Ready for a big dino summer? Jurassic World Dominion looks like it's coming in hot this June, and the franchise is bringing back some old friends in the form of Jeff Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm, Sam Neill’s Dr. Alan Grant and Laura Dern’s Dr. Ellie Sattler. The trio are, of course, the first characters we adventured with in the original Jurassic Park. Now that the Dominion trailer debuted the three back into the mix, I want to talk about the moments I have on my wishlist for their return.
As we already know, the original Jurassic Park trio will be “such big characters” in Jurassic World Dominion. Director Colin Trevorrow told us this last summer, and the trailer seriously suggested this as well. Now that I anticipate a sizable reunion with dinosaurs running rampant around the world, here’s what I want to see:
A Quippy, Yet Emotional Reunion Between The Trio
Jurassic World bringing back its original characters comes following a lot of other franchises doing so. Star Wars and Spider-Man are great examples (in my opinion) of fan service colliding with great storytelling, and I hope Dominion does so when it brings back Malcolm, Grant and Sattler. We’ll always remember the moment when Han Solo and Chewbacca wandered in the Millennium Falcon, or when Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire wandered in those portals in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Both moments go to show that movies have the ability to catch us off guard and truly awe us with these reunions (even when we know they’re going to happen).
From the Dominion trailer, it looks like Malcolm, Grant and Sattler catch wind of the world’s big dino problem and get in contact with one another before coming together with Chris Pratt's Owen and Bryce Dallas Howard’s Claire to save our collective skins. Here's hoping that the moment when all three of the OG actors come together again is written in a way that has catching butterflies and chills down our spines all at once.
The Trio Reminiscing On Their Jurassic Park Misadventures With New Cast
In addition to Dominion needing to have a solid reunion moment, I’d also like to see a few clever callbacks to the first time these three were together in Jurassic Park. Obviously this one is going to happen somehow in some way, but hopefully it happens in a way that ties in seamlessly with how they’ll work together with the new cast in the Jurassic World movie. I’d love to see one of the trio pulling one of the moves they did in the original movie on these dinos as they take over the world.
Jurassic World Dominion is set to be the last movie in the main Jurassic franchise, so having a full circle moment where one or all the first Jurassic Park actors does something key to saving the planet would really warm my heart. This is especially since 1993’s Jurassic Park is not only a classic, but for many people, one of their favorite movies of all time.
Dr. Alan Grant Back In On The Dino Action
Look, I know Chris Pratt is the big action star on the block in the Jurassic World movies, but I will need more from Sam Neill’s Dr. Alan Grant than what we saw in the trailer. There’s an interesting moment in the first look where both Alan and Owen both say “Don’t move” at the same time, and while it’s funny, I’m also hoping we get a legitimate arc from Grant in Dominion.
Jumping off the previous point, I don’t want the original cast to simply play the role of “jurassic consultants.” I want them to be a major part in the action, and since Grant was specifically was the first hero of the Jurassic movies, he deserves a big role in this Jurassic World installment.
Dr. Ian Malcolm Reclaiming His Sex Symbol Status
Like many, I was disappointed to see the minor and rather boring role Jeff Goldblum was given in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Thankfully, the character will return in Dominion, and the actor better go full Goldblum with the same kind of sex appeal his younger self offered us up in 1993 when flashed his pecks our way. In late 2020 (while filming), the actor recreated the infamous scene to entice his fans to vote during the presidential election, but it has yet to be seen what Dr. Ian Malcolm is like these days.
Jeff Goldblum remains a sex symbol in our hearts, but Jurassic World Dominion is the perfect place for the actor to reclaim his status on film with what’s to come with his character. Hopefully Malcolm truly goes for it as a silver fox because it’s a major part of the charm in 1993’s Jurassic Park.
Alan And Ellie Falling Back In Love Obviously
Finally, it’s time to see Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler back again as an item! In the first movie, their chemistry is incredibly palpable, but in Jurassic Park III, it seemed their love grew apart as Ellie started a relationship with Mark Degler, with the two of them eventually marrying and having two kids. Still, Alan and Ellie remained close friends as she started a family.
In the Dominion trailer, Grant specifically calls his former colleague as “Dr. Ellie Sattler,” perhaps signaling that Ellie is no longer with Mark and perhaps single just in time to fight off some dinos with an old flame. Even in the short few moments from the trailer we caught glimpses of, all I could think about is how perfect they are together and how they need to be back together immediately. Wouldn’t it be the perfect ending to see Alan and Ellie riding off into the sunset? It absolutely needs to happen or I will riot at dawn!
All that being said, I do believe we’re in good hands with Colin Trevorrow as he wraps up his Jurassic World film series with Dominion on June 10. The upcoming 2022 movie surely has a lot up its sleeves. Check out our biggest Jurassic World questions after seeing the trailer and check back here on CinemaBlend for more updates as the film approaches theaters.
