journey 2 the mysterious island 2012 cast

Screen Rant

Journey 2: the mysterious island cast & character guide - where you've seen the actors before.

With A-list stars like The Rock and Vanessa Hudgens at the helm, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island has a stacked cast of Hollywood heavyweights.

• Journey 2: The Mysterious Island brings a fresh perspective with a shift in narrative focus, combining mystery, fantasy, and action.
• Dwayne Johnson's charismatic performance as Hank Parsons adds humor, physical prowess, and emotional depth to the film.
• Vanessa Hudgens' portrayal of Kailani is full of confidence and charm.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is the second installment in the Journey film franchise, which features an all-star cast including Vanessa Hudgens. While 2008's Journey to the Center of the Earth was inspired by Jules Verne's classic sci-fi novel of the same name, Journey 2 embraces a different Verne novel, The Mysterious Island , as its primary source material and focuses more on comedy. Unlike the first film's underground exploration theme, Journey 2 expands its horizon to an enigmatic island, introducing new characters and challenges. It makes for an exciting standalone adventure while maintaining a connection to the franchise's adventurous spirit.

This shift in narrative focus brings a fresh perspective to the franchise, offering a new adventure that combines elements of mystery, fantasy, and action. The sequel stands out for its unique blend of mythical creatures, hidden treasures, and uncharted territories, providing a visually stunning and thrilling experience. However, 2012's Journey 2: The Mysterious Island not only explores new thematic terrain but also features a star-studded cast that adds depth and charisma to its fantastical world. The film's ensemble comprises both seasoned actors and rising stars, including Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in an interesting transitional phase of his career.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson’s Franchises Ranked Worst To Best

Dwayne johnson as hank parsons.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays Hank Parsons in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island . Hank is Sean Anderson's stepfather, a former Navy codebreaker who reluctantly joins the adventure. Typical of other Johnson performances, his character brings a blend of humor, physical prowess, and emotional depth to the film. Hank's relationship with Sean evolves throughout the movie, adding a layer of family dynamics to the adventurous storyline. His expertise in navigation and survival skills proves crucial in the challenges they face on the island.

Dwayne Johnson's career transition from a professional wrestler to a Hollywood superstar is legendary. Known for his charismatic screen presence and action-packed performances, Johnson has starred in major blockbusters like the Fast & Furious franchise as Luke Hobbs , San Andreas as Raymond, and Jumanji as Spencer. His roles showcase his physical strength and comedic talent, making him one of the most entertaining stars in the industry. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island marks an interesting point in Johnson's career, as it was right on the cusp of him becoming a bankable actor able who brings in billions at the box office.

Josh Hutcherson As Sean Anderson

Josh Hutcherson is the bridge between the first movie and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island , as he reprises his role as Sean Anderson, the intrepid young explorer from the 2008 film. Sean embarks on another extraordinary adventure, this time to find his missing grandfather on the mythical Mysterious Island. His character's bravery, intelligence, and curiosity drive the plot, as he navigates through the island's wonders and dangers. Sean's development from the first film is evident, showcasing a more mature and confident explorer, yet retaining the youthful enthusiasm that defines his character.

Josh Hutcherson became a household name with his role as Peeta Mellark in the Hunger Games series , a part that catapulted him to international fame. His portrayal of the compassionate and resourceful Peeta garnered critical acclaim and a massive fan following. Before The Hunger Games , Hutcherson had already established himself as a talented young actor with roles in other adventure films, such as Jesse in Bridge to Terabithia and Walter in Zathura: A Space Adventure . In 2023, he starred in the PG-13 sleeper hit horror movie Five Nights at Freddy 's as Mike Schmidt.

Michael Caine As Alexander Anderson

Legendary actor Michael Caine plays Alexander Anderson, Sean's adventurous grandfather, in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island . Alexander, a Vernian (follower of Jules Verne's works), is the reason behind the expedition to the Mysterious Island. His character is eccentric, full of wisdom, and embodies the spirit of exploration. Caine's portrayal brings a sense of gravitas and charm to the film, serving as a mentor figure to the younger characters while engaging in the adventure with youthful vigor.

Michael Caine's illustrious career spans several decades, with iconic roles such as Charlie in the classic British crime caper The Italian Job , the titular character in the '60s drama Alfie , and Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. His remarkable versatility and distinctive Cockney accent have made him one of the most respected and beloved actors in cinema. Caine's ability to adapt to various genres, from drama to comedy, has earned him numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards. His latest film, 2023's The Great Escaper, marks the last film of his career after Caine announced his retirement .

Luis Guzmán As Gabato

Luis Guzmán portrays Gabato, the comical and kind-hearted helicopter pilot who helps the group reach the Mysterious Island. Typical of Guzmán's usual roles, his character adds a humorous and relatable touch to the film, often providing comic relief amidst the thrilling action. However, Gabato's concern for his daughter, Kailani, and his willingness to embark on the dangerous journey for her sake, adds emotional depth to his role.

Luis Guzmán is known for his character roles, often playing likable, down-to-earth characters in both film and television. The actor has two notable great working relationships in Hollywood. As a close friend of Adam Sandler , Guzmán has featured alongside the comedian in Anger Management, Sandy Wexler, The Do-Over , and others. The actor is also close to celebrated filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson , with appearances in Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Punch-Drunk Love (also starring Sandler). In television, Guzmán gained acclaim for his portrayal of patriarch Gomez Addams on Wednesday .

Vanessa Hudgens As Kailani

Vanessa Hudgens plays Kailani, Gabato's determined and courageous daughter, who joins the quest to find the Mysterious Island. Her character is strong-willed, resourceful, and serves as a romantic interest for Sean. Kailani's adventurous spirit and bravery make her a key member of the expedition team, and Hudgens' performance brings a sense of determination and charm to the role. Hudgens rose to fame with her role as Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series , a role that made her a teen idol. Since then, she has diversified her career with roles in films like Spring Breakers and Tick, Tick... Boom!

Kristin Davis As Liz Anderson-Parsons

Kristin Davis portrays Liz Anderson-Parsons, Sean's caring and concerned mother, who reluctantly allows him to search for his grandfather in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island . Her character, while not central to the island's adventure, plays a crucial role in the emotional backdrop of the story, representing the family ties and concerns back home.

Davis is best known for her role as Charlotte York in Sex and the City , which earned her widespread recognition. She notably returned to the role of Charlotte in the Max revival series And Just Like That.. for two seasons with And Just Like That... season 3 in development.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, and YouTube.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012) Cast and Crew

Journey Collection

A modern adaptation of the universe of Jules Verne, thus transposed to our time, at the beginning of the 21st century.

Movie Recommendations

Featured News

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Movie trailers.

MPAA Rating

Produced by, released by, journey 2: the mysterious island (2012), directed by brad peyton.

• AllMovie Rating 4
• User Ratings ( 0 )
• Your Rating
• Overview ↓
• AllMovie Review Review ↓
• User Reviews ↓
• Cast & Crew ↓
• Releases ↓
• Related ↓

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

• Sean Anderson partners with his mom's husband on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island.
• Ever since his adventure in the center of the Earth, Sean Anderson has been looking for other places mentioned by Verne and other Vernians. He is notified about a coded message, and breaks into a satellite facility to fully receive it. With the help from his stepfather Hank (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) he decodes the message leading him to find the map that leads him to Verne's mysterious island. Along with Gabato and Kailani, Sean embarks on a mission to find his grandfather, the legendary Vernian Alexander. But unexpected problems arise as Alexander made a mistake that could change everything. — Anonymous User - Earth
• After travelling to the center of the Earth, Sean Anderson, now seventeen, has been at the usual teen schemes lately. His latest crime lands him to finding something extraordinary, a key to a chunk of land in the Pacific Ocean. Sean teams up with his stepfather, Hank, to get there, and they meet an overeager chopper pilot, and his teenage daughter, to get to Sean's grandfather, Alexander, only to discover the mysterious island.
• After going to the center of the Earth, seventeen-year-old Sean Andeson goes on a journey to find The Mysterious Island, a legend discovered by Jules Verne. Assisted by his stepfather, Hank, the pair team up with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful daughter to find Sean's lost grandfather, whom Sean believes is on the island. The team encounters monsters, witty remarks, and a deadly conflict along the way.
• A young male, his stepfather, and a pair of travel guides travel to an island that is not as it seems. Once they find out that the island is sinking, they do everything that they can to find a way off the island and get back home safely with the help of an experienced relative. — RECB3
• 17-year-old Sean Anderson receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. Unable to stop him from tracking the signal to its source, Sean's new stepfather, Hank, joins the quest that will take them first to the South Pacific, and then to a place few people have ever seen. Or lived to tell about. It's a place of stunning beauty, strange and threatening life forms, volcanoes, mountains of gold and more than one astonishing secret. Together with Gabato, the only helicopter pilot willing to risk the trip, and Gabato's beautiful, strong-willed daughter Kailani, they set out to find the island, rescue its lone human inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island underwater and bury its treasures forever.

Contribute to this page

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More from this title

More to explore.

Recently viewed

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Monkey Man Link to Monkey Man
• The First Omen Link to The First Omen
• The Beast Link to The Beast

New TV Tonight

• Chucky: Season 3
• Mr Bates vs The Post Office: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Franklin: Season 1
• Dora: Season 1
• Good Times: Season 1
• Beacon 23: Season 2

Most Popular TV on RT

• Ripley: Season 1
• Sugar: Season 1
• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• A Gentleman in Moscow: Season 1
• We Were the Lucky Ones: Season 1
• Parasyte: The Grey: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• The Gentlemen: Season 1
• Manhunt: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Ripley Link to Ripley
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

100 Best Free Movies on YouTube (April 2024)

Pedro Pascal Movies and Series Ranked by Tomatometer

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

TV Premiere Dates 2024

New Movies & TV Shows Streaming in April 2024: What To Watch on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and More

• Trending on RT
• Play Movie Trivia
• Best Horror Movies
• New On Streaming

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

2012, Adventure/Fantasy, 1h 34m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Aggressively unambitious, Journey 2 might thrill tween viewers, but most others will find it too intense for young audiences and too cartoonishly dull for adults. Read critic reviews

You might also like

Where to watch journey 2: the mysterious island.

Rent Journey 2: The Mysterious Island on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified..

AMCTheatres.com or AMC App New

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

Theater box office or somewhere else

By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Journey 2: the mysterious island   photos.

Now 17, Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal from an island where none should exist. Knowing that he will not be able to dissuade Sean from tracking the signal to its source, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), Sean's new stepfather, joins the teen on a quest to the South Pacific. Together with helicopter pilot Gabato (Luis Guzmán) and Gabato's feisty daughter, Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island and rescue its sole human inhabitant (Michael Caine).

Rating: PG (Some Adventure Action|Brief Mild Language)

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

Original Language: English

Director: Brad Peyton

Producer: Beau Flynn , Tripp Vinson , Charlotte Huggins

Writer: Brian Gunn , Mark Gunn

Release Date (Theaters): Feb 10, 2012  wide

Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2014

Box Office (Gross USA): $103.8M

Runtime: 1h 34m

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Production Co: Contrafilm

Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital

Cast & Crew

Dwayne Johnson

Michael Caine

Josh Hutcherson

Vanessa Hudgens

Kristin Davis

Luis Guzmán

Anna Colwell

Stephen Caudill

Branscombe Richmond

Brad Peyton

Screenwriter

Tripp Vinson

Charlotte Huggins

Richard Brener

Executive Producer

Michael Disco

Samuel J. Brown

Marcus Viscidi

Michael Bostick

Evan Turner

David Tattersall

Cinematographer

Production Design

David Rennie

Film Editing

Denise Wingate

Costume Design

Andrew Lockington

Original Music

Bruce Robert Hill

Supervising Art Direction

Gary Fettis

Set Decoration

News & Interviews for Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s 10 Best Movies

Critics Consensus: Journey 2 Isn’t Quite Worth the Trip

Total Recall: Luis Guzman’s Best Movies

Critic Reviews for Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Audience reviews for journey 2: the mysterious island.

What's interesting about this standard adventure tale is how it tells it's story: the barest bones of construction, and only the points you are already well versed with (from all the other adventure tales they've "borrowed" from) to get to the point quickly. Quite literally they find a "secret map written in code" and decipher the thing in less than 5 minutes, and then "it's off to the island!". Everything happens fast, and everyone's only playing a cliche, and so after a minute it becomes cool simply watching the race to the end. Should I tell you "no surprises here"? If I did, that would be the only surprise of this feature.

Better than the first mostly due to the fact that the cast were more likeable and the story wasn't as cheesy, It's still cheesy but it's fun, The effects were ok but some looked pretty bad in places, I can't comment on the 3D as I watched the 2D version but just like the first it looked like it would be good in 3D, The story was predictable but fun and most of all my kids enjoyed it and that's the films target audience so it's hard to be too critical.

I just finished watching on my cable this science fiction adventure comedy directed by Brad Peyton. This is a sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth, and is based on another Jules Verne novel, this time The Mysterious Island. Very unusual cast stars Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzmán, and Kristin Davis. The story was written by Richard Outten, Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, and the screenplay by Brian and Mark Gunn. This movie became a box office success with a worldwide gross of nearly $326 million, surpassing its predecessor, I think mainly because of the 3D technology. The story is happening four years since the events of the first movie, and starts with the 18-year-old Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) involved in a chase with the police which ended with him driving into a swimming pool. His step-father Hank (Dwayne Johnson) arrives and later discovers that Sean had broken into a satellite research centre in order to boost the signal of a code he'd received by someone he suspects is Alexander Anderson, Sean's grandfather who had been missing for two years. Wanting to bond with his stepson the next day, Hank helps Sean decipher the code of Jules Verne and makes a map from the three books in the coded letter with the coordinates to its location. All they need to do now is to convince Sean's mother to let the both of them go in search of the island. This is a film with very likable characters and actors in an adventure which could excite the younger audience, but not too exciting for the older. It is moving quickly but parts of the story almost seemed unrelated at some moments. Directing seemed done without any motivation... that doesn't mean it was bad, but wasn't very noticeable. If you want to spend a night with a family watching something which is semi-sweet and very colourful, give it a go!

Journey to ridiculous. But nice visuals/SFX. The Rock delivers the same crappola performance he's famous for...sadly.

Movie & TV guides

Play Daily Tomato Movie Trivia

Discover What to Watch

Rotten Tomatoes Podcasts

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, jump-starting the nautilus with an electric eel.

Now streaming on:

"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" looks like nothing so much as one of those live-action adventures that Disney used to grind out in the 1950s — and hey, here's Captain Nemo's Nautilus to prove it. Also, a tree house to humble "Swiss Family Robinson," which contains a short-wave radio that has been assembled from old spoons, I think I heard.

The movie is very, very loosely a sequel to " Journey to the Center of the Earth ," with only two connections: It's inspired by a Jules Verne novel, and it co-stars young Josh Hutcherson as the hero Sean. The film opens with him on a motorcycle and being chased by cops, but not to worry; all he did was break into a satellite-tracking station to boost the power on a message for help sent by his grandfather from a lost island in the Pacific.

Sean, whose father in the first film ( Brendan Fraser ) has disappeared (from the cast, anyway), now has to deal with Hank ( Dwayne Johnson , aka the Rock). Hank is his new stepdad. Josh and Hank make friends by decrypting grandfather's message; Hank glances at it and intuits that the two-syllable words stand for dots and one-syllable words stand for dashes, which means Grandpa has had enough free time on his remote island to figure out a way to make Morse code several times longer than it previously was. Unanswered is why grandfather would encrypt a call for help.

This Hank, what a swell guy. He proposes that the two of them fly off to the Pacific and find Grandpa. On arrival somewhere, they hire a tourist helicopter pilot named Gabato, played by Luis Guzman as another one of those low-comedy guys who gets all worked up and is scared of stuff. (I enjoyed a reprise of this classic shot: Gabato runs toward camera, falls on stomach, looks up …and up … and up.)

Gabato has a daughter named Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens ), a Polynesian beauty who wears a tank top and Daisy Dukes throughout the film. These four fly off in the helicopter, are trapped in a Force Five hurricane that rips it to pieces and are lucky enough to find themselves alive on the beach of the Mysterious Island.

This is your complete island. It has an active volcano; waterfalls with no apparent water sources streaming down cliffs; elephants the size of dogs, and giant lizards that are nowhere big enough to account for the size of their eggs. (Josh falls through the shell of one, splashes in a pool of yolk and is attacked by an unborn lizard chick.) Also on the island is the lost city of Atlantis, even though it's in the wrong ocean, and bees so big Sean and Kailani can both ride on the back of one. And Alexander Anderson, Sean's grandfather, played by Michael Caine , who will not be editing this role into his videos about how to act in movies.

I hope you understand I enjoyed most of this stuff. The director, Brad Peyton , apparently intended it as a genial parody of countless other movies in this spirit. There is, for example, a scene were Sean, Grandpa, Kailani and Gabato all sit around the old campfire and listen while Hank strums a ukulele and sings "What a Wonderful World." And I mean he sings it: every word of three verses. It's not every day you see the Rock channeling Gene Autry.

Sean deduces that Verne's novel contains everything they need to know, and this comes in handy when the volcano explodes, and the island begins to sink into the sea. Sure enough, Captain Nemo's submarine is still hidden underwater. Hank and Sean, trusting Verne, dive off a high cliff, and while holding their breath and swimming underwater, are able to (1) find the sub, (2) open the hatch by tugging and twisting it, (3) swim inside, (4) push a lever to fill it with air, and (5) get the power generator working by jump-starting it with an electric eel.

This is transcendently goofy. It isn't a "good" movie in the usual sense (or most senses), but it is jolly and good-natured, and Michael Caine and Dwayne Johnson are among the most likable of actors. Johnson is such a good sport, he even shows young Sean how to impress girls by flexing your pecs so quickly that nuts will ricochet off them. I can't think of any reason to pay extra for the 3-D.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

Simon Abrams

Peyton Robinson

Mary & George

Cristina escobar.

The American Society of Magical Negroes

Robert daniels.

Wicked Little Letters

Sheila o'malley, film credits.

Journey 2: Mysterious Island (2012)

Rated PG for some adventure action, and brief mild language

Dwayne Johnson as Hank

Michael Caine as Alexander

Josh Hutcherson as Sean

Vanessa Hudgens as Kailani

Luis Guzman as Gabato

Directed by

• Brad Peyton

Latest blog posts

​Criterion Celebrates the Films That Forever Shifted Our Perception of Kristen Stewart​

The Estate of George Carlin Destroys AI George Carlin in Victory for Copyright Protection (and Basic Decency)

The Future of the Movies, Part 3: Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt

11:11 - Eleven Reviews by Roger Ebert from 2011 in Remembrance of His Transition 11 Years Ago

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

• TV Listings
• Cast & Crew

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island - Full Cast & Crew

• 1 hr 34 mins
• Comedy, Action & Adventure, Kids
• Watchlist Where to Watch

Action, with Josh Hutcherson. Sean receives a distress signal from an island he knows should not exist. Rather than tell him to ignore it, his new stepfather accompanies him on a daring rescue mission to track down the island's inhabitant.

Screenwriter

Sound effects, executive producer, assoc. producer, cinematographer.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Film details, brief synopsis, cast & crew, brad peyton, dwayne johnson, josh hutcherson, michael caine, vanessa hudgens, anthony carlino, technical specs.

Young adventurer Sean receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist--a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean's new stepfather joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter, they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shock waves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.

Kristin Davis

Stewart shaw, branscombe richmond, emilie claire barlow, anna colwell, luis guzman, walker bankson, stephen caudill, gary abrahamian, jan adamczyk, shane aherne, dayne ahuna, paul alexiou, william alford, steve alterman, chris anderson, scott anderson, carlos anguiano, galder apraiz, cristina de arce, billie joe armstrong, joseph ashmore, aymeric aute, amber axelton, heath baker, jesse balodis, john bankson, christopher barrick, marcos de barros, kip bartlett, ryan bennett, tina bennett, logan berkshire, christophe bernaud, marc berrouett, juergen billstein, ashton blessing, derek blume, tony bohorquez, austin bonang, chantal boomla, markus boos, michael bostick, s kai bovaird, keith brachmann, kane brassington, stefan braun, mark breakspear, richard brener, robby brenham, matthew brookman, john brooks, michelle lee brown, randy brown, ronni brown, jennifer brusciano, clint buckner, dave buehrle, elika burns, shannon leigh butler, roy cancino, david canning, marco capparelli, tim cargioli, john c casey, adolfo castanon, tom castronova, phoenix chan, alexis chapman, pete chesney jr., peter chesney, gina chuang, brian chumney, alex church, joe churchill, yamato cibulka, karl cizakowsky, ryan clarke, regina conroy, matt conway, scott corbett, benjamin cox, karl coyner, andy crawford, thomas crawford, joe creswell, tim crosbie, clay cullen, martyn 'moose' culpitt, robert cvengros, steve cypreos, britt cyrus, colette dahanne, nick damico, henry dando, alex daniels, craig h davidson, kristy dearholt, douglas a degrazzio, ralphie del castillo, brian demetz, robert e denne, lindsay irish desarno, robert deschane, mohammad yahya meta dia, ben dickson, pete dionne, michael disco, daniel dobrott, daren r. dochterman, nicholas dodd, holly dorff, james dornoff, kenji doughty, paris downes, cameron doyle, clayton drier, moosie drier, david drzewiecki, andrew dudman, reid d duke, john michael eaves, christopher edwards, karen eisenstadt, loren elkins, adam ellison, christian emond, sean england, david r espinoza, aaron estrada, henry e ezzell, tara farney, julia ferguson, gary fettis, craig fincannon, lisa mae fincannon, patrick finley, anna fishburn, bruce fleskes, gabriel franke, sally fuscoe, stephen gagnon-cady, tanya gallardo, brian galligan, eric gambini, giancarlo ganziano, hiram garcia, robert gardiner, jonathan s gaynor, sinje gebauer, matt giampa, colleen gibbons, mitchell j glaser, peter gleaves, jim gloster, nainoa glover, dan b goldman, dustin gomes, joanna n goslicka, leighton greer, bryan grill, caroline grubb, matti grüner, matthew k hacker, whitney hagan, erik halsey, jeff halsey, barbara efthymiou harris, daniel harris, miscellaneous notes.

Wide Release in United States Winter February 10, 2012

Released in United States on Video June 5, 2012

Sequel to "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (USA/2008) directed by Eric Brevig and starring Brendan Fraser, and based on Jules Verne's novel "A Journey to the Center of the Earth."

Project's storyline will be based on an original script titled "Myterious Travels" by Richard Outten that producers will repurpose for the sequel.

Brendan Fraser was previously attached to reprise his role as Professor Trevor Anderson.

Eric Brevig was previously attached to direct.

Sign Up now to stay up to date with all of the latest news from TCM.

Your Browser is Not Supported

To view this content, please use one of the following compatible browsers:

Safari v11+

Firefox Quantum

Microsoft Edge

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Cast & crew.

• Rankings FA
• TV Premiere Calendar
• Coming in 2024
• Latest Reviews
• Oscars™ New

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

• Credits 
• Trailers  [1]
• Image gallery  [4]

All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders and/or producers/distributors.

• Stephen Caudill

• Walter Bankson
• See all credits
• "A fun though rarely funny family adventure whose lively special effects compensate somewhat for actors who largely sleepwalk through their roles"  Russell Edwards : Variety
• "Offers giant rocks clearly made of Styrofoam and Dwayne Johnson, who fits the same description (...) [It] may be enough to hypnotize small children for 90 minutes, but everyone else will be checking their watches"  Rafer Guzmán : Newsday
• "It isn't a 'good' movie in the usual sense (or most senses), but it is jolly and good-natured, and Michael Caine and Dwayne Johnson are among the most likable of actors (...) Rating: ★★½ (out of four)"  Roger Ebert : Chicago Sun-Times

All copyrighted material (movie posters, DVD covers, stills, trailers) and trademarks belong to their respective producers and/or distributors.

User history

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Cast & crew.

Josh Hutcherson

Sean Anderson

Dwayne Johnson

Hank Parsons

Vanessa Hudgens

Michael Caine

Kristin Davis

Liz Anderson

Adventure sequel is clunky but has positive role models.

• Reviews 133

Information

© 2011 New Line Productions, Inc.

Accessibility

Copyright © 2024 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

Internet Service Terms Apple TV & Privacy Cookie Policy Support

10 Best Movies Based On Jules Verne Books, Ranked

• Jules Verne's work has inspired numerous movie adaptations and is the foundation for some of the earliest science fiction films.
• Some Jules Verne adaptations are entertaining and enjoyable, while others are outdated and not required viewing.
• The film "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (2008) successfully updates Verne's classic story with modern special effects and remains fun to watch.

Jules Verne is undoubtedly one of the most prominent authors in science fiction , and its no wonder that his works have inspired countless movie adaptations. One of the most translated writers in human history, the French author has written legendary tales like 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Around the World in 80 Days . Verne's daring imagination put him far ahead of his time, and it's no surprise that movie studios have sought to replicate his sense of wonder with multiple live-action adaptations of Jules Verne stories .

Jules Verne's work has become the foundation for some of the earliest films in the science fiction genre , some of which even hold up today remarkably well as enjoyable, adventurous romps through the imagination. The mid-to-late 2000s saw a resurgence of Jules Verne films as well, to varying degrees of success, with studios hoping to recapture the joy and nostalgia of the earliest films to adapt Verne's books for a new generation. With so many familiar titles, it's a difficult task to distinguish the very best depictions of Jules Verne's novels over the years.

Journey To The Center Of The Earth

An easily-overlooked made-for-TV movie, the two-part Journey to the Center of the Earth special was a solid attempt at getting to the center of what made Verne's original story so memorable. The film is decidedly slow-moving and low-budgeted, with some creature effects occasionally bordering the precipice of acceptable for a shoestring budget, but the C-List actors can often bring in decent performances amid the campy set-dressing. Despite it's many flaws, the two-part film is an entertaining, knowingly campy jog through Verne's beloved tale of subterranean exploration.

Master Of The World

Master of the World is the sole film to adapt Jules Verne's novel of the same name, and when compared to his other, more well-known stories, it's easy to see why. The narrative of a rich maniac dedicated to the idea of threatening the world's governments into laying down their arms isn't quite as whimsical as Verne's other premises. As for the film, despite rich talent from the likes of a young Charles Bronson and the legendary Vincent Price , the special effects are especially outdated, even for the time period . Master of the World is fun, but not required viewing.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Journey 2: the mysterious island.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is the follow-up to 2008's Journey to the Center of the Earth. The film takes place four years after the original, showing Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson teaming up with Hank, his stepfather, to find his lost grandfather. Due to scheduling issues, Brendan Fraser wasn't able to return as Trevor Anderson but was replaced by Dwayne Johnson as the film's lead.

Release Date 2012-02-12

Director Brad Peyton

Cast Josh Hutcherson, Michael Caine, Vanessa Hudgens, Dwayne Johnson

This semi-adaptation picks up where 2008's Journey to the Center of the Earth left off, replacing Brendan Fraser with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. As the passable action adventure delves into the incredible isle, the tone rides a strange line, at once too scary for younger viewers and too subdued for older ones. Amid mediocre CGI and all-too subdued performances, the best thing that can be said about Journey 2: The Mysterious Island was how it pioneered the art of throwing Johnson into a jungle, later done better in films like Jungle Cruise and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle .

Around The World In 80 Days

Though the idea of circumnavigating the globe in the span of 80 days is now a triviality, in Verne's time, such a time was the stuff of science fiction. The 1956 take on the story is an incredibly grand adventure comedy with a runtime that feels nearly as long as the titular journey itself. The international cast is crammed with stars of Hollywood's Golden Age , who had enough charisma between them to earn the film an early Academy Award for Best Picture. Today, the spectacle and aged humor can be best appreciated as a museum of 50s stardom.

Starring a young Josh Hutcherson and Brendan Fraser, still hot off the success of The Mummy trilogy , 2008's Journey To The Center Of The Earth had all the makings of an action-adventure hit. Being the first to truly update one of Verne's classic stories with modern special effects, the film still looks great 15 years later, even if it is marred by several obvious moments clearly meant to be enjoyed in the context of a 3-D theater. Adapting the classic adventure about as well as it could have, Journey To The Center Of The Earth isn't revolutionary, but undeniably fun.

While most adaptations of Verne's work make at least some departures from the source material, 2004's Around The World In 80 Days completely re-imagines the story as a raucous action-comedy. Though critically-panned at the time, the film is endlessly re-watchable today , with eye-popping action choreography courtesy of Jackie Chan's Passepartout and deadpan comedic timing from Steve Coogan's Phineas Fogg. If the anachronisms and deviations from Verne's novel can be forgiven, Around The World In 80 Days is a creative globe-trotting adventure that doesn't get the respect it deserves.

There's simply no replicating the cheesy fun of the original Journey To The Center Of The Earth , an earnest science fiction adventure movie that wears its heart on its sleeve. The special effects are certainly dated, but it's hard not to wring a certain level of charm out of the delicately hand-painted backgrounds and practical lizardman costumes. Beyond the addition of the deliciously dastardly villain, Count Saknussemm, the film is also one of the most faithful to Verne's work, a commendable effort in and of itself.

The Mysterious Island

The Mysterious Island is one of Jules Verne's lesser-known stories, but the 1961 film of the same name takes every advantage of the novel's conceits. Following a group of Union soldiers in the Civil War who escape prison in a hot air balloon only to wash up on a bizarre uncharted island, the film's sense of tension only ever dials up, as the heroes contend with grimy human pirates and giant fauna rendered by the talent of stop-motion legend Ray Harryhausen . Not the deepest narrative, this thrilling tale of danger holds up decades later remarkably well as a harrowing odyssey.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

One of Disney's earliest forays into live-action storytelling, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea presented the aquatic crew of the Nautilus with untold dangers then-undreamed of by 50s audiences. Beyond the great creature and sci-fi technology designs that still hold up today, the film offers substantially more heart than most other Verne adaptations, taking the time to acclimate the viewer with its intrepid adventurers. It's no wonder that 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was influential enough to earn a spot as a Disneyland mainstay even seven decades after its original release.

A Trip To The Moon

It's only fitting that the world's first science fiction movie sprung from the mind of one of the genre's most influential authors. Presenting early audiences with a dizzying idea of space travel long before the first astronaut was born, A Trip To The Moon 's hypnotic, almost feverish visuals and brisk 14-minute run time assaults the imagination with a yet-unmatched spectacle of dreamlike reality. From the Moon's incredulous face to the dancing insectoid aliens that vanish in a literal puff of smoke, A Trip To The Moon is by far the most influential science fiction film courtesy of Jules Verne.