Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson paid homage to the late Robin Williams in an Instagram clip he posted on Thursday, donning a piece of memorabilia that had once passed through the late actor’s hands.
The 53-year-old superstar took to the social media site on Thursday as he was seen traveling via tram through the Universal Studios lot in Southern California, where he’s making the fourth installment in the Jumanji film franchise.
The international superstar greeted thrilled fans riding on a seperate tram, in a clip posted to his 391 million followers.
The A-list action star, who plays the role of Dr. Smolder Bravestone in the motion picture series, said he gave fans ‘a little Easter egg’ as filming commenced on the highly-anticipated sequel.Â
‘This is the dice from the original Jumanji with Robin Williams as a show of respect and a way of honoring Robin and this entire franchise that he started as we film our very last,’ the Hayward, California-born film star said, showing off the prop, which he wore around his neck.Â
The wrestler-turned-actor said he was enjoying ‘a little day one of Jumanji excitement’ as production ensued on the motion picture.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, 53, paid homage to the late Robin Williams in an Instagram clip he posted on Thursday
Johnson said it came as a relief to be filming in Los Angeles for the first time in a while.
‘So good to be shooting in Los Angeles,’ Johnson said. ‘I have not shot a film in Los Angeles since I don’t know when.’
He added, ‘It feels so good to bring a production back home to Los Angeles.
‘And have our hardworking crews sleeping in their own bed every night – it’s very cool – and especially just a big, fun movie like Jumanji.’
The original Jumanji arrived in theaters nearly 30 years ago, on December 15, 1995.
A logline for the film, which starred Williams as Alan Parrish, was that ‘a magic board game summons jungle perils and a missing boy.’
The cast was rounded out by Kirsten Dunst, Jonathan Hyde, Bradley Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, David Alan Grier and Bonnie Hunt.
The international superstar greeted thrilled fans riding on a seperate tram, in a clip posted to his 391 million followersÂ
Bradley Pierce, Kirsten Dunst and Robin Williams pictured in the original movieÂ
Previous motion, pictures in the film franchise include 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and 2019’s Jumanji: The Next Level.
Johnson will again join creative forces with director Jake Kasdan and actors Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan for the next installment.
Keene, New Hampshire, where many scenes in the original movie were filmed, observed the film’s anniversary with a celebration this past June.
Madeline Murphy, who worked as an extra on the movie, recalled the direction filmmakers gave her when production was going on on the first film 31 years ago in November of 1994.
Murphy told the New York Post that she was told, ‘Pretend you’re frightened and you’re screaming because an elephant’s coming after you.’
Williams tragically died in August of 2014 via suicide. He was 63.Â
