Awkwafina stands out in Jumanji: The Next Level for reasons that might be considered too spoiler-y too share but the actress brings great levels of heart and humor to the Sony film. The role seems to be a great test for her upcoming appearance in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, where she joins Simu Liu for the titular hero’s first outing on the big screen. In standard Marvel fashion, Awkwafina is quick with one-liners and action beats in Jumanji, so it seems Sarah Finn might have hit the casting nail right on the head, once again. The actress opened up a bit about the project, sharing what she can without getting in too much Marvel trouble, comparing the project to Jumanji: The Next Level‘s passion and vision.
“I mean, the process is, is that for both I met with both [Jumanji: The Next Level director] Jake Kasdan and [Shang-Chi director] Destin [Daniel Crettin], who was doing Shang-Chi,” Awkwafina said. “And I really, I can tell from both of them that they have extremely passionate and clear visions for the stories they want to tell and I think that’s really important for me to come on to a project.”
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As it turns out, Awkwafina had only just put together that her Jumanji: The Next Level co-star Karen Gillan was also a member of the Marvel family, having portrayed Nebula in two Guardians of the Galaxy movies and two Avengers films. “We just realized that,” Gillan said. “I have not imparted my wisdom yet.”
“We’re gonna hit the buffet later and just talk about it for a while,” Awkwafina added. Her role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has not yet been revealed.
Of course, the two experiences did have their differences for Gillan, being a Marvel vet. “They’re pretty different. I would say, yes, Marvel is all full of spoilers, but Jumanji has some spoilers that I’m not going to give away in this interview,” she said. “So they’re not worlds apart. But for me, I mean, the characters are just so different. I mean, my character in the Marvel movie, she’s just the biggest sadist in the galaxy and sends like Marilyn Monroe slash Clint Eastwood. And I’m not doing that in this movie, so they’re totally different.”
Shang-Chi is scheduled for release in February of 2021. Are you looking forward to seeing Awkwafina in Jumanji: The Next Level? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter!
Jumanji: The Next Level hits theaters on December 13.
