Paul Giamatti Joins The Increasingly Wacky 'Jungle Cruise' Cast

Paul Giamatti Joins The Increasingly Wacky ‘Jungle Cruise’ Cast

Jungle Cruisehas just added another Golden Globe-winning actor to its growing cast.Paul Giamattiis reuniting with hisSan Andreasco-starDwayne Johnsonto join theJungle Cruisecast, Disney’s adaptation of the iconic theme park ride.

The cast ofJungle Cruiseis steadily shaping up to be one of the wildest ensembles in recent Disney memory. Giamatti joins Johnson, as well asEmily Blunt,Jesse Plemons,Edgar Ramirez, andJack Whitehallin Disney’s adaptation of its famous ride.

Giamatti will play a “crusty harbormaster” in the Disney action-adventure movie,according toThe Hollywood Reporter. That’s such a vivid character description that I only wish Giamatti’s name was actually Crusty Harbormaster in some grand twist of fate. It would add to the whimsy of this theme park adaptation, which sounds like it will go in some strange and surreal places.Jungle Cruiseis set in the early 20th century in the Amazon jungle, and follows a crew of people on a quest to find a magical healing tree.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Giamatti on the big screen, and I welcome his presence in a movie that sounds as wild asJungle Cruise. He currently stars on Showtime’s Wall Street dramaBillions, and recently appeared in the Reed Morano-helmed indie dramaI Think We’re Alone Now.

Here’s the synopsis ofJungle Cruise, per THR:

Johnson will play a boat captain who takes his sister (Blunt) and her brother (Whitehall) on a mission to find a tree believed to possess healing powers. Wild animals and a competing German expedition figure into the proceedings.

While you could write offJungle Cruiseas another Disney cash grab, it’s totally possible that the jungle adventure film could be the nextPirates of the Caribbean: a blockbuster that turns the thinnest premise into a rollicking action film. The uber-talented cast (especially the ridiculously hilarious Plemons, who stole the show inGame Night) is one factor, but another factor is directorJaume Collet-Serra.A Spanish filmmaker best known for his stylized B-movie action films that are elevated by charismatic performances (Liam Neeson’sTheCommuterandNon-Stop, and the Blake Lively shark movieTheShallows),Collet-Serra may transformJungle Cruiseinto more than just a standard Disney action film.

Jungle Cruiseis set to start production later this month and will shoot through the summer. There is no set release date yet forJungle Cruise.