'Rogue One's Gareth Edwards to helm new 'Jurassic World' movie
Gareth Edwards, the director of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and 2014's Godzilla, is set to helm the fourth Jurassic World movie, reported The Hollywood Reporter. This came after talks between Universal Pictures and Bullet Train director David Leitch fell through. Notably, the studio is expediting the production of the new Jurassic World film, aiming for a release on July 2, 2025.
Why does this story matter?
The original Jurassic Park film franchise is one of the most popular movie franchises globally. It all started with Jurassic Park in 1993, which created a dedicated fanbase for dinosaur enthusiasts. Over the decades, it expanded with five more installments: The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Jurassic Park III (2001), Jurassic World (2015), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and Jurassic World: Dominion (2022). The franchise has amassed over $6B worldwide, with the latest film crossing the $1B mark globally.
Franchise will take new direction: Report
The yet-untitled upcoming installment will reportedly embark on a fresh direction, distancing itself from Colin Trevorrow's previous films. Stars like Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum are unlikely to reprise their roles in the film. To recall, the troika of original Jurassic Park actors (Neill, Dern, and Goldblum) also appeared alongside Pratt and Dallas Howard in 2022's Dominion.
Steven Spielberg and other producers on board
Meanwhile, David Koepp, the original Jurassic Park (1993) screenwriter, is teaming up with producer Frank Marshall to write the script for the new film. Steven Spielberg will serve as executive producer for the new Jurassic World film through his Amblin Entertainment, while Marshall and Patrick Crowley will produce under Kennedy-Marshall Company. Additionally, Leitch and Kelly McCormick will reportedly produce through their company 87North.
More on Edwards's recent work, 'The Creator'
Edwards's most recent directorial, the 2023 sci-fi fantasy flick The Creator, garnered praise for its visual effects. The film has been nominated for Best Sound and Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards in March 2024. The narrative follows an ex-special forces agent tasked with destroying a weapon designed to turn the tide against humanity in a decades-long war, only to discover that the target is an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) taking the form of a child.
