Upcoming 'Jurassic Park' Sequel's New Female Lead May Have Secretly Appeared in Previous Film

The Jurassic Park franchise has a knack for weaving compelling female characters into its high-stakes adventures. From Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) to Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), each entry has introduced new feminist-worthy heroes who are thrust into life-or-death situations against InGen’s genetically engineered dinosaurs.

The upcoming Jurassic World Rebirth, directed by Gareth Edwards (2014’s Godzilla, Rogue One), continues this tradition with Scarlett Johansson (Avengers: Endgame) playing Zora Bennett, a covert operations expert. But another intriguing female lead is set to steal the spotlight: Dr. Maya Joshi, whose backstory hints at deep connections to Jurassic Park lore.

Dr. Maya Joshi headlines the upcoming first-person action-adventure video game “Jurassic Park: Survival”, but she may have already appeared in the background of the original Jurassic Park (1993). Since the trailer for the game premiered in 2023, some fans have dissected a certain scene from the film, concluding that her character has been part of the franchise all along.

“Step back onto Isla Nublar just one day after the unforgettable events of the iconic Jurassic Park (1993) in a brand-new adventure 65 million years in the making,” the official synopsis for the game reveals.

Players will take on the role of Dr. Maya Joshi, an InGen scientist who was left stranded on Isla Nublar after the chaos unfolded. The single-player action-adventure promises “thrilling first-person action” as players navigate a story never told before.

“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 synopsis continues.

Before we dive in, watch the official trailer for the game below:

Related: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Accidentally Confirms the Deaths of Several Characters

Dr. Maya Joshi is an original character created for “Jurassic Park: Survival. We don’t know anything about her other than the fact she’s an InGen scientist, but as the game is set just 24 hours after Jurassic Park, and as the synopsis states that “she was unable to evacuate Isla Nublar,” then it’s fair to say she definitely exists in the 1993 film, at the very least, off-screen.

However, one scene from the film features a female scientist moving about in the background, and some fans think it’s Joshi. Watch the clip from the film below via the Jurassic Park news YouTube channel Swrve (jump straight to 3:36):

Related: ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ First Official Trailer–Here’s What You Can Expect

We know what you’re probably thinking–this is quite a reach. After all, the only thing Dr. Maya Joshi and the unnamed background scientist in the 1993 film’s laboratory scene have in common is that they’re female, have dark hair, and are scientists.

However, tying Joshi directly to the film would be pretty neat on the developers’ part. On the other hand, it’s naïve to think there aren’t several InGen scientists and other employees existing off-screen while the events of the film unfold–we even see plenty of them.

The part that requires our suspension of disbelief is how Joshi failed to evacuate with all her co-workers when the park’s chief security engineer (Samuel L Jackson’s Ray Arnold) gave the island-wide order to leave ahead of the incoming storm. Did she sleep through the announcement? Was she enjoying some down-time with her headphones plugged in?

Either way, we can’t wait to find out.

“Jurassic Park: Survival” is slated for release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and other major gaming platforms like Steam. While the game does not yet have an official release date, it has already generated significant buzz among fans of the franchise.

As for Jurassic World Rebirth, fans can look forward to the film stomping into theaters on July 2, 2025.

Leading the cast are Scarlett Johansson (Avengers: Endgame), Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer). Supporting roles are filled by Rupert Friend (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Mahershala Ali (The Green Book), Luna Blaise (Manifest), David Iacono (Dead Boy Detectives), Audrina Miranda (Lopez vs Lopez), Philippine Velge (Station Eleven), Bechir Sylvain (BMF), and Ed Skrein (Deadpool).

Do you think Dr. Maya Joshi appears in Jurassic Park (1993)? Let us know in the comments below!