The Romancing The Stone vibes are strong in Disney's first Jungle Cruise trailer

By Randall Colburn | October 11, 2019 | 3:15pm

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The Romancing The Stone vibes are strong in Disney's first Jungle Cruise trailer

Screenshot: Jungle Cruise

Roll your eyes at Jungle Cruise all you want, but the first time Disney turned one of its rides into a movie it spawned a franchise, a genuinely iconic Johnny Depp character, a Michael Bolton resurgence, and billions of dollars. It helps that the movie, a sweaty, kid-friendly blend of Romancing The Stone and Indiana Jones, boasts an all-star cast led by Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, as well as a capable director in Jaume Collet-Serra. Sure, it’s a little weird seeing the dude behind the genuinely gross House Of Wax remake and that freaky-ass Orphan helm a Disney tentpole, but he proved he can handle waterlogged adventure with 2016's The Shallows, so, hey, why not?

Set in the early 20th century, the film finds Blunt’s Indy-like adventurer hiring Johnson’s jocular boat captain for a trip down the Amazon “in search of a tree believed to have healing powers.” Along the way, they’ll contend with a German expedition that may or may not be led by a mustached Jesse Plemons.