You can’t keep a good T-Rex down.
Although it’s been two years since the last time dinosaurs roamed the Earth in 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion, Universal Pictures has hardly kept it biggest franchise trapped in amber.
The studio is deep into the development of an all-new Jurassic World movie and has David Koepp back at the keyboard. Koepp was the writer of the original 1993 Jurassic Park, famously directed by Steven Spielberg, and its sequel, 1997’s Jurassic Park: The Lost World.
The project, which has been flying under the radar, is far enough along, and the script in a well-liked shape, that the studio is whispering of a possible 2025 release date.
There is no director on board, but Frank Marshall, the veteran and celebrated producer who oversaw the Jurassic World trilogy, is back producing, as is another Jurassic vet, Patrick Crowley. Spielberg will executive produce via his Amblin Entertainment banner.
It is unclear what form the relaunch is taking. It is known to be launching a “new Jurassic era,” per sources, with an all-new storyline. That would seem to rule out the return of the characters played by Jurassic World stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. And it seems characters featured in the original Jurassic Park movies, played by Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, would not be involved.
The fact that it’s being called a new “Jurassic World” instead of “Jurassic Park” may also be telling. That would suggest that the franchise is likely not taking a back-to-basics approach but could go to parts unknown (Jurassic Space? Just putting it out there).
The Jurassic franchise is a key jewel in Universal’s film history with the 1993 original movie redefining special effects and having a long-lasting impact on pop culture. Six movies have been made over the span of three decades, earning more than $6 billion worldwide. The original Jurrasisc Park adapted the 1990 novel by Michael Crichton.
Executive vp of production development Sara Scott and creative executive of production development Jacqueline Garell will oversee the project for Universal.
Koepp is the veteran screenwriter whose credits range from the original Mission: Impossible (1996) film and the first Spider-Man movie (2002) to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) and last year’s Indy entry, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
He also penned Steven Soderbergh’s inverted ghost story Presence, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival Friday. Koepp and Soderbergh also have a hot project in the marketplace titled Black Bag that is generating intense interest from buyers.
He is repped by CAA and Myman Greenspan.