With the announcement of Jurassic World 2, we’re left a bit perplexed as to where a sequel might go. How many times, exactly, can we return to an island — the original Isla Nublar or otherwise — especially after the vision for the park was fulfilled and failed? Thankfully, Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow teases plans for a sequel that goes beyond the island.
It all has to do with what B.D. Wong’s Dr. Wu said in this summer’s blockbuster: "We’re not always going to be the only ones who can make a dinosaur." In an interview with Wired U.K., Trevorrow said he found that to be an interesting idea:
What if this went open source? It's almost like InGen is Mac, but what if PC gets their hands on it? What if there are 15 different entities around the world who can make a dinosaur?
Though Trevorrow admits this isn’t really covered in the original movie, it’s something in which he sees potential for growth. Looking back to the first Jurassic Park film, we saw Wayne Knight’s Dennis Nedrey attempt to steel the genetic material from dinosaurs and smuggle them off the island for a third party. While he didn’t succeed, this seems to be along the same lines that Trevorrow is talking about.
Furthermore, Jurassic World tackled the idea of weaponizing dinosaurs, specifically the Velociraptors. This was exactly what Vincent D’Onofrio’s Hoskins wanted to do when he saw Chris Pratt’s Owen commanding these vicious creatures. Based on Trevorrow’s statements, it seems like this will continue to progress in the sequel. He said:
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.
It was only a matter of time before Jurassic World 2 was formally announced. The film became the highest-grossing movie of the year, so far, and it currently sits as the third highest-grossing movie of all time. Universal recently announced the sequel will drop on June 22, 2018. Though Trevorrow said he didn’t want to continue on as director, he will co-write the script with his writing partner Derek Connolly. Pratt and his co-star Bryce Dallas Howard will also return for Jurassic World 2. Trevorrow hinted that Jurassic Park director and Jurassic World producer Stephen Spielberg wants to make "several of these movies," and Pratt joked before that he’s signed on "for, I think, 38 movies or something." But for now, we at least find solace in the fact that the sequel is at least trying to switch things up.
Maybe the next time around Howard’s Claire can find some sensible running shoes.
