Though he's technically not the original Jurassic Park hero (that honor belongs to Sam Neill's Alan Grant), Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm is heroic, and has become one of the most iconic and beloved members of the franchise. He took center stage in Steven Spielberg's The Lost World: Jurassic Park back in 1997 and will return later this month with the debut of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. With roughly two decades separating his most recent appearance and his latest outing, CinemaBlend's own Eric Eisenberg recently got a chance to ask the actor where Ian has been, and it sounds like Dr. Malcolm has committed himself to bettering his life and the world. Goldblum explained:
Very good question! Well, I bet I have a strong relationship with my daughter, and I've been supporting all of her empowerments, physically and intellectually. And I'll bet that I have been, since the harrowing and memorable events [of The Lost World] in Ian's life 20-some years ago, I'll bet my gratitude and presence is sharper. And certainly my desire to contribute something to the overall conversation while I'm here. I've been writing about, I'll bet, and been actively involved in the advancements of all the things I care about, like innovative environmental protection strategies, and animal rights, and basically ways that the planet can work for everyone, including all creatures. Which includes, I guess, finding new and enhanced ways that people can resolve conflict without violence, etcetera etcetera. And probably writing poetry and playing music!
So, it sounds like Ian Malcolm has endeavored to become a Renaissance man in the years since his last encounter with the dinosaurs. He has tried to become a better father to Kelly (though we cannot confirm if she's still an expert gymnast), and he has become a vocal advocate for the environment and animal rights, which is an issue that pops up in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Beyond that (and in true Goldblum fashion), he has also embraced the arts in his downtime.
Of course, while we have not seen Jeff Goldblum as Dr. Ian Malcolm in the years since The Lost World debuted in theaters, the character's presence has been felt in other installments in the series. One of the more notable examples of this is the events of Jurassic Park III, in which it's revealed that Ian Malcolm wrote a book on his experiences at the original park that competed against Alan Grant's book about the ordeal.
Needless to say, Ian Malcolm has come a long way since his debut in the pages of Michael Crichton's original Jurassic Park novel. In fact, the character actually dies in the book -- a fate that was changed in the movie and then retconned in the sequel book following the popularity of Goldblum's take on the role. Now it's just a matter of waiting to see where Goldblum's Ian Malcolm goes from here as the franchise moves into new territory and allows him to explore these personal and intellectual ideas.
Make sure to catch the return of Ian Malcolm when Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom debuts in theaters later this month on June 22. If you want more information on the film, check out our review and our comprehensive review roundup!
