COVID-19’s effect within Hollywood has left ramifications that will be felt for a few years. A lot of shutdowns, reshuffling and shelving have cost audiences some major tentpole movies. One of those affected by this change is Jurassic World: Dominion. The production shutdown led to the film almost being incomplete, according to the film’s director Colin Trevorrow. The Jurassic World: Dominion director recalled what it was like shutting down the set over COVID, especially when he had crucial scenes yet to film.
The escalation of the COVID-19 crisis pushed Hollywood to the brink in 2020. The third installment of Jurassic World had to shut down early in its production leading to several delays. But it wasn’t that easy, as Colin Trevorrow still had a shoot day left. Trevorrow said about the final day before shutting down:
On the very last day we were shooting, I didn’t find out officially that we were going to shut down until about three hours before we wrapped. We were shooting in this old, industrial barn. [Producers] Alexandra Derbyshire and Pat Crowley and I had a phone call with Universal, and all of us agreed it was the right thing to do. But I still had a shoot day to finish
As the director pointed out, Jurassic World: Dominion only had original Jurassic Park cast Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum for an abbreviated time. Colin Trevorrow didn’t know if that moment would happen again. Neither he nor the film’s producers were sure if they could get those three back again, and he really didn't want to do a reshoot. So, finishing the scene had to happen.
In his interview with Empire, Colin Trevorrow addressed filming that final day after receiving the news of the shutdown. He expressed concern over when filming would resume. Speaking on Universal’s shutdown mandate, the Jurassic World: Dominion director said about filming the final scene:
Whispers had begun, but we didn’t want to compromise that moment in the movie by having it be fraught in any way. So, we captured it and then we went home for three months. And that day is in the movie. We didn’t go back and reshoot it.
Colin Trevorrow’s final comment proved just how pressure can create a great moment for everyone involved. It also spoke to how professional Trevorrow, the crew and the cast were to get that scene in the can. As he stated, it required no reshoots and ended up in the final cut. Let’s hope the scene is as good as the director says when Jurassic World: Dominion finally arrives.
I must give Colin Trevorrow and the Jurassic World cast and crew kudos for finishing under such immense pressure. Besides Trevorrow’s words, some cast members have spoken highly about shooting the third installment. Fans will have to wait until June 10, 2022 to see the scene in Jurassic World: Dominion.
