Colin Trevorrow's Jurassic World took the blockbuster scene by storm when it debuted in 2015, but there's no denying that the film was firmly inspired by the story beats of the original Jurassic Park. With Jurassic World 2 set to debut next summer, the franchise needs to go in a new direction, and that will require some notable tonal changes. According to Chris Pratt, one of the biggest shifts that we can expect in the highly-anticipated sequel is the move to a much darker and more terrifying story. Pratt explained:
I think it's going to be a scarier version. A little bit darker and will continue to expand and carry the story forward in a way that is really unexpected and you wouldn't have imagined.
Chris Pratt's recent comments to Screen Rant while promoting the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 bode quite well for the future of the Jurassic World franchise. While the 2015 film maintained a certain lightness and charm (even during its more thrilling action sequences), J.A. Bayona's sequel will double down on the horror elements and take the Jurassic universe into much darker territory. That still leaves us in the dark as to how Owen has coped with his recent adventure during the events of the first film, but we have a feeling that facing off against the Indominus Rex probably hasn't helped him sleep at night.
This somber tonal shift makes quite a bit of sense when we look at all of the details that have come forward regarding the story of Jurassic World 2. Rather than retreading the tried and true "amusement park gone wild" story of Jurassic World, the upcoming sequel will delve into deeper philosophical questions about the rights of the dinosaurs as living beings. This narrative will see them abused by powerful people, and weaponized for government use. It's an idea that was suggested by Vincent D'Onofrio's Hoskins during the last film, but now we will see that concept on full display. Given the fact that life always "finds a way," we have a feeling that the dinosaurs will not appreciate the abuse, and will probably fight back.
Moving into such dark territory has become a relatively common concept for successful sequels. Star Wars is the most quintessential example, as The Empire Strikes Back took the saga from the galaxy far, far away to a far more melancholy place by freezing Han Solo in carbonite, revealing the familial connection between Luke and Darth Vader, and turning the series hero into an amputee. There's even a history of doing this in Jurassic Park sequels, as The Lost World made Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm a considerably more brooding character in the period between the first and second films. Jurassic World 2 seems to have a firm understanding of what makes a sequel work, so it will be fascinating to see how J.A. Bayona's story comes together.
Jurassic World 2 will premiere on June 22, 2018.
