Jumanji 3 Director on Why Kirsten Dunst Didn’t Return
As the next approaches its 2026 release, director Jake Kasdan addressed questions about ’s absence from the rebooted films, explaining the narrative challenges of including her character. Kasdan also discussed the franchise’s ties to the 1995 original, starring Robin Williams, and the careful effort to honor its legacy while expanding the story.
Jake Kasdan, director of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and The Next Level, addressed Kirsten Dunst’s absence in the rebooted Jumanji films.
Dunst, who played Judy Shepherd in the 1995 original, has not appeared in the sequels. Kasdan explained, “We love Kirsten. She’s fantastic. From the time we did Welcome to the Jungle, we were very focused on keeping a little bit of connectivity to the original movie, which we love.” He further added, “Also, the way the original movie ends, as brilliant as it is, creates a lot of plot complications in trying to continue the story with those characters” (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The conclusion of the 1995 film reset the timeline, erasing Judy and Peter’s memories of the events. Kasdan elaborated, “Some of the characters are still aware of what happened, but most of them aren’t. So the kids (including Dunst’s Judy) don’t remember because it short-circuits the part where they have the adventure.” This has made integrating Dunst’s character into the new films a complex challenge.
The rebooted Jumanji films have included nods to the original. Welcome to the Jungle referenced Robin Williams’ Alan Parrish, and The Next Level featured Judy’s aunt Nora, played by Bebe Neuwirth. These connections were carefully managed to respect the original film’s conclusion.
Kasdan acknowledged the difficulty of incorporating Dunst’s character but emphasized efforts to honor the 1995 film. He stated, “We’ve loved trying to figure out some way to do it in a way that is fun and passes some kind of fidelity to the original story.”
The next Jumanji sequel, scheduled for 2026, continues to be in development.
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