Sure Disneyland has a wealth of rides inspired by characters and films, but they also have some original ones as well. With the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean films, it was only a matter of time before another ride got the big-screen adaptation treatment. Jungle Cruise is another one of those rides. The film was originally a Tim Allen and Tom Hanks-starring vehicle, but now has turned into something with an action slant now that Dwayne Johnson is the leading star. But with his workload, it was hard to imagine Jungle Cruise would ever happen. Now there is confirmation that the film will start production in 2018. More on the story below.

The Hollywood Reporter says Johnson has found room in his busy schedule to start shooting Jungle Cruise in Spring 2018. The film will be a live-action adaptation of the iconic Disney theme park ride in which guests board a jungle river cruise boat that explores uncharted rivers from the Nile, Amazon, and Congo. It’s a must for anyone who enters the park as it is a combination of light-hearted comedy provided by a guide and thrilling adventure from animatronic jungle animals.

Dany Garcia, the co-CEO of the duo’s Seven Bucks Productions, will produce. They are also producing Rampage – which starts shooting later this Spring, Skyscraper – which shoots this summer and fall -, and Jumanji – which hits theaters this December -, all films which star Dwayne Johnson.

To get a better sense of the film, Johnson tweeted out that The African Queen, starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, was one of the big inspirations for the film during production meetings.

U been wiretapping our @Disney creative mtgs 😂👊🏾.
Humphrey Bogart and "African Queen" and Indy are big inspirations. #JungleCruise https://t.co/YnHHp37bpE

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) April 7, 2017

That isn’t too far off from what he said about the film when it was first announced. According to him, Jungle Cruise will be a period piece that is set in the 1920s. For him, Jungle Cruise has plenty of franchise potential as he compares it to the way Johnny Depp raised the bar with Pirates of the Caribbean. So it should be interesting to see what Disney does if Jungle Cruise is met with the same kind of success.

As for the project itself, it has been under development for the past two years.

This wouldn’t be the first time that Johnson has stepped out of his action-filled wheelhouse for some comedy. Last year, he provided the voice of Maui in Disney’s Academy Award-winning hit Moana. So we know he has the range for action and comedy.

[Source: THR]