Jungle Cruise Delivers Grand Hollywood Premiere During Fourth Wave of Covid – Deadline

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Exactly a year after the previous Jungle Cruise release date of July 24, 2020, the Disney movie starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt premiered Saturday night at the place where it all began – Disneyland.

Johnson, also a producer of the film, in an onstage speech praised Walt Disney who opened Anaheim Park in July 1955 with a Jungle Cruise as one of its original attractions.

Disney pulled all stops for its Jungle Cruise premiere, temporarily closing a few rides and canceling fireworks Saturday while giving regular park-goers a chance to see the movie’s stars, led by Johnson and Blunt who have taken the Jungle Cruise before. Hit the red carpenter at the Fantasyland Theatre.

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#JungleCruise pic.twitter.com/huP9vw9Vrk

– Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) July 25, 2021

One of the first big Hollywood films since cinemas restarted this spring after a Covid-related theater closed for a year, the opening of the Jungle Cruise was the first major public event for many of the attendees who had to provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR Covid test. The premiere brought back a sense of normalcy with most of the premiere’s staples back the way they were – from a fan pen and multiple red-carpet interview stops for the actors, to character fashion shows and multiple guest photoshoots, to buckets of popcorn – and nearly an hour of Delayed examination start.

Except for the shuttle ride from the parking lot to the park, no masks were needed. Only a few attendees – and most Disney employees – were seen wearing face coverings, including young children who are not currently eligible for the Covid vaccine.

To safely achieve the look and feel of a major movie premiere from the pre-Covid era as the pandemic continues, the Jungle Cruise was an all-outdoor event, from the red carpet to the outdoor Fantasyland theater to the reception on the streets of Adventureland after the park closed for the day at 10 p.m. (In Los Angeles County, where most premiere guests were, there is a new mask mandate launched by the new Delta variant for indoor gatherings only; there are no mask guidelines during the current fourth COVID wave for Orange County, where Disneyland is based.)

Johnson and Blunt took the stage to address guests at the film’s premiere, which was originally scheduled for release on October 19, 2019, then pushed to July 24, 2020 and later postponed to July 30, 2021 due to the pandemic, and they were shown to take a large selfie “with the audience (photo) main above) “We wanted to make a movie that was truly the adventure of a lifetime, it was more than just a catchphrase for us,” Johnson told the audience. “It was something we wanted to give to families all over the world hoping they would have a good time. Hopefully this has achieved our goal.”

In a departure from traditional Hollywood premieres in the past, there was no dinner served at the after-show party – a challenge to pull off safely during the pandemic – as guests were treated to Disneyland desert products they could eat on the go, churros, ragdoll web and Mickey’s ice cream Mouse and cotton candy.

The only indoor activities included in the premiere’s itinerary were the Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean tours, which, along with the Jungle Cruise of course, were open to guests during the party that extended well past midnight, with a stroll through the empty streets of Disneyland. Also on the to-do list of most attendees.

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