Robin Williams' 'Jumanji' Character Lends a Helping Hand in the Sequel

We heard as far back as a year ago that Jumanji 2—sub in Welcome to the Jungle for 2 now, though—would honor Robin Williams in a significant way. And now that we know the aforementioned jungle is the selfsame place Williams' Alan Parrish was trapped for decades, Jack Black has stepped up to offer more details.

“We’re exploring this jungle and trying to conquer the game; it’s life or death,” the actor playing Professor Shelly Oberon tells The Hollywood Reporter. He goes on:

“But while we’re there, we find clues left behind by [Alan]. He built up a full-blown jungle house, similar to a Swiss Family Robinson situation. It’s like he’s there helping us without actually being there.”

So this thing is genuinely a sequel, with bits that could certainly tickle folks who grew up with the 1995 original. Johnson previously said the Alan Parrish tribute "will stand alone and be forever immortalized in the world of Jumanji in an earnest and cool way," and that when it came to Williams, who committed suicide in 2014, "the love and respect I have for this man is boundless."