No direct connection that I'm aware of. It has been a long time since I saw the original and I never saw the sequel so there may have been some easter eggs I missed. They do show it in board game form in the mid 90's at the start but when it is passed over for a video game console, it transforms into one overnight. There is a character in that 90's era that plays a role but I don't think he has any relation to the original gang. It was a decent movie. Not great but pretty good. The performances are fantastic which helps excuse many light elements of the story. 7/10 worth a watch.

It takes place in the same universe with the same "Jumanji" game, but years after Alan Parrish first found it. The movie starts with the board game being discovered by someone new. Later, once the characters are inside the game, they come across the place where Alan Parrish lived when he was trapped in the game.

I really enjoyed it. I never saw the original and never knew about any tie ins (with the original) that could help it. Once everyone was trapped in the game, and not being much of a video gamer myself...I totally got into the plot and understood the urgency to complete the tasks to get out of the game; which by the way was much more realistic to me than how in most movies there's a rush at the end to get or do something so bad things don't happen. That's very common in many movies. In "Jumanji;" it's essential and natural actually if your trying to work your way to the end of a video game.

I also thought the idea of having lives added some decent intrigue to the story.

@poit57 said:

It takes place in the same universe with the same "Jumanji" game, but years after Alan Parrish first found it. The movie starts with the board game being discovered by someone new. Later, once the characters are inside the game, they come across the place where Alan Parrish lived when he was trapped in the game.

This and the game was found were it was left at the end of the first movie.

@Innovator said:

@poit57 said:

It takes place in the same universe with the same "Jumanji" game, but years after Alan Parrish first found it. The movie starts with the board game being discovered by someone new. Later, once the characters are inside the game, they come across the place where Alan Parrish lived when he was trapped in the game.

This and the game was found were it was left at the end of the first movie.

Not quite. In the end of the first movie, the game was found by two little girls after it was washed up on the shore in what appeared to be France (the girls spoke French) but in this one it was an American beach and it was found by Alex' father(?) so there is a little inconsistency. Not that it matter anything. :-)

I liked the new movie a lot, especially Kevin Hart and Jack Black was excellent, Karen Gillan was also good, besides she's always worth a look, that little redheaded minx.

@Horus Mazinga said:

No direct connection that I'm aware of. It has been a long time since I saw the original and I never saw the sequel so there may have been some easter eggs I missed. They do show it in board game form in the mid 90's at the start but when it is passed over for a video game console, it transforms into one overnight. There is a character in that 90's era that plays a role but I don't think he has any relation to the original gang. It was a decent movie. Not great but pretty good. The performances are fantastic which helps excuse many light elements of the story. 7/10 worth a watch.

Sequel? There's no direct sequel to the first movie, except for this new one, although Zathura from 2005, was from a book written by the same author - Chris Van Allsburg - and said to be the "spiritual successor" but as written, there were never made a direct sequel.