Jurassic World 3 Has Hired A Very Familiar Director

Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard in Jurassic World

Before Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom even reaches movie theaters this summer, plans already are underway at Universal for a third chapter in the revived franchise. That makes sense. The first Jurassic Park triggered two sequels. Why wouldn't Jurassic World trigger two sequels? One reason we're excited for Fallen Kingdom is because brilliant storyteller JA Bayona is taking the reins of the franchise, but now it sounds like Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow will return for the as-yet-untitled Jurassic World 3. Steven Spielberg made this clear, confirming:

Colin Trevorrow is going write and direct the third Jurassic World story.

Steven Spielberg told this to EW, also saying that he'll be back to executive produce the sequel. Because of course. This is Spielberg's baby -- one of them at least -- so he'll be linked to the franchise in perpetuity. This might be mixed news for most, though, as Jurassic World has become a lightning rod for internet hot takes. The decision to bring Colin Trevorrow back might be even more puzzling if JA Bayona delivers a masterpiece in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. We shall see.

First, let's state the facts. Jurassic World accomplished an impressive feat, reviving the dormant Jurassic Park series after a multi-year hiatus and creating a behemoth sequel that passed $1 billion at the international box office (still an impressive mark for tentpole movies). The film has a 71% Fresh grade on RT -- not terrible, but not overwhelmingly fantastic -- and the backlash over the film has grown in the years since its release.

Colin Trevorrow, himself, has taken harder hits. His latest movie, The Book of Henry, was a legit disaster, a strange miscalculation of a movie that never found its footing. And for reasons unknown, Colin Trevorrow lost the gig directing Star Wars: Episode IX... a job that went back to The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams.

So, how do you feel about this hiring? Are you happy that the man responsible for the Jurassic rebirth is back in the saddle? Or has your faith in Colin Trevorrow been shaken in the time since 2015? Here's the Jurassic World trailer, as a reminder:

Believe it or not, Jurassic World 3 has a release date. For now, it's due to be in theaters on June 11, 2021 We'll see if that shifts between now and then. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, meanwhile, opens on June 22. Will it end on a cliffhanger, now that we know that a third chapter, for sure, is on the way?

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Sean O'Connell
Managing Editor

Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.