In the very first Jurassic Park, the scene where Grant and Sattler realize they’re on an island populated by dinosaurs—the presumably long-extinct creatures they’ve spent their lives studying and obsessing about—has become maybe the classic Spielberg “moment of wonder.” Jaws drop, sunglasses come off, and the majesty feels real (before things take a turn for the terrifying, at least). But Jurassic World Rebirth takes place several decades later, in a time when people have since become jaded about coexisting with dinosaurs.
Ahead of a new trailer for the film (dropping tomorrow), Vanity Fair shared a feature with first-look photos from the film, as well as interviews with stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey; director Gareth Edwards; producer Frank Marshall; and writer David Koepp. Koepp is returning to the Jurassic series after penning the first two installments, the 1993 original and 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and he picked up on that idea of people growing “complacent” about the scientific miracle in their midst for the new film’s story.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Marshall teased how that became a big theme for Rebirth, which takes place five years after 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion. “[Koepp] came up with this idea that dinosaurs were passé now. People were tired of them. They were an inconvenience. People weren’t going to museums to see them or to petting zoos. They were just in the way. And the climate was not conducive to their survival, so they were starting to pass away and get sick. But there was one area around the equator that had the perfect climate and temperature and environment for them.”
This allowed Edwards to craft a shot that mirrors another iconic scene in Jurassic Park: when the “When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth” banner falls amid the climactic dino vs. dino battle (as the surviving humans scuttle to get the hell out of there). In Rebirth, Marshall said, “The banner’s coming down again … [Jonathan Bailey’s character is] a scientist at a museum that’s closing up their dinosaur exhibit.” (You can see that image from Vanity Fair at the top of this post.)
Acting like dinosaurs are no longer a fearsome threat is a terrible idea, something that Jurassic World Rebirth will no doubt be demonstrating in no uncertain terms. We’ll see more in the trailer tomorrow, and learn the full story when the movie hits theaters July 2.
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