Disney officially announced a Jungle Cruise sequel in August 2021, only a few weeks after the first movie debuted in theaters and on Disney+.
Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt were both set to return, with director Jaume Collet-Serra and writer Michael Green also expected to come back for the follow-up.
Despite the franchise hopes, the original film struggled financially (albeit in challenging and unusual conditions).
With a hefty $200 million production budget and a hybrid theatrical/Disney+ release, Jungle Cruise brought in just $220 million worldwide, far short of what Disney needed to recoup financial investments once marketing expenses and revenue sharing with theaters were factored in.
However, that gross was actually good enough to place Jungle Cruise as the 19th highest-grossing film worldwide, in a year where only 7 films managed to gross more than $500 million globally.
However, the important distinction to remember here is that the film was released simultaneously in theaters and digitally on Disney+ during the early reopening of theaters in the COVID-19 pandemic. Muted box office returns were expected for any film released in theaters during this period.
Now, it seems that Disney has walked (or sailed) back their Jungle Cruise 3 commitment, at least according to Blunt and Johnson.
"I don't think so," was their collective reply when asked by Entertainment Weekly if the sequel was still a go.
"I think when Disney came under new leadership, they just shifted coming out of COVID," said Johnson, referencing the ousting of Bob Chapek and the return of Bob Iger. "COVID shifted our business in a lot of ways. I think they looked at that property and thought, we did it once, not sure if we should revisit it again. Despite whether or not our chemistry was great."
For her part, Blunt quipped, "they did not want to set sail again, and that's fine."
The movie was another attempt by Disney to turn one of its iconic Disney World/Disneyland attractions into a film, following the massive success of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Disney has faced a rocky path over the past two decades, with several misfires including Haunted Mansion, Mission to Mars, The Country Bears, and Tomorrowland.
Still, the House of Mouse has a slate of similar projects in development, including films inspired by Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, and a Tower of Terror reboot starring Scarlett Johansson.
Despite all the misfires, the chance to strike gold twice is clearly too tempting for Disney to pass up, especially given the enduring success of Pirates of the Caribbean. Rumors continue to swirl that the original cast, including Johnny Depp, will return for the next installment.