In news that caused dinosaur lovers everywhere to remove their sunglasses in shock like Sam Neill, Universal announced it was working on yet another movie set in the Jurassic World universe in January 2024.
Even though Jurassic World Dominion wrapped up the recent trilogy to a mixed reception in 2022, the opportunity to make another billion dino-dollars was apparently too sweet to turn down for the studio as a reboot of the franchise is fast on its way. Huh, a money-hungry company daring to resurrect dinosaurs despite the massive risks involved. Where have we heard that before?
Cynicism aside, while it’s not like we’ve had enough time apart to be particularly hungry for a return to Jurassic Park, Universal has assembled a ton of top-rate talent for this project so there’s a good chance this one could make us forget all about the dismal Dominion (oh, you already have forgotten it? That’s fair).
Who’s in the Jurassic World reboot?
Just like Universal brought in action man of the moment Chris Pratt to lead 2015’s Jurassic World, the studio has likewise snapped up another major rising star of today for this reboot. Bridgerton breakout Jonathan Bailey is reportedly in talks to play the film’s male lead.
As for its female lead, well, you can’t get much more of a coup than this. Marvel icon Scarlett Johansson was the first major name to board the project, which proved just how much Universal was investing in it. With box office magnet ScarJo on board, Jurassic World 4‘s chances of cracking $1 billion just got even better.
The big names don’t end there, either, as — slightly less reliably — Dev Patel and Colman Domingo are also believed to be in discussions for roles. While Patel’s potential involvement remains a tight-lipped mystery, Domingo is rumored to be on board as the villain. Could this commitment put paid to hopes that he might be the MCU’s new Kang the Conqueror? Or could working with a former Avenger actually help his cause?
Who’s directing the Jurassic World reboot?
Let’s get it out the way immediately: no, sadly Steven Spielberg is not returning to helm Jurassic World 4. The Hollywood legend famously directed the 1993 original and its not-as-good-but-still-solid sequel The Lost World in 1997, before handing the reigns to Joe Johnston for 2001’s Jurassic Park 3. In contrast, Colin Trevorrow then helmed the full Jurassic World trilogy himself.
For the reboot, Universal has gifted the IP to a brand new name for the franchise, but one who’s definitely proven his suitability for the task. Gareth Edwards is sitting in the director’s chair for this one, after previously working with giant marauding lizards in 2014’s Godzilla. For that classic Jurassic Park flavor, though, original screenwriter and frequent Spielberg collaborator David Koepp is penning the script.
What’s the Jurassic World reboot about?
Honestly, we know pretty much nothing about the plot at this instance, as Universal has yet to let slip any kind of logline or elevator pitch for the reboot. However, you’d imagine that Edwards or Koepp must have come in with some kind of epic, thrilling pitch that made it necessary to make another movie so soon after the last. Or, you know, they just felt like throwing some dinosaurs at the screen again to earn some easy cash.
What we can say is that the new film won’t continue the legacy vibes of Trevorrow’s trilogy. Although Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum all returned in Dominion, Edwards’ offering is said to singularly focus on the new characters played by Bailey, Johansson, and so on.
This does leave the door open for this to be a full-on restart of continuity, but given that this is highly unfashionable these days that still seems unlikely. If it does continue on with the same canon, the movie will have to deal with the ramifications of dinosaurs existing across the globe, something that Dominion was heavily criticized for mostly ignoring (giant locusts, Colin? Really?).
When is the Jurassic World reboot coming out?
As is typical for this franchise, Universal came charging right out the gate with a fixed release date that it wants this movie to hit, despite it only being in pre-production at the time of writing. The good news — for viewers, at least, less so for the poor folks who have to crank out a blockbuster movie at top speed — is that Jurassic World 4 is not far away. It’s scheduled for July 2, 2025 — a mere three years and one week on from the release of Dominion.
Let’s just hope we won’t soon be lamenting that Universal was so preoccupied with whether or not they could make a new Jurassic World that they didn’t stop to think if they should.
