Jurassic World was a huge juggernaut this summer even though there was a lot of critical distain for the film, earning over $1.6 billion worldwide. A massive hit that has lead to the studio setting a release date for Jurassic World 2 in 2018. This gives the impression that they’ll have to begin prep work on the second film soon, and it sounds like Universal is looking beyond just one sequel.
There’s now word from Universal that they are actually planning on a trilogy with Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow developing the outlines for the next two films. Here’s what producer Donna Langley told The Hollywood Reporter during a roundtable, concerning it’s development into a trilogy.
“There’s no reason why we should [have trouble]. [Director] Colin Trevorrow is busy working on an outline. He’s been working with Steven [Spielberg]. And they have an idea for the next two movies actually. It was designed as a trilogy, unbeknown to us. It’s a happy surprise.”
Colin has promised that the next film won’t actually take place on the island during an interview with Wired. Considering Trevorrow will be off prepping and directing Star Wars: Episode IX, he won’t be able to return for Jurassic World 2, which is slated for release in June 2018.
“[It will not be] just a bunch of dinosaurs chasing people on an island. That’ll get old real fast…I feel like the idea that this isn’t always going to be limited to theme parks, and there are applications for this science that reach far beyond entertainment. And when you look back at nuclear power and how that started, the first instinct was to weaponize it and later on we found it could be used for energy. And this isn’t something necessarily that was in the book but is a seed that I wanted to plant in this movie, is that might be able to grow in more of these movies if they decide to make more of them, is: What if this went open source?”
This could be a hint towards incorporating more beats from William Monahan (The Departed) and John Sayles‘ unused Jurassic Park 4 scripts that took place on and off the islands. Seeds of those scripts did make their way into World, it included the weaponizing the dinosaurs for military applications along with certain characters. Den of Geek did an excellent rundown of the bits of those scripts that made into the final film.
I just hope they avoid the idea of them mixing human DNA with them, that just sounded/looked terrible.
Universal and producers have already started courting directors which include The Impossible‘s J.A. Bayona according to. The only problem is that Paramount isn’t letting it go further than that as Bayona is contracted to make World War Z sequel next, which they’ve just pushed back into development with a new writer via THR.
J.A. Bayona is squarely on board to direct, though rumors surfaced recently that his involvement was on thin ice after being eyed to direct the Jurassic World follow-up. Sources say there was little Bayona could do given that he has a holding deal for World War Z 2, but the Jurassic World 2 overtures helped light a flame under Paramount to keep Bayona happy and get a new script in motion with the fanboy-friendly writer.
This likely means that Bayona will be eyed for bigger and better things once he completes the World War Z sequel, I’ll be curious to see if Lucasfilm offers him a Star Wars gig or Universal gives him another shot at for Jurassic World 3.
We’ll have to want and see if Universal is willing to strap guns on dinosaurs and throw them into a warzone, but some of these interesting concepts could work beyond the off island setting.
SOURCE: HOLLYWOOD REPORTER