Every dinosaur needs a Friend, which is convenient, because Rupert Friend, known for his roles in Wes Anderson‘s Asteroid City and The French Dispatch, is set to star alongside Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey in the new Jurassic World film, according to THR. Directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), the movie also features Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. David Koepp, the original screenwriter of Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, has penned the script, although plot details are currently under wraps. It is unclear what roles Friend, Garcia-Rulfo, Johansson, and Bailey will play, but the upcoming Jurassic World film is reportedly an original story in the franchise.
In recent years, Friend has become a staple in Anderson‘s films and has also appeared in Obi-Wan Kenobi and can next be seen in upcoming projects like Companion and Dreams. The new Jurassic World film aims to tell a new story in the franchise and breathe new life into it. The hopeful sign that this new installment will be a box office hit for Universal is Koepp‘s return. Koepp, the talented scribe behind Jurassic Park, also wrote the story for the sequel, The Lost World, and has achieved great success outside of the prehistoric film series with projects like Carlito’s Way, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, Panic Room, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Prior cast members Bryce Dallas-Howard and Chris Pratt, along with OG stars Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, and Sam Neill, are not expected to return. The project is gearing up for a mid-June production start in London, with Universal Pictures aiming for a July 2, 2025, release date. Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley, the producers behind the modern Jurassic franchise, will produce through Kennedy-Marshall. Steven Spielberg, who birthed the film franchise in 1993 with Jurassic Park, will executive produce via Amblin Entertainment. Universal‘s Sara Scott and Jacqueline Garell are overseeing the project.
The Jurassic Park Franchise’s Box Office Legacy
Since its inception in 1993 with Spielberg‘s groundbreaking Jurassic Park, the Jurassic Park franchise has become a box office juggernaut. The original film set the bar high, grossing over $1 billion worldwide and becoming a cultural phenomenon. The subsequent sequels have collectively contributed to the franchise’s massive earnings, with Jurassic World (2015) revitalizing the series, pulling in over $1.6 billion globally, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) adding another $1.3 billion.
Most recently, Jurassic World Dominion (2022) continued the trend, cementing the series as one of the highest-grossing film franchises of all time, with a combined box office total of over $6 billion. This impressive feat showcases the enduring popularity and appeal of the prehistoric adventure saga.
Stay tuned to Collider for more on the next installment of the Jurassic franchise. Jurassic World Dominion is currently available to stream on Hulu.
via Collider