2022 saw the end of the Jurassic era arriving for everyone to behold. With Jurassic World Dominion making up part of the year’s new movie releases, co-writer/director Colin Trevorrow closed off almost 30 years of history in a grand fashion. Which makes the fact that he’s admitted ‘there probably should have only been one Jurassic Park all the more curious to dissect and experience.
During an interview with Empire to promote the latest Jurassic World home entertainment release, Trevorrow made what could be seen as a pretty bold claim for someone that was part of building the latest round of sequels. However, it’s that belief that helped fuel his efforts as one of the architects to this trilogy of films, as Colin Trevorrow further explained through these thoughts:
I specifically did something different than the other films in order to change the DNA of the franchise. The previous five films are plots about dinosaurs. This one is a story about characters in a world in which they coexist with dinosaurs. For the franchise to be able to move forward – because it’s inherently unfranchisable, there probably should have only been one Jurassic Park – but if we’re gonna do it, how can I allow them to tell stories in a world in which dinosaurs exist, as opposed to, here’s another reason why we’re going to an island?
What you’ve just read mostly applies to Jurassic World Dominion, as that adventure was the first to break away entirely from returning to Isla Nublar. However, you can practically see those wheels turning throughout the first two installments of Colin Trevorrow’s cycle of films; especially in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’s ending.
While he didn’t direct the middle installment, Trevorrow was still one of the film’s co-writers. So naturally, setting off a massive volcano that trashed the original Jurassic Park setting was a pretty big statement on where things were going to go. By the time Jurassic World Dominion brought back Colin Trevorrow, even greater tentpoles were driven into the ground to guide the way into the future. Only this time, as the man himself admits below, it’s not a setting that will dictate the potential Jurassic future:
This movie clearly takes a real interest in creating new characters that a new generation is going to latch on to – Kayla Watts [DeWanda Wise], and Mamoudou Athie’s character Ramsay Cole, who I think, in the Extended Edition, you really feel his purpose in a greater way. And Dichen Lachman’s character [Soyona Santos], who just gets arrested at the end. There’s more to come.
In the finale to Jurassic World Dominion, the overarching legacy that started with Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic is wrapped up in some ways. Just as the world questioned whether releasing dinosaurs in the wild was an ethical decision, Colin Trevorrow and so many others will debate whether or not Jurassic Park should have seen any sequel action.
In both cases, what matters is what’s been done with the potential aftermath. Each scenario proved that life found a way to make such gigantic choices worthwhile, with our reality seeing Trevorrow ready to mentor future Jurassic creators as a result.
Don’t just take our word for it though! Anyone with a Peacock subscription can currently watch the first three Jurassic Park movies, as well as Jurassic World Dominion. Just be sure you choose the right version of that most recent entry, as the streamer has both the theatrical cut and Colin Trevorrow’s preferred extended edition.
