Jurassic World: Rebirth's First Trailer: A Prehistoric Step Backwards?
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 purported "new era" following the Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard trilogy. However, the trailer suggests a potential regression for the series. The promised "world of dinosaurs," hinted at in Fallen Kingdom and Dominion, seems conspicuously absent.
A Return to Familiar Territory?
While the Jurassic World trilogy received mixed reviews, its consistent box office success underscores the enduring global fascination with dinosaurs. Universal's decision to assemble a new cast and crew, notably director Gareth Edwards (known for his work on Godzilla and Rogue One), is intriguing. Edwards' skill in showcasing scale and detail in VFX-heavy films is undeniable. The trailer showcases impressive dinosaur visuals, a significant improvement over some recent underwhelming blockbusters. His rapid production timeline—hired in February 2024 and in production by June—is remarkable. While the new cast remains somewhat undefined in the trailer, the action sequences and abundant dinosaur screen time are promising.
Despite the visual achievements, the trailer's reliance on a familiar setting is concerning. The "world of dinosaurs" concept, teased since Fallen Kingdom, is largely absent.
AnswerSee ResultsAnother Island?The film's setting—a seemingly new, yet familiar, island—is a significant point of contention. Rebirth is positioned as a research facility for the original Jurassic Park, a claim that clashes with established canon. The return to an isolated tropical island setting, rather than exploring the global dinosaur presence established in the previous trilogy, feels like a missed opportunity. The official synopsis explains the dinosaurs' confinement to isolated equatorial environments, but this feels like an unnecessary retcon. Why establish a "Jurassic World" only to abandon it? This decision echoes Dominion's reversal of Fallen Kingdom's ending, limiting the dinosaur action to a contained preserve.
This creative choice undermines the intended relaunch with new characters and concepts. The inconsistencies with established lore are glaring; Dominion depicted dinosaurs thriving in diverse environments, contradicting Rebirth's explanation of inhospitable conditions. The Malta chase sequence in Dominion was arguably the film's most creative aspect, yet it's seemingly discarded.
Given the franchise's proven success, why not embrace bolder creative risks and explore new, uncharted territories? While Rebirth might hold unforeseen surprises, the reliance on the familiar island setting feels like a missed chance to truly innovate. A middle ground between the established formula and something truly novel is needed. The hope is that Jurassic World: Rebirth will ultimately demonstrate the franchise's willingness to evolve beyond its established tropes.
Jurassic World Rebirth - Trailer 1 Stills
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