It looks like Jack Black is tapping out of the jungle, as the actor has recently cast a worrying air of uncertainty over his return forJumanji4. Black first joined the adventure franchise in the 2017 reboot, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, playing Professor Sheldon Oberon, one of the in-game avatars, alongside Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan,among others. Following the release of the second film of the reboot, Jumanji: The Next Level(2019), fans have expected the core cast to return for the next sequel. However, Black’s recent comments suggest that the lineup for Jumanji 4 could be in for a potential shake-up.

Updates on Jumanji 4 have been few and far between, but fans were given a reason to celebrate when, in late 2024, the sequel was officially slated for a theatrical release on December 11, 2026. With about 20 months to go, some form of production should have been underway, but it appears...