Disney's Jungle Cruise movie footage sails into D23
Emily Blunt, The Rock and Jack Whitehall team up for an Amazonian adventure.
- I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
The first Jungle Cruise trailer has finally launched at D23.
Disney revealed footage for the Jungle Cruise movie at D23 Expo 2019, with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt in the lead roles for the Adventureland-themed movie.
The footage on display definitely tips a hat to the Disney ride the story is based off of, with the cruise itself having guides like the attraction. The antagonists appear to be similar to those in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, having a kind of supernatural Davy Jones-like appearance.
In Jungle Cruise, @TheRock and Emily Blunt pair up for a buddy comedy of fun. And The Rock just rode into the auditorium on a jungle cruise boat called La Quila🚢 "Sometimes you need me to save the day!"#D23Expo pic.twitter.com/6yWXT6V1M5
— cait petrakovitz ➡️ D23 🙌🏽💃🏽 (@misscp) August 24, 2019
As @TheRock is saying he made a movie about “heroic men, kicking ass and saving the girl” Emily Blunt herself comes out in an old car, "mad" about the footage we just saw. "Did you cut that yourself?!? ... Just forget everything you just saw!" #D23Expo #JungleCruise
— cait petrakovitz ➡️ D23 🙌🏽💃🏽 (@misscp) August 24, 2019
In her trailer, @TheRock's name is smaller, and she's the Indiana Jones type seeking truth and knowledge. Oh come on, he says. "The last time I was here I was a demi-god." #D23Expo
— cait petrakovitz ➡️ D23 🙌🏽💃🏽 (@misscp) August 24, 2019
The movie is based on the Disneyland ride of the same name, and will see The Rock play a boat skipper named Frank who takes Blunt's character Lily and her brother McGregor -- played by British stand-up comedian Jack Whitehall -- on a mission to find a tree that has magical healing powers. You may recognize Whitehall from the Good Omens series on Amazon Prime.
The journey will see them fight wild animals and compete against a rival German expedition, with Disney adding that there will be a "supernatural element."
Johnson called Blunt's character "the female version of Indiana Jones" in an Instagram post in June, saying she has "relentless ambition to find the one, elusive magical thing that could change humanity for the better -- forever."
According to The Rock, his skipper character knows the Amazon River better than any other, and only cares about his money, his cat and his liquor.
"Good luck lady in trying to change the world, and not falling for my charm," he said.
The Disney D23 Expo runs through Sunday, Aug. 25. Be sure to check out coverage from sister sites GameSpot, TV Guide and ComicBook.com.
