The Jurassic franchise refuses to go extinct. Mere years after Colin Trevorrow wrapped up his Jurassic World trilogy with the multi-generational cast of Dominion, cinema’s finest dino-saga is already roaring into new life – shooting is well underway on the next instalment, which we’ve been cobbling together information on here and there. We know that Gareth Edwards is behind the camera, with a cast led by Scarlett Johansson. We know original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp in on scripting duties. And… that’s about it. Until now. Universal has just lifted the lid on the raptor cage and details about the new film – Jurassic World: Rebirth, officially – are running loose, wild and free.
First up, here’s the official synopsis, explaining when exactly Rebirth is set, and how Johansson’s incoming hero Zora comes into play: “Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind. Johansson plays skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett, contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.”
There’s plenty to take in there – that the ‘dinosaurs loose on Earth!’ plot from the World trilogy continues, with our prehistoric pals not faring too well in the modern ecosystem. And with a plot regarding humans trying to exploit dino DNA for the good of human medicine, the story looks to continue the man-playing-god themes that run right back to the original Jurassic Park (and Michael Crichton’s novel). The film is being described as an “action-packed new chapter [that] sees an intrepid team racing to secure DNA samples from the three most colossal creatures across land, sea and air”.
More fresh details: Mahershala Ali will play Duncan Kincaid, leader of Zora’s team; Jonathan Bailey takes on the role of palaeontologist Dr. Henry Loomis (we’re guessing no relation of Samuel); Rupert Friend is “Big Pharma representative” Martin Krebs; Manuel Gacia-Rulfo is Reuben Delgado, a father caught up in the aforementioned shipwreck. Ed Skrein also stars as an unnamed member of Zora’s crew. As well as the above image of Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey as Zora and Loomis, we have an image of Mahershala Ali as Kincaid – and the fact that he’s holding a red flare suggests there may be a T rex just out of shot.
We’ll find out exactly what Ali is yelling about when Jurassic World: Rebirth hits cinemas next summer – yes, it’s a speedy turnaround on this one, due to hit the big screen in July. You know what they say: Jurassic movies, uh, find a way.