Jumanji: The Next Level is a 2019 American fantasy adventure comedy film directed by Jake Kasdan and co-written by Kasdan, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg. It is a sequel to 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, the second follow-up to 1995’s Jumanji, and is the fourth installment in the Jumanji franchise.

Three years after their adventure in Jumanji, Spencer Gilpin, Anthony “Fridge” Johnson, Martha Kaply, and Bethany Walker lead different lives, but plan a reunion brunch in Brantford, New Hampshire. Spencer, apprehensive of the meeting due to his comparatively dull life, contemplates returning to Jumanji where he had purpose, and spends his first night looking over the broken video-game system he held onto. The following day, his friends visit his home, meeting with Spencer’s grandfather Eddie, who is recovering from hip surgery, and Eddie’s former friend and business partner Milo Walker, who is visiting for an unknown reason. Learning that they have no idea where Spencer is, the group searches the house and finds the Jumanji game partially repaired in the basement. Realizing Spencer returned to the game, his friends decide to follow him.

The game malfunctions when starting up, drawing in Fridge, Martha, Eddie and Milo, leaving Bethany behind. Inside the game, Martha finds herself as her avatar Ruby Roundhouse, yet Fridge becomes Bethany’s avatar Professor Sheldon Oberon, while Eddie and Milo become Spencer and Fridge’s avatars Dr. Smolder Bravestone and Franklin “Mouse” Finbar respectively. After instructing Eddie and Milo on the game’s rules, the group encounters non-player character Nigel Billingsley, the game’s guide, who reveals that since its last use, Jumanji is suffering from a massive drought. To leave the game, Nigel reveals that the group must recover the “Falcon Jewel” – a magical necklace stolen by warlord Jurgen the Brutal – which can end the drought if brought before sunlight and uttering “Jumanji”. Bethany contacts fellow Jumanji alumnus Alex Vreeke for help.

Transported to a desert called the Dunes to track down Jurgen, and after narrowly escaping a flock of pursuing ostriches, the group encounters Spencer operating as skilled thief Ming Fleetfoot, a new avatar, who agrees to help them after blaming himself for their predicament. While attempting to escape the Dunes, the group faces new challenges and problems, along with collecting an in-game item called a Jumanji Berry, and discovering a pool of glowing green water that allows them to switch avatars.

The group infiltrates Jurgen’s fortress separately to rescue teammates and steal the Falcon Jewel. While scaling the ice wall to the fortress, Martha asks Spencer why he abandoned his old life and her, prompting Spencer to admit that Martha’s success at college made him insecure about himself. Martha consoles him and reminds him that he needs his friends when he is scared and insecure. When the confrontation turns into a battle, Spencer pursues Jurgen to his airship, while the others distracted his men.

Returning the necklace to Nigel for safekeeping, the group is surprised when Milo elects to stay behind and protect the land. Upon returning to the real world, Spencer teaches his grandfather about video games. Eddie, having gotten over his resentment, convinces Nora the owner of his old diner to hire him on as a manager. His grandson and friends are there too for their reunion.

In a mid-credits scene, the heating mechanic who Spencer’s mother hired finally shows up, only to be drawn to the game. The flock of ostriches from the game rush past the diner.

Jumanji: The Next Level was theatrically released in the United States on December 13, 2019, by Sony Pictures Releasing, under its Columbia Pictures label. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, it was the tenth highest-grossing film of 2019.