Franchise fans who have been following the marketing for the 2025 movie Jurassic World Rebirth have been hyped about one huge scene, 32 years in the making. Through recycling Jurassic Park’s infamous deleted T. rex river scene, series scribe David Koepp has fulfilled a dream that literally helped inspire Universal theme park attractions.
Which means you’re probably asking on huge question: could a Tyrannosaurus Rex really swim? After speaking with a dinosaur expert, I can safely answer that question…with some caveats.
Tyrannosaurs Rex Could Swim, But Not In The Way Jurassic World Rebirth Shows Us
We don’t know the gender of this Tyrannosaurus, but for now, I’m going to name it Red. You’ll learn why later, but more importantly, I can say that yes, this tyrant lizard could swim. I know this thanks to one of the best Apple TV+ shows, Prehistoric Planet 2, which actually covered this subject in the clip you’ll see below:
As it turns out, Prehistoric Planet 2 didn’t just introduce me to Adalatherium; it also allowed me to connect with its lead scientific consultant, Dr. Darren Naish. Through the powers of social media, I asked the man about this Jurassic World Rebirth trailer highlight through his DMs. Responding to my queries, Dr. Naish shared with CinemaBlend his reaction to that very clip:
Sure -- there are good reasons for thinking that tyrannosaurs could be good swimmers -- why not, most living animals are -- but T. rex couldn't do what it does in the movie (if I'm right about the croc-like underwater stuff).
Admittedly, Dr. Darren Naish hadn’t seen the latest Jurassic World movie at the time of this answer. Though, as someone who’s personally experienced it, I can say that the whole scene has basically been given away by the clips advertising the picture, and there is some Crocodile-style action at play. Which leads us to the big follow-up to this first leg of inquiry: why couldn’t Red the T. rex go into sport mode like the one in Rebirth?
You Can Blame T. rex’s Bones For Its Inability To Go Submerable
This is the moment where I admit that Red is actually short for "Red October," as in the submarine of Tom Clancy fame. That's thanks to how it can go underwater, despite the findings of science. Also, Red's gender is neutral, and the last thing I want is a prehistoric beast feeling offended.
Back to the academic sticking point for Dr. Naish’s scientific criticism of this scene, he doesn't believe a Tyrannosaurus could submerge in this manner to chase its prey. Continuing to explain why, while expanding upon the knowledge he shared on Prehistoric Planet 2, these further critiques explain why:
It looks like they're doing what [Michael] Crichton did in the book. Which is: when it suited him, he had the dinosaurs behave like lizards or crocs (in this case, swimming underwater croc-style). And this is wrong based on what we know. … Theropods are highly buoyant. Except for specialised weirdos (penguins, grebes, etc), they're mostly limited to surface swimming.
Don't forget, as Prehistoric Planet 2’s segment told us, Theropod bones were hollow enough that they could float very easily. Much like a toy boat in the bathtub, if you can’t fill that thing with water, it’s not sinking. If anyone thought that Jurassic World Rebirth’s Tyrannosaurus was a swimmer worthy of Olympic qualification, I hate to say the best it could do is doggy paddle really well.
If Jurassic World Rebirth’s solid opening weekend leads to a box office run that brings a new sequel, such scientific findings might help refine the next chapter. Another special thanks is in order for Dr. Darren Naish for helping debunk this theory. Whether you want to live the fantasy of a Tyrannosaurus Rex named “Red October” or just want some dino action, you can catch Rebirth on a movie screen near you.
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