Jurassic World: Rebirth's First Trailer: A Prehistoric Step Back?
The first trailer for Jurassic World: Rebirth, the seventh installment in the Jurassic Park franchise, has arrived. This new chapter, helmed by Gareth Edwards and featuring a fresh cast including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali (along with the return of original screenwriter David Koepp), marks a supposed "new era" following the Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard trilogy. However, the trailer suggests a regression for the series. Where is the globally dispersed dinosaur world teased in Fallen Kingdom and Dominion?
A Return to Familiar Territory
While the Jurassic World trilogy received mixed reviews, the franchise remains a consistent box office powerhouse. Universal's decision to assemble a new cast and crew, with the notable addition of Gareth Edwards (known for his masterful visual scale in films like Godzilla and Rogue One), was a strategic move. Edwards' expertise in CGI offers a potential advantage.
The trailer showcases impressive dinosaur visuals, highlighting Edwards' skill in directing VFX-heavy sequences. The production timeline, from February 2024 hiring to June 2024 production, makes the visual quality even more remarkable. While the new characters require further assessment, the action sequences and extensive dinosaur screen time are promising. However, the absence of the "world of dinosaurs" concept, a key element teased since Fallen Kingdom, is a significant concern.
AnswerSee ResultsAnother Island?The film's setting—a seemingly new, secret island described as the original Jurassic Park research facility—feels like a step back. This contradicts established canon and ignores the global dinosaur presence established in the previous trilogy. The official synopsis explains that the planet's ecology is inhospitable to dinosaurs, confining them to isolated equatorial environments.
This feels like an unnecessary retcon. Why establish a "Jurassic World" only to abandon it? Similar to Dominion's reversal of Fallen Kingdom's ending, Rebirth discards the exciting potential of a world overrun by dinosaurs. This creative choice undermines the attempt to relaunch the franchise with fresh characters and concepts. The inconsistencies with Dominion, which depicted dinosaurs thriving in diverse environments, further highlight this issue.
The Jurassic franchise's consistent success makes taking creative risks less risky. While the trailer might be hiding surprises, the reliance on the familiar island setting is disappointing. The rumored original title, Jurassic City, hints at a different direction that the trailer doesn't fully reveal. The franchise needs to move beyond the tropical island trope. While not necessarily requiring a Planet of the Apes-style approach, exploring new environments is crucial.
Jurassic World Rebirth - Trailer 1 Stills
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