The Jurassic World Franchise Wrote a Check That the Rebirth Trailer Refuses to Cash

2025's summer movie season roars into prehistoric territory with the arrival of the first trailer for Jurassic World: Rebirth. This seventh installment, and the first of a "new era" following the Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard trilogy, boasts a fresh cast including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali, and the return of original Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp. However, the trailer hints at a potential misstep, seemingly retreading familiar ground instead of capitalizing on the possibilities established in previous films. Where's the globally dispersed dinosaur world promised by Fallen Kingdom and teased again in Dominion?

Let's dissect the trailer and explore why Jurassic World might be overlooking its greatest opportunity.

The Jurassic World trilogy, while receiving mixed critical reviews, remains a consistently successful blockbuster franchise. Global audiences clearly love dinosaurs, and despite Universal's initial intention to retire the original World trilogy cast, further installments were inevitable. The studio quickly assembled a new cast and crew, with director Gareth Edwards (known for Godzilla and Rogue One) proving a particularly intriguing choice. Edwards' skill in conveying scale in VFX-heavy films, coupled with his CGI background, makes him uniquely suited for this type of project.

The trailer showcases impressive dinosaur visuals, with Edwards' attention to detail resulting in stunningly realistic creatures. His work, achieved under a tight production schedule (hired February 2024, in production by June), is remarkable. While the trailer doesn't fully reveal the new characters, the action sequences are promising, and the plentiful dinosaur screen time is a welcome sight. However, a significant concern overshadows the visual spectacle: the apparent abandonment of the "world of dinosaurs" concept introduced in Fallen Kingdom.

Despite reasons for cautious optimism, the trailer's failure to embrace the post-Fallen Kingdom global dinosaur landscape is a glaring omission.

Island Bound Again?

The plot, seemingly, involves yet another island teeming with dinosaurs. While not Isla Nublar or Isla Sorna, it's described as the research facility for the original Jurassic Park. This retread of established tropes feels like a step backward, especially considering the previous trilogy's conclusion, which saw dinosaurs dispersed globally. The official synopsis explains that five years after Dominion, the planet's ecology is largely inhospitable to dinosaurs, forcing them into isolated equatorial regions.

This course correction seems unnecessary. Why establish a global Jurassic World only to abandon it? Similar to Dominion's retconning of Fallen Kingdom's ending, Rebirth discards the series' most innovative concept: a world overrun by dinosaurs. This creative decision undermines the relaunch with new characters and ideas, instead relying on a well-worn formula.

This also contradicts established lore. Dominion depicted dinosaurs thriving in diverse environments, from snowy regions to urban settings. If the world was so inhospitable, why did they fare so well in the previous film? The Malta chase sequence in Dominion, showcasing carnivores in a city, was arguably the film's best scene. Given the franchise's consistent box office success, why not embrace risk and explore new creative avenues?

While Jurassic World: Rebirth might have undisclosed surprises, the initial trailer suggests a missed opportunity. The rumored original title, Jurassic City, hints at a setting potentially hidden in the trailer. Regardless, the franchise needs to move beyond the tropical island setting. While not necessarily requiring a Planet of the Apes-style scenario, a middle ground that showcases dinosaurs in novel environments is crucial. The hope is that Rebirth will demonstrate the value of innovation over repetition.

Jurassic World: Rebirth - Trailer 1 Stills

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