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Director Jake Kasdan had a very good 2017 with the surprise hit Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart), and he swung by the 2018 Saturn Awards where the film was nominated for Best Fantasy Film. However, before the ceremony we caught up with the performer on the red carpet. These kinds of interviews at the Saturn Awards don’t allow for a ton of time with the person being interviewed, so when it was Collider’s own Steve Weintraub’s chance to speak briefly with Kasdan on the red carpet, he led off by asking where in the development process they were on Jumanji 3, which has been dated for December 13, 2019.

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Image via Sony Pictures

We followed up by asking how they plan to branch out for a sequel and the challenges of bringing people back and adding new characters, to which Kasdan responded they were close to cracking how to do that, but they’ve got plans underway.  However, he addressed that it’s tough to find an angle that will replicate the success of Welcome to the Jungle, and he noted that they want to hold on to that emotional core of the series “in a way that feels earned and a true continuation of the story.”

When asked if he feels the pressure of a looming release date, he says he does, but while he understand that it will be quick, they have an idea they’re excited about. “It’s going to be a lot of work. Don’t get me wrong,” said Kasdan. He said they plan to start filming at the beginning of 2019, but they’re not sure where they plan to start filming.

Check out the full interview in the video above, and look for more Saturn Awards coverage on Collider soon.

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Image via Sony Pictures
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Image via Sony Pictures
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Image via Sony Pictures