JURASSIC WORLD 2
Are the residents of the dinosaur theme park about to become extinct... again?
A DIFFERENT BEAST
Following the indomitable success of
Jurassic World, the rebooted series is looking to take InGen’s least-insurable product somewhere darker for the sequel. With the previous movie’s director, Colin Trevorrow, otherwise engaged on the small matter of Star
Wars: Episode IX (though he’s still on board as writer), the Raptor reins have been given to
The Impossible and A Monster Calls director JA Bayona. Given that the former movie saw Bayona take on an island disaster zone, the latter bold CGI, as well as superb child actors, this sounds like we’ll certainly be in good old-fashioned “running and screaming” territory for some of the time. Bayona has also promised that the second film will have an Empire Stikes Back or Wrath Of
Khan vibe to it. Jurassic Dark, anyone?
CAN YOU HEEL IT?
Chris Pratt’s Owen and Bryce Dallas Howard’s Claire are back to headline the menu. Claire’s controversial high-heeled footwear is staying in the closet this time, while Owen’s dino-wrangling skills will no doubt come in handy as they engage in a strenuous bit of conservation to protect the remaining attractions of Isla Nublar. BD Wong will be returning as InGen’s genius geneticist, Dr Henry Wu, who is to scientific ethics what Trump is to climate change. And now we’ve heard that Jeff Goldblum will reprise his role as Dr Ian Malcolm. Because life finds a way.
RESTOCKING THE LARDER
Everyone needs a bit of variety in their diet, and thankfully there’s some fresh blood entering the Jurassic food chain, including Toby Jones, Rafe Spall and master-of-frowns Ted Levine – we’d hazard a guess that Levine is playing the blunt military brass overseeing the “retirement” of Jurassic World. Meanwhile, the first image released from the film suggests that the Jurassic tradition of endangering the lives of small children will be very much alive and kicking, unlike most of the humans on Isla Nublar.
ANIMAL RIGHTS AND WRONGS
John Williams’ classic tune isn’t the only big theme in Trevorrow is also looking to explore the tricky world of animal welfare, with the sequel becoming “a parable of the treatment that animals receive today: the abuse; medical experimentation; having wild animals in zoos like prisons; the use the military has made of them; animals as weapons,” and so on.
USE OF WEAPONS?
Ah, yes. With all these nefarious military outfits looking to get into the dinosaur business, we reckon that Dr Wu’s hybrid research from the previous movie will finally be getting combat-ready for a grand third-act reveal. Their first likely mission? Our guess is they’ll try to take out the remnants of Jurassic World, which Owen and Claire saved after the army’s initial manoeuvres.
CLEVER GIRLS
If you’re not feeling satisfied with all the dinos on display, Trevorrow promises to include even more creatures we haven’t seen before. He’s understandably keeping Abrams on the subject, but one of the few details he’s let slip is the glorious return of Rexy, the franchise’s favourite T-Rex. We’d also hold out for a heroic cameo from Blue, the only surviving member of Owen’s original Raptor squad, for a tense re-bonding session with her old boss.
WHEN’S IT OUT?
Jurassic World 2 will be opening its gates in June 2018 Jurassic World 2.