check back: we update it the moment anything changes.