Credit: Inside the MagicThe upcoming Jurassic Park sequel has revealed details about its lead character.
With most of the cast for Jurassic World 4 (2025) now set in stone, production on the upcoming sequel is officially underway.
Led by Scarlett Johansson (the Marvel Cinematic Universe), the cast also includes Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer), Rupert Friend (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Luna Blaise (Manifest), David Iacono (Dead Boy Detectives) and Audrina Miranda (Lopez vs Lopez). Mahershala Ali (Leave the World Behind) is also in talks to join the film.
But Jurassic World 4 isn’t the only sequel in development (there are actually three). While we still don’t know how the new film fits into the franchise (we’re assuming it’s a sequel to 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion, but it could turn out to be a prequel), we know that another upcoming sequel takes place directly after the original 1993 film.
Related: ‘Jurassic Park’ Releasing Official Never-Before-Seen Version of 1993 Film
Jurassic Park: Survival” (TBA) is a first-person action-adventure video game that takes place just one day after Jurassic Park (1993). It follows Dr. Maya Joshi, a female InGen scientist who has become stranded on Isla Nublar following the dinosaur breakout.
Per the official website, the synopsis reads, “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,” adding that fans of the sci-fi blockbuster will discover “a never-before-told story.”
Watch Dr. Maya Joshi fending for her life in the trailer below, per Jurassic World YouTube:
Who Is Dr. Maya Joshi in “Jurassic Park: Survival”?
We don’t know much about Dr. Maya Joshi other than the fact she’s a scientist who, per the official website’s description for the game, was “unable to evacuate Isla Nublar” during the storm and dinosaur breakout, and now finds herself at the mercy of prehistoric predators.
However, in an internal Q&A for “Survival” conducted with Universal Products & Experiences EP John Melchior and Saber Interactive creative director Oliver Hollis-Leick, shared with IGN, some light has been shed on what fans can expect from the character.
While keeping a lot close to the chest, the pair went into detail about many aspects of the game, including Isla Nublar’s locations (old and new), the island’s terrain, and what dinosaurs we can expect. Talking specifically about Joshi, Hollis-Leck said the following:
“[Dr.] Maya [Joshi], the main character, is neither superhuman nor an action hero. There are real risks for her around every corner and the player will need to use a mixture of intelligence, grit and patience to survive the island’s many challenges.”
It seems odd that Joshi is described as being “neither superhuman nor an action hero,” however, the creative director may be taking a swipe at a certain Jurassic World trilogy character. While the characters in the first three films are realistic, the Jurassic World movies feature the seemingly invincible and musclebound Owen Grady (Chris Pratt).
Grady, who is somehow able to survive pyroclastic clouds and boiling-hot ocean water, as well as train the most dangerous prehistoric predators in the series (Velociraptors), is quite the departure from the likes of Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) and Alan Grant (Sam Neill).
Related: Every Upcoming ‘Jurassic Park’ Installment Confirmed
Recently, Jurassic fans didn’t respond well to an Instagram photo shared by Jonathan Bailey, in which the actor is bulking up at the gym to prepare for his role in Jurassic World 4, with many taking aim at today’s “unrealistic male beauty standards.”
“Jonathan training for his new starring role for the new Jurassic World movie. I’m so moved every time I think about it. Congratulations JB.
And above all we are happy for this marvel of photos and these enormous arms”
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“Remember before the MCU when male protagonists were just normal guys?” @UlyssesVentura said, sharing pictures of believable male characters such as Nick Van Owen (Vince Vaughn) and Roland Tembo (Pete Postlethwaite) from the original films to make his case. “Why does the Jurassic Park franchise need superhero-level beefcakes?”
Many other fans took to Reddit to vent their frustrations at Bailey’s new physique. “Is he fighting a brontosaurus or some sh*t?” one user asks. “But why?” asks another, adding, “The OG Jurassic Park guys were normal person fit, not buff af.”
Fans certainly have a point. However, the casting of MCU star Scarlett Johansson in Jurassic World 4 also raises questions. While the Black Widow star is a more-than-welcome new addition to the Jurassic saga, she’s known for portraying action-oriented roles in her movies.
Related: ‘Jurassic World 4’ Everything We Know: Plot, Cast, Release Date, Trailer, and News
Rumors circulating on X (formerly Twitter) suggest that Johansson will be playing a character named Zora Valankova, who has already been imagined by fan art and AI (artificial intelligence) “art” as a Lara Croft/Tomb Raider-inspired action hero.
Will Jurassic World 4 go back to basics like many of us are hoping, or will it continue with one of many problematic trends set by the previous three films and give us unbelievable characters who are a far cry from the scientists we know and love from the original films?
Related: ‘Jurassic Park’ Official Sequel: Everything We Know
Taking all of that into account, it’s refreshing to hear that the lead character in “Jurassic Park: Survival”, at least, will be more in line with the likes of Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and not a seemingly invincible action hero more comparable to Indiana Jones or Lara Croft.
With all that said, she’ll have to be pretty superhuman to survive the many fatal dinosaur attacks coming her way.
“Jurassic Park: Survival” will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. There’s no release date for the game, but it’s expected to arrive sometime in 2025.
Jurassic World 4 will be released in theaters on July 2, 2025.
Which Jurassic sequel are you most looking forward to and why? Are you glad the franchise is returning to its more grounded roots in the upcoming game? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!