Warning: spoilers for Jurassic World Rebirth are in play. If you haven’t traveled to Ile Saint-Hubert yet, you’ve been warned.
Folks, I think we all called one of the biggest scene stealers on the 2025 movie schedule a while ago. Dolores the Aquilops from Jurassic World Rebirth was as adorable as you’d expect, and I’d even venture a guess that people more critical of this sequel would have to agree. Dolores’ Universal parks debut pretty much confirmed that point for us, as people fell for her before Jurassic World’s latest box office debut.
That makes what I’ve come here to say even more upsetting, because I think that she’s in for some real danger after what we saw transpire in Rebirth's ending. Prepare for some spoilers, friends, as I welcome you to my concerns over this Jurassic lark.
Jurassic World Rebirth’s Ending Basically Dooms Dolores To Death
While writer David Koepp’s Jurassic World Rebirth commandments specifically stated he wouldn’t conflict with established canon, he did kill off a majority of the dinosaur population. The Neo-Jurassic era ended not with a bang, but with a whimper - as seen in an ailing Brachiosaur struggling on a New York City street in Act I.
That could be a source of frustration for any one who's recently caught up with Jurassic World Dominion through their Peacock subscription. As the 2022 film ended with dinosaurs thriving, the opening of Rebirth pretty much crushed that idea with a five year time jump.
So, why would anyone think Dolores being brought off of the island by the Delgado family is a good thing? Going by what we see in the opening title cards, and even the video shown at the exhibit run by Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey), the equatorial tropics are the sweet spot for dinosaur life to flourish.
That’s not going to work with Reuben (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) presumably living in the mainland U.S., and plenty of visits to Teresa (Luna Blaise) at NYU in the future. Sadly, even if Rebirth’s featured dino lives through being brought to a strange new environment, the fully adult creature has one more stumbling block.
Sweet Isabella (Audrina Miranda), the youngest of the group, has been feeding Dolores red licorice treats that I don’t think even InGen bred their dinosaurs to digest. Processed sugar really is the devil in this movie, isn’t it?
Dolores May Have Had A Family On Ile Saint-Hubert
I’ve seen it said that Dolores is actually an adult Aquilops. That tracks, as even NBC’s official write up on a Rebirth featurette specified that this species was “about 2-feet long when fully grown.” So while we may not be worrying about concerned parents looking for their daughter, you have to wonder if there’s a family of young Aquilops that may be frightened and alone, without a mother.
Considering how free spirited Dolores was, she may not have had any relatives on Rebirth’s tropical paradise from Hell. This could just be me overthinking the fate of a cute and adorable dinosaur that’s captured our hearts and minds. So, to walk us back, let’s look at the official featurette “Meet Dolores” and revel in the awe her practical puppet gave us:
Maybe a potential sequel to Rebirth will focus on Ms. Dolores needing to go home? Or perhaps the dino DNA purloined by Zora (Scarlett Johansson) and Dr. Loomis (Jonathan Bailey) will be used to create a drug that helps all prehistoric beasts adapt to life outside of the tropics?
I don't ask these questions out of malice, but rather concern over this pint-sized scene stealer. With a face like that, how could you not be concerned for her well being? Clues to Dolores' potential survival could be waiting for us all on Ile Saint-Hubert, and the only way to find them is to see (or revisit) Jurassic World Rebirth - which is currently in theaters.
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