Samuel L. Jackson Explains What He Thinks Happened To His Jurassic Park Character, And Hold Onto Your Butts

Samuel L. Jackson in Jurassic Park.
(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Steven Spielberg is a prolific filmmaker, and his 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park is considered one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. The cast for that movie was killer, including Samuel L. Jackson as engineer Ray Arnold. While Jackson was killed offscreen, he recently offered a funny take on what he thinks happened to Ray.... and hold onto your butts.

Sam Jackson's performance in Jurassic Park was pretty iconic, although fans remain disappointed that we didn't actually get to see him die onscreen. While appearing on The Tnoight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, the 75 year-old actor mused about what might have happened to Ray Arnold, saying:

I was supposed to shoot a death scene but there was a big hurricane that tore up all the sets. So I didn't get to go to Hawaii. So they just decided to stick my arm on a fall or floor or whatever. So now I figured, like Mace Windu, he got out there in the park and made friends with the velociraptors. He got a couple of them that he could ride.

Honestly, that's a spinoff I'd like to see. While Ray is almost definitely dead, it's fun to imagine him living on Isla Nublar alongside a pack of raptors. And if Chris Pratt's Owen Grady was able to train the dinos, whose to say that Sam Jackson couldn't have ridden one? Seriously, I can't get the visual out of my head.

Samuel L. Jackson has played a number of characters whose fate was left ambiguous. In the conversation with Fallon, he name drops Star Wars' Mace Windu, who some fans think survived his encounter with Palpatine. Those curious to talk out that theory can re-watch his time in the galaxy far, far away with a Disney+ subscription.

Sir Richard Attenborough and Samuel L Jackson talk in the control room in Jurassic Park.

(Image credit: Universal)

While the Jurassic franchise has continue producing new content over the years, including animated shows which are available with a Netflix subscription, as well as the Jurassic World films. Alas, Jackson's character Ray hasn't been seen from or referenced since his limb was discovered in the original movie.

The beloved property will once again hit the big screen with Jurassic World: Rebirth, which stars Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey. The specifics of the story are a mystery to the public for the time being, but perhaps Ray will at least get an easter egg or mention in the upcoming 2025 movie. Unfortunately, we'll likely never get to see Samuel L. Jackson's story play out, where Ray is able to befriend and eventually ride velociraptors from the closed park.

Jurassic World: Rebirth is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 2nd, 2025. Hopefully we get more information and footage about the forthcoming blockbuster sooner rather than later.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.