Jurᴀssic World Rebirth

director Gareth Edwards and producer Frank Marshall address the franchise’s future. The seventh installment in the larger Jurᴀssic Park saga, the upcoming movie stars Scarlett Johansson as Zora Bennett, the leader of a mission into Earth’s dangerous equatorial regions to recover dinosaur DNA for a medical breakthrough. The Jurᴀssic World Rebirth story picks up the action five years after Jurᴀssic World Dominion (2022), introducing new characters played by Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, and Rupert Friend, among others.

During a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Evans and Marshall share their thoughts on the Jurᴀssic World franchise’s future, revealing that nothing is set in stone just yet. Marshall is asked whether a new installment would feature another all-new cast or if Johansson, Bailey, and Ali could return, and he teases that both options are on the table:

“We’re keeping both of those ideas in play, let’s say it that way. But, you know, it’s such a wonderful cast. I hope we can figure out what to do with them next.”

Edwards reveals that he hasn’t been let in on any sequel talks, if indeed there have been any, explaining that he has just focused his efforts on making Rebirth as good as it can be:

“I haven’t heard a single comment from anyone about sequels. But I’m a great believer in just trying to make a great film and the rest will take care of itself. It feels like a blank canvas ahead.”

What This Means For Jurᴀssic World Rebirth

Will It Continue A Franchise Trend?

The three Jurᴀssic Park movies play out like something of a loose trilogy, with Jurᴀssic World then serving as a soft reboot in 2015. This film then became the first installment in another trilogy, which featured leads in Chris Pratt’s Owen and Bryce Dallas Howard’s Claire. The Jurᴀssic World Dominion cast then brought Owen and Claire into the orbit of legacy characters like Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Dr. Ian Malcom (Jeff Goldblum). If Rebirth follows the pattern of the six previous movies, it could serve as the first of another three-movie saga.

A lot of what comes next will depend on how well Jurᴀssic World Rebirth is received. Considering Jurᴀssic World Dominion reviews were generally quite negative and the film still managed to gross over $1 billion, though, there’s certainly reason to be optimistic the new installment will deliver. As for whether any of Rebirth‘s characters will return for the next movie, a lot of that will depend on who survives. While Johansson’s Zora and Bailey’s Dr. Henry Loomis are probably safe, the franchise does have a history of killing off supporting characters.

Our Take On The Jurᴀssic World Franchise’s Future

Rebirth Could Revitalize The IP

No installment in the franchise has been able to match the critical reception of Steven Spielberg’s iconic original Jurᴀssic Park, but that hasn’t stopped the films from finding success with audiences. The latest Jurᴀssic World trilogy has affirmed that moviegoers will turn up for big dinosaur blockbusters, even if reviews aren’t glowing. This alone means Rebirth will likely be a modest success at worst and a big hit at best.

With original Jurᴀssic Park screenwriter David Koepp having written the script and Edwards, who helmed both Godzilla (2014) and The Creator (2023), in the director’s chair, Rebirth has the ingredients to redeem the franchise after Dominion‘s failings. Johansson also has proven movie-star charisma, and it could be exciting to see Zora become a new lead across multiple installments. While it’s unclear what’s next after Jurᴀssic World Rebirth, the franchise is certain to continue for years to come.

Source: Empire Magazine