Credit: Universal PicturesA direct sequel to Jurassic Park (1993) was revealed last year, and now it’s time to unpack everything we know about the upcoming installment.
There’s no denying that Jurassic World (2015) brought the Jurassic franchise back from extinction, as it had been in cold storage for 14 years since Jurassic Park III (2001). The 2015 film devoured $1.6 billion worldwide and reignited interest in the series.
Jurassic World was also met with mostly positive reviews. Its two sequels, however, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022), failed to impress audiences and critics, though they still each passed the $1 billion mark.
Related: Upcoming ‘Jurassic World’ Prequel Set To “Correct” ‘Dominion’
Now, while a new Jurassic World film is officially in development, the franchise is about to make a sharp U-turn and take fans back to the glory days of the original park with Jurassic Park: Survival (TBA), an upcoming first-person, action-adventure game that acts as a direct sequel to the original 1993 film from Steven Spielberg.
And by “direct,” we mean twenty-four hours later. The Game Awards 2022 dropped the first trailer last December, which reveals a character named Dr. Maya Joshi who becomes stranded on an abandoned, storm-battered Isla Nublar during the dinosaur breakout.
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The ingenious Jurassic World rebranding gave way to three films, animated shows such as Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (2020 — 2022), the two Jurassic World Evolution video games, Universal Studios themed lands and attractions, and lots more.
However, many agree that the Jurassic World aesthetic pales in comparison to that of Jurassic Park. Of course, the white-grey-blue color scheme is deliberately corporate, while the new style also had to look very different from the jungle safari theme of the 1993 film.
Related: ‘Jurassic’ Series Set Before ‘Dominion’ Could Change the Franchise in a Major Way
Now, Jurassic Park: Survival is set to transport fans back to the early part of the franchise’s timeline, reuniting them with the world established in the first movie that has long become incredibly nostalgic, more so than Jurassic World will probably ever be.
We’ve already analyzed the trailer scene by scene, but here’s everything we know about Jurassic Park: Survival.
Jurassic Park: Survival — Everything We Know
Jurassic Park: Survival Trailer
First, check out the official trailer below, per the Jurassic World YouTube channel:
There are two important things to note about this trailer before getting too excited.
Firstly, this is a “cinematic” trailer, which means a couple of things: a) It’s designed to showcase the game in the very best light so it’s unlikely the events depicted will actually take place, and b) The game’s cutscenes may not look anywhere near as impressive as this trailer. Secondly, the trailer is nothing more than a whistlestop tour of iconic scenes from the 1993 film designed to elicit nostalgia.
The only “true” footage is revealed at the end of the trailer in the form of gameplay, which, as stated at the foot of the screen, is “alpha in-game footage.”
Related: 7 Things We Need From an Open World ‘Jurassic Park’ Game
Jurassic Park: Survival Synopsis
Per the official website, here’s the synopsis for Jurassic Park: Survival:
Return to Isla Nublar the day after the events of the beloved 1993 Jurassic Park film in an original adventure 65 million years in the making. Survive thrilling first-person action as InGen scientist Dr. Maya Joshi, who was unable to evacuate Isla Nublar, in this single-player action-adventure game and discover a never-before-told story. Through thrilling encounters, experience the wonder and danger of dinosaurs, each with their own distinct and adaptive behaviors brought to life by John Hammond’s vision.
The website also reveals specific details about gameplay. Though it’s unclear whether Survival is open world, the environment is described as “a fully realized Isla Nublar filled with reactive wildlife, dinosaurs,” which sounds good enough for us.
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Jurassic Park: Survival Characters
The only character confirmed for Jurassic Park: Survival is Dr. Maya Joshi, an InGen scientist who appears to have missed the last boat from the docks (not a “clever girl,” then).
Given the nature of survival games and taking into account the premise for Survival, it’s unlikely to feature any other main characters (the likes of Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm are presumably out of the question, seeing as they’ve already escaped).
That said, there’s a minor detail worth noting, as the website refers to “other surprising threats” under the subheading “EXPLORE ISLA NUBLAR”:
Adventure through a fully realized Isla Nublar filled with reactive wildlife, dinosaurs, and other surprising threats. From the iconic towering park gates to the Visitor Center and beyond, Jurassic Park comes alive like never before.
“Other surprising threats” could refer exclusively to Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs, but there may also be dangers of the human variety on the island. Could InGen’s rival company, Biosyn — the biotech giant that hired Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) to steal dinosaur embryos in the 1993 film — also show up at some point to retrieve the lost Barbasol can?
Related: Live-Action ‘Jurassic World’ Series Is Available to Watch Online!
Is Jurassic Park: Survival Canon?
How Jurassic Park: Survival will fit into the wider franchise is unclear. While we know it acts as a direct sequel to the 1993 film, picking up the next day and therefore predating every other movie in the series from and including The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) onwards, we don’t know if it’s actually going to be considered canon per se.
Related: First Trailer for ‘Jurassic World’ TV Series Set Before ‘Dominion’ Arrives
Jurassic Park: Survival Gameplay
Jurassic Park: Survival is a first-person action-adventure game in which you can explore a “fully realized Isla Nublar,” as stated on the website.
You’ll also need to “use all the resources at your disposal to find intelligent solutions” to survive, which has lent to the current rumor that the game will not feature any firearms. Though there are guns on Isla Nublar (as seen in the 1993 film), it’s more than likely players will have to rely exclusively on non-lethal weapons like flare guns and taser rods to survive. So, you know, you’ll want “tasers on full charge!”
Not only will this create a more thrilling experience, but it probably has something to do with continuity. If Survival is indeed canon, then being able to kill the Tyrannosaurus Rex (Rexy), who appears many times throughout the rest of the franchise, wouldn’t make sense.
There’s also no mention of the word “kill” or “eliminate” on the website. It says, “Outsmart, escape, and interact with the film’s iconic dinosaurs. Use your ingenuity through distraction and stealth to navigate intense and unforgettable encounters in a journey to outlast some of the deadliest creatures to ever walk the earth.”
Jurassic Park: Survival Platforms
The game will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Jurassic Park: Survival Release Date
There’s no release date for Jurassic Park: Survival. But given the track record for video games, it’s likely around two years away. The trailer for the highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI dropped on December 4, but that game won’t be released until sometime in 2025.
It’s a great time to be a Jurassic fan. Not only is Survival in development, but Jurassic City (rumored title) is heading for theaters on July 2, 2025. There’s also an upcoming animated series titled Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (2024) which will premiere on Netflix this year. Meanwhile, Jurassic World: The Exhibition, Jurassic World Live Tour, and Universal Studios’ Jurassic Park/Jurassic World theme park attractions, continue to wow guests.
Do you think Jurassic Park: Survival will be canon? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!