Sony Pictures has released a new behind-the-scenes featurette for the upcoming sequel Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, offering more clarity on how this follow-up both connects to and diverts from the original Jumanji film. Star Dwayne Johnson explains how much the original movie and Robin Williams’ performance meant to him, and how that film inspired how they approached the sequel as encapsulating “holiday spirit.”

Scripted by Spider-Man: Homecoming co-writers Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers as well as Scott Rosenberg & Jeff Pinkner, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle takes place years after the original film and finds a group of teenagers in detention who find the mysterious titular game and are sucked inside. Whereas the original Jumanji posited what happens when the game world comes to our world, this sequel finally lets the viewers go inside the game for the first time.

Jake Kasdan, the filmmaker behind Orange County and Sex Tape, directs the action-packed follow-up, and it looks like quite a fun ride. Get a closer look in the new featurette below. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle also stars Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, and Bobby Cannavale and opens in theaters on December 20th.

For even more on the film, peruse the links to our set visit coverage below:

Here’s the official synopsis for Jumanij: Welcome to the Jungle:

In the brand new adventure Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the tables are turned as four teenagers in detention are sucked into the world of Jumanji.  When they discover an old video game console with a game they’ve never heard of, they are immediately thrust into the game’s jungle setting, into the bodies of their avatars, played by Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, and Karen Gillan.  What they discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji – Jumanji plays you.  They’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, or they’ll be stuck in the game forever…

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Image via Sony Pictures