The fate of the Jurassic franchise remains unknown. After the 2022 movie release Jurassic World Dominion tied up the modern trilogy, while also weaving in legacy characters along for the ride, things are in a pretty comfortable place for co-writer/director Colin Trevorrow. That’s not to say he hasn’t thought about the future of the canon, though, as Trevorrow has said that if he were to return to the Jurassic universe, he has a very specific role in mind.
During the Jurassic World Dominion home entertainment junket recently held in Malta, you could say it was a celebration of all eras to the franchise. While the focus was more on the extended edition release of the latest film to carry the Jurassic name, it was inevitable to start speaking about what could come next.
Speaking with Colin Trevorrow meant having the opportunity to ask him about his thoughts, and he explained the role he would want to play in the future of the franchise:
Whether I ‘come back’ or not, it would only be to help another filmmaker realize their vision. I would love to be involved in that level.
For better or worse, Colin Trevorrow’s time in the cockpit of Jurassic World seems to have come to a close. It’s an assumption that one probably could have made given how the events of Jurassic World Dominion play out. Still, in a market where franchise expansion sometimes keeps tried and tested hands on the wheel for as long as possible, it wouldn’t have been a surprise before today if Universal announced that Trevorrow was being asked to shape a new trilogy of stories.
Instead, much as Steven Spielberg worked as an executive producer that helped shepherd Jurassic World into being, the next era could have yet another key advisor on its development team.
As a fan of what Colin Trevorrow brought to Jurassic World through three films of creative control, I can’t blame the man for stepping back after Dominion’s ending set up an even larger world for a future Jurassic trilogy to explore. That said, the fact that he’d still come back to help a new filmmaker find their voice among the dinosaurs shows just how much he loves these movies and how good of an experience Jurassic World Dominion turned out to be.
Trevorrow’s reasoning is even more admirable after having the blueprint laid out in his own words. Having a new filmmaker stepping in to tell their own story looks to be a new tradition that Jurassic World can establish. Even touching upon his intentions for Jurassic World Dominion’s story, and the criticism that it didn’t focus enough on the dinosaurs, Colin Trevorrow’s case for fresh blood was described thusly:
I think that it’s important to have somebody new, because really what I wanted to do with [Jurassic World] was take something that, in some ways, is un-franchisable, it’s the same story every time of dinosaurs on an island, that are trying to eat people, and turn it into something that does have a wealth of stories that could be told. Like a world in which dinosaurs exist. That’s what this was, it wasn’t a plot about dinosaurs, it was a story about people and genetic power, set in a world where dinosaurs exist. I know that’s a shift, and that’s a change, but I do think that’s what’s going to make it possible for us to move forward. Because you tell me what can happen.
Sitting with Colin Trevorrow and talking about Jurassic World Dominion, I could sense that this trilogy meant a lot to him, especially in the restoration of his true vision for the extended cut. Turning a series previously deemed un-franchisable into a wide open canvas of potential is no easy feat, and that potential almost always depends on fresh viewpoints to keep it in play.
Though I will miss the Trevorrow touch on Jurassic World, I can also say I’m eager to see what new stories and storytellers could be attracted to the table next time out. It’s all about change, and that very force brought the world Colin Trevorrow’s take on the Jurassic legacy. Not knowing what will happen next time is part of the fun, as the sun has literally set on this epoch of franchise history, setting the table for it to rise again whenever someone picks up the torch.
You can celebrate the finale of the Jurassic World trilogy with the home entertainment release of Jurassic World Dominion – with is available for rental or purchase. Peacock Premium subscribers can get in on the fun, with both the theatrical and extended editions set to start streaming on September 2.
