Is The OG Jumanji A Christmas Movie? Karen Gillan Weighs In

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It’s that time of year again – cozying up to watch all my favorite Christmas movies! And, like always, everyone starts debating what actually counts as a Christmas movie. It seems like Die Hard always gets brought up, but this year I’ve been wondering about something different: what about Jumanji? Does that fit the bill?

Fun fact: all three Jumanji movies were actually mid-December releases. Certainly few, if any, would argue that the recent Dwayne Johnson-led Jumanji films would qualify as Christmas movies. However, the original film with Robin Williams does include a scene near the end that takes place at Christmas, which led one fan on Instagram to suggest it counts as a Christmas movie, and reboot co-star Karen Gillan has officially endorsed this position.

As mentioned in the original post, the last scene of the first Jumanji takes place during Christmas. Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt, now married, host a Christmas party and invite the family of the children, Judy and Peter, who played the game with them. Williams even plays the role of Santa Claus.

The ending of the movie raises some interesting points. Was it always intended to be a Christmas party scene, or was that decision made to coincide with the December release date? Alternatively, was the film scheduled for a December release specifically to fit the Christmas ending? Does this make Jumanji a franchise associated with Christmas? And if so, does that mean all the Jumanji movies can be considered Christmas films?

The next Jumanji movie, currently in production, is also planned for release in December. While it doesn’t seem like the film will have a Christmas theme, it might still offer some unexpected moments. The series has referenced the first Jumanji film before, so a nod to its ending would fit right in.

Does this single scene qualify Jumanji as a Christmas movie? It’s a tough case to make. Many believe a film needs to be set at Christmas to be considered one, and even then, most Christmas-set movies, like Die Hard, take place entirely during the holiday season.

We’re just focusing on one specific part of the movie. Seeing Jumanji in theaters around Christmas 1995 might have made it feel like a holiday film, but now, almost 30 years later, I doubt a first-time viewer would see it that way.

Ultimately, whether a movie feels like a Christmas movie is up to you. If you enjoy watching Jumanji during the holidays, then for you, it is! Don’t worry about what others think – you’ve got Karen Gillan on your team.

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2025-12-19 23:08