The Jurassic World Franchise Wrote a Check That the Rebirth Trailer Refuses to Cash

Jurassic World: Rebirth's First Trailer: A Prehistoric Step Back?

The first trailer for Jurassic World: Rebirth, the seventh installment in the Jurassic Park franchise, is here. This new chapter, directed by Gareth Edwards and featuring a fresh cast including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali (alongside the return of screenwriter David Koepp), marks a purported "new era" following the Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard trilogy. However, the trailer suggests a potential regression for the series. The promised "world of dinosaurs," hinted at in Fallen Kingdom and Dominion, seems conspicuously absent.

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A Return to Familiar Territory?

While the Jurassic World trilogy received mixed reviews, its consistent box office success underscores the enduring appeal of dinosaurs. Despite Universal's intention to retire the original World cast, a new iteration was inevitable. Gareth Edwards's involvement is particularly noteworthy, given his expertise in crafting visually stunning, large-scale VFX sequences. His efficient production timeline (hired February 2024, in production by June) is impressive. The trailer showcases impressive dinosaur visuals, a marked improvement over some recent lackluster blockbusters. However, the new characters remain largely underdeveloped.

The trailer's biggest shortcoming is its apparent disregard for the "world of dinosaurs" concept established in Fallen Kingdom. The setting appears to be yet another island – a supposedly secret third location described as the original Jurassic Park research facility – a familiar trope that feels creatively limiting given the previous films' conclusion. The official synopsis explains that the planet's ecology is inhospitable to dinosaurs, confining them to isolated equatorial environments.

This feels like an unnecessary retrenchment. Why establish a global Jurassic World only to abandon it? Similar to Dominion's reversal of Fallen Kingdom's ending, Rebirth seemingly discards the series' most promising concept: dinosaurs roaming freely across the globe. This creative choice undermines the film's intended relaunch with new characters and ideas. The established lore is also inconsistent; Dominion depicted dinosaurs thriving in diverse environments, contradicting Rebirth's premise.

Missed Opportunity?

The Jurassic franchise is a Hollywood safe bet, yet the opportunity to break from established tropes remains untapped. While Jurassic City, a rumored earlier title, suggests a potentially different setting, the trailer's focus on a tropical island is disappointing. The series could benefit from venturing beyond this familiar motif, exploring new environments and narratives. While Rebirth might hold surprises, the current trajectory suggests a missed chance to innovate rather than recycle.