Credit: Universal PicturesWe have new updates to share on the status of the Jurassic World franchise, including the latest moves related to its next film.
The Jurassic World franchise, led by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, has successfully carried the torch from the original Jurassic Park trilogy, revitalizing the dinosaur saga for a new generation.
Their portrayal of Owen Grady and Claire Dearing brought a fresh dynamic to the series, blending action, humor, and heart in a way that honored the original films while establishing a new legacy. Particularly in Jurassic World: Dominion (2022), their characters’ interactions with the original trio—Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum—felt like a passing of the baton, creating a bridge between the old and the new.
In the wake of Dominion, rumors began circulating that the franchise might continue with Pratt and Howard, possibly exploring new adventures for Owen and Claire in a post-dinosaur world.
This speculation was fueled by the characters’ popularity and their central role in the revival of the series. Fans were eager to see more of their dynamic and how they would navigate the challenges of a world where dinosaurs coexisted with humanity.
However, these plans were eventually cut in favor of a complete reboot of the franchise.
The upcoming film, titled Jurassic World Rebirth, marks a new chapter for the franchise, introducing a fresh cast and a bold new storyline.
Set to be released on July 2, 2025, the film is directed by Gareth Edwards, who is known for his work on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Godzilla (2014). The story takes place five years after the events of Dominion, where dinosaurs are now confined to isolated equatorial environments due to the planet’s inhospitable conditions.
Scarlett Johansson leads the cast as Zora Bennett, a covert operations expert tasked with securing genetic material from three of the most colossal dinosaurs on the planet.
While Pratt and Howard’s characters are not included in Jurassic World Rebirth, there is still hope among fans that they might return in future sequels.
ScreenRant’s Felipe Rangel reports that their absence in this film could set the stage for a potential return, much like how the original Jurassic Park characters were reintroduced in Jurassic World Dominion.
This possibility keeps the door open for Owen and Claire to once again become part of the Jurassic narrative, possibly interacting with the new characters introduced in Rebirth.
“Jurassic World Rebirth will reboot the franchise, with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard not among the reported names for the movie,” ScreenRant reports. The duo led the first Jurassic World trilogy, interacting with the trio of leads of the original Jurassic Park movies in 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion. The new film is set five years after Dominion, and Pratt and Howard should be missing from it, allowing the franchise to establish new main stars. However, I’m confident that their characters, Owen Grady and Claire Dearing, should appear in a likely sequel, just like the original cast did in Jurassic World Dominion.”
The decision to pivot away from continuing the story with Pratt and Howard and instead reboot the franchise is a bold move by Universal Pictures.
It signals a desire to keep the franchise fresh and relevant, introducing new characters and challenges while staying true to the themes that made the original films so iconic. With the involvement of David Koepp, the screenwriter behind the original Jurassic Park and The Lost World, there is a strong sense of continuity and respect for the franchise’s legacy.
As a fan of the series, it’s exciting to see how Jurassic World Rebirth will expand the universe, but it will be interesting to see if the stars chosen for the film are able to ignite the franchise the way that Pratt and Howard did.
At this time, Scarlett Johannson (Zora Bennett), Jonathan Bailey (Dr. Henry Loomis), Mahershala Ali (Duncan Kincaid), Ed Skrein, Rupert Friend (Martin), and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (Reuben) have been confirmed for the new film.
For those wondering, here is the official synopsis for the upcoming film:
“Five years post-Jurassic World Dominion, an expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.”
The rumors of Pratt and Howard’s return in future sequels keep the anticipation high, and the introduction of new characters and storylines ensures that the Jurassic franchise continues to evolve. Whether or not we see Owen and Claire again, it will be interesting to see if Jurassic World Rebirth is able to live up to the rest of the franchise.
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