‘Jurassic World 4’ Will Completely Ignore ‘Dominion’, New Report Suggests

in Movies & TV

Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) in Malta on his motorbike in 'Jurassic World Dominion'

Credit: Universal Pictures

Updated: A new report from ProductionList.com (via Screen Rant) says that filming for Jurassic World 4 is set to start in Los Angeles, CA on July 31 this year. A summary of the project also seemingly sheds light on what direction the franchise may be about to take. The rumored title for the film has also been revealed.

Jurassic World 4 will reportedly begin filming in Hawaii later this year.

Hawaii has served as the primary filming location for every Jurassic film since 1993 (with the exception of 2022’s Dominion), whether it’s the film set at Kualoa Ranch on Oahu or one of the many locations on Kauai such as the Na Pali Coast or Manawaiopuna Falls.

The two beautiful, lush islands double as Isla Nublar/Jurassic Park and Isla Sorna/Site B, the two fictitious Costa Rican islands from the film series (although neither Hawaiian island is exclusively intended to pose as one InGen location or the other; it’s all mixed).

The Mosasaur eating a Great White Shark in 'Jurassic World'
Credit: Universal Studios

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Now, the franchise may return to its jungle roots, as Reel News Hawaii (via Jurassic Outpost) has said that Jurassic World 4 (which now has a rumored title) is rumored to be heading back to Hawaii for filming.

Rumor: Next Jurassic World Movie to Return to Hawaii for Filming! (Via @reelnewshawaii)

Related: ‘Jurassic Park’s New Theme Park Experience May Include Original 1993 Attractions

While filming in Hawaii isn’t at all surprising for a Jurassic movie, this news does leave us wondering what direction the film will take, seeing as Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022) closed the doors on the islands.

The 2018 sequel severed ties with Isla Nublar by blowing it up with a volcanic eruption, leaving the next sequel with no choice but to have dinosaurs on the mainland, and said-sequel Dominion is the first film in the series to abandon the jungle island setting altogether.

Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) in 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom'
Credit: Universal Studios

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As such, Hawaii may double as Site B, just as it did for The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) and Jurassic Park III (2001). However, extended canon states that most of the dinosaurs on that island were captured and shipped off to Nublar to fill Jurassic World.

So, with Site B now essentially a “dead zone,” Jurassic World 4 may introduce a third island (will we finally learn more about the “Five Deaths” archipelago Vince Vaughn’s Nick Van Owen alludes to in The Lost World?). Or maybe the islands will appear in flashbacks.

Unsurprisingly, this report has left some fans rather confused.

@Victor_Burgos42 pokes fun at the infamous scene from Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi (2017) in which Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) says, “Somehow, Palpatine returned”:

Somehow, isla nublar reflorested itself

@RoarReximus wonders if the film will feature Site B or the aforementioned “Five Deaths”:

Isla Sorna? What little is left of Isla Nublar? The other Five Deaths?

@urmemel0rd believes the film will feature flashbacks or take place in the past: 

So I have two possible theories. A. We’re flashing back to Isla Sorna pre-Jurassic Park in the late 80s. or B. We’re flashing forward after Dominion to Isla Sorna, now a dinosaur penitentiary (hence the Escape from New York comparison)

@TimReifsnyder points out that we’ve already “had four and a half movies of islands”:

No more islands. We had four and a half movies of islands.

Related: ‘Wednesday’ Star May Lead All-New Cast in ‘Jurassic World 4’

Given the upcoming (rumored) Hawaii shoot, it’s possible that Jurassic World 4 is a prequel. And who better to turn the clock back on the Jurassic timeline than Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) director Gareth Edwards, who’s now officially attached to the project.

If it is a prequel, the new film needn’t predate the original Jurassic Park (1993) — it could be slotted in between any two films as there’s a lot of uncharted territory within the franchise (although most fans are keen to see the evacuation of Site B during Hurricane Clarissa).

It would also mean ignoring the events of the divisive Jurassic World Dominion. Despite grossing over $1 billion worldwide, the film came under heavy fire from fans and critics for focusing on locusts instead of dinosaurs on the mainland, as promised in all the marketing and its 2018 predecessor.

With all that said, a new report from ProductionList.com (via Screen Rant) says that filming is set to start in Los Angeles, CA on July 31 this year. A summary for the project also seemingly sheds light on what direction the franchise may be about to take.

(L to R) Ian Malcolm, Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, Claire Dearing, Owen Grady, Maisie Lockwood, and Kayla Watts in 'Jurassic World Dominion'
Credit: Universal Studios

Related: ‘Jurassic World 4’ Confirms Return of Beloved Paleontologist

There are many Jurassic installments to look forward to. Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (2024) will premiere on Netflix later this year, and there’s a first-person action-adventure video game titled Jurassic Park: Survival (TBA) in development.

Meanwhile, Jurassic World: The Exhibition, Jurassic World Live Tour, and Universal Studios’ theme park attractions such as Jurassic Park River Adventure and Jurassic World: The Ride continue to thrill fans from all over the world.

This article was originally published on February 27.

Do you think Jurassic World 4 will be a prequel? Let Inside the Magic know your thoughts in the comments down below!

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