Jurassic World: Rebirth Promises a Fresh Start, But Is It Enough?

Franchises like Jurassic World are guaranteed to rake in big profits at the box office, but they risk tarnishing the legacy of the originals that helped build them in the first place. The first images from the upcoming Jurassic World: Rebirth are out, and the debate is back to its usual heat on whether another installment is even necessary.

Credit where credit is due – Universal Studios has spared no expense for the seventh Jurassic movie, with a new-look cast and a promising crew. Led by director Gareth Edwards, the film is set five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion (2022), when the planet’s ecology has become inhospitable to dinosaurs. Despite an interesting premise, fans seem to be split on what to expect from the movie.

The Jurassic Park franchise needs a new direction

Most fans seem optimistic that Jurassic World: Rebirth will mark a “new era” for the franchise, just as promised in the film’s marketing. However, there are some calling it yet another cash grab that would barely scratch the surface of the world Michael Crichton created in his novels. This general skepticism is not without cause, since each Jurassic Park sequel that came after the iconic 1993 film has been a gamble. Some have paid off handsomely, while most others have reeked of mediocrity.

Despite being steadily relevant in day-to-day pop culture for three decades, it’s surprising that the Jurassic Park franchise has just six films to its name. While six isn’t far away from fellow franchises like Mission: Impossible or The Fast and The Furious, the movie-per-year ratio is still modest compared to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's 34 movies in just 16 years. After all, dinosaurs are a different breed from superheroes.

And it’s got a lot to do with the original source material or the lack of it, which clearly isn’t as abundant as comic books. Only the original Jurassic Park from 1993 and its immediate sequel The Lost World were based on Crichton’s novels. Interestingly, both films were directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg, who brought the majestic creatures to life on screen with groundbreaking animatronics and storytelling. The latter, in particular, seems to have gone astray, especially in the recent Jurassic World series.

Can Jurassic World: Rebirth break old patterns?

Going by Rotten Tomatoes, the ratings tell the tale: the first three Jurassic Park films earned scores of 92%, 53%, and 49%, while the three Jurassic World movies have 71%, 46%, and 29%. It’s pretty clear that the newer installments have turned into loud, CGI-heavy blockbusters, with little to no heart. So, when an old-school fan says, “they don’t make ‘em like this anymore” about the dinosaur adventure movie, chances are they’re right.

There’s another pattern at play here, something Universal Studios seems to swear by: the rule of three. Consider this – they hit it off with the original Jurassic Park, made two sequels, and stopped after a dull third. Then, they rebooted with 2015’s Jurassic World, which proved that nostalgia can pack theaters like never before. After two lackluster sequels, they have wrapped up the entire storyline with a barely fitting conclusion. And now, it’s time for a new cycle, or better yet, a Rebirth.

Gareth Edwards’ vision might revitalize the franchise

So, just how "clean" is this clean slate they’re aiming for? According to the official synopsis, only a limited number of dinosaurs remain in the world, and they all live in specialized biospheres. Three of these creatures, who are also the world’s three largest dinosaurs, hold the key to a potentially life-saving drug in their genetic material. Securing this drug is the top-secret mission of Zora Bennett, a covert-ops expert played by Scarlett Johansson, and her team.

From the sound of it, the new Jurassic era seems to revolve around humans co-existing with dinosaurs. This is a much-needed leap in a fresh direction. Or, it might drag the franchise into late-stage Terminator territory. However, the man at the helm, Gareth Edwards, does inspire confidence among fans and general audiences alike.

Edwards excels at delivering massive-looking blockbusters on relatively low budgets and timelines. With films like Rogue One, Godzilla (2014), and The Creator under his belt, his name commands respect. Jurassic World: Rebirth is ready to follow suit – or at least, that’s what the new images suggest. And the filmmaker seems genuinely excited about his new Jurassic World project, as he stated in an interview with Collider:

I was about to take a break and I started writing my next idea for a film and this is the only movie that would make me drop everything like a stone and dive right in. I love Jurassic Park. I think the first movie is a cinematic masterpiece…so this opportunity is like a dream to me. And to work with Frank Marshall and Universal and David Koepp, who's writing the script, I think they're all legends. So I'm just very excited.

The first images from Jurassic World: Rebirth show Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey in one image, and Mahershala Ali holding a flare, possibly facing off against a dinosaur, in another. The studio has clearly hit the refresh button on casting, with no returning faces from either the Jurassic Park or Jurassic World series. Another promising addition to the crew is screenwriter David Koepp. With writing credits for Spider-Man, Mission: Impossible, and even Jurassic Park and its sequel, this is clearly a pro who knows what he’s doing. Fans can also rest easy knowing that Spielberg is returning as executive producer through Amblin Entertainment. If that’s not enough reassurance for both die-hards and casuals, they’ll just have to wait and watch when Jurassic World: Rebirth hits US theaters on July 2, 2025.