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Credit: ABC (left), Disney (right)The Walt Disney Company and Dwayne Johnson have reached an agreement to remove a highly anticipated film, despite early developments.
Over the past decade, Johnson has become one of the studio’s most bankable stars, being used for several key films. From animated hits like Moana (2016) to many other adventures, Johnson has remained a presence in the Disney family, often headlining projects with blockbuster ambitions and mass appeal.
It’s not just Johnson’s on-screen presence that cemented his working relationship with Disney—behind the scenes, he’s been a strategic partner as well. His production company, Seven Bucks Productions, has collaborated with Disney on several projects, and his name carries significant weight in the marketing world. Audiences generally show up when Johnson’s involved, which is why what happened next is surprising.
After years of development and fan speculation, Disney and Dwayne Johnson have reportedly agreed to step away from a long-anticipated sequel. That film? Jungle Cruise 2. Despite years of teasing, development work, and red-carpet chatter, the follow-up to Jungle Cruise (2021) has been shelved.
“Not Sure If We Should Revisit It Again”
In a recent conversation with Variety, Johnson spoke candidly about the project’s status, noting that while the chemistry between himself and co-star Emily Blunt was strong, the studio no longer sees a sequel as necessary.
“I don’t think so,” Johnson said when asked directly about the sequel’s future. “When Disney came under new leadership, they just shifted coming out of COVID. 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.”
Blunt, who starred alongside Johnson in the original film, echoed those sentiments, adding simply, “They did not want to set sail again, and that’s fine.”
A Promising Start That Never Materialized
Back in 2021, Disney fast-tracked the idea of a sequel after the first movie crossed $100 million at the domestic box office. Johnson and Blunt were expected to return in their roles as Frank Wolff and Dr. Lily Houghton, and director Jaume Collet-Serra was also lined up to return. The project seemed to be moving forward—at least publicly.
As recently as March 2024, Johnson appeared on the Oscars red carpet and left the door open for a potential return, saying he’d “possibly” come back for a second film. At that same event, Blunt even joked, “Call Disney. Get us back on that boat.”
However, that optimism slowly faded. By the time Johnson and Blunt reunited publicly again at the Los Angeles premiere of The Smashing Machine in September, their tone had shifted. Blunt admitted she was ready to explore new ideas. “I feel like we gotta do something else now,” she said. “I’m like, ‘What else?’”
Pandemic-Era Success That Wasn’t Easy to Replicate
Jungle Cruise debuted on July 30, 2021, during a challenging time for theatrical releases. It launched simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access with a $30 surcharge. Despite those hurdles, the movie opened to $34.2 million at the domestic box office and generated another $30 million from Disney+ in its opening weekend. It eventually climbed to $100 million domestically and earned $221 million worldwide—a solid showing during a global pandemic.
Still, as Disney continued to reshape its post-pandemic strategy and new leadership evaluated the studio’s slate, the enthusiasm for a second Jungle Cruise adventure seemingly waned. Johnson’s comment about the company rethinking its priorities post-COVID speaks volumes. The project, while profitable, may not have met the kind of franchise expectations Disney now requires to justify sequels and spin-offs.
Disney’s New Direction
Disney’s priorities have shifted sharply over the last couple of years. Amid box office volatility, streaming pressure, and intense competition from Universal’s Epic Universe and other studios, the House of Mouse has become more selective with which properties it pushes forward. And while Jungle Cruise succeeded in bringing a beloved theme park ride to life, it didn’t quite create the same ripple effect that Pirates of the Caribbean did back in the early 2000s.
The studio’s future slate is packed with live-action remakes, Marvel titles, Star Wars expansions, and new original projects—leaving less room for mid-level adventure sequels. That reality appears to have sealed the fate of Jungle Cruise 2.
What This Means for Dwayne Johnson and Disney
Even though this particular film won’t be moving forward, don’t count out Johnson’s presence in the Disney universe. His ongoing involvement in projects like the live-action Moana remake ensures that the relationship between the actor and the studio remains intact. In fact, Johnson seems to be one of the few stars Disney consistently taps when it needs a project with global appeal.
And from Johnson’s own words, it doesn’t sound like there’s any animosity over the decision. If anything, it’s just a reminder that not every sequel—no matter how beloved the original—gets to leave the dock.