It looks like everyone’s favorite booth operator will not be seen dealing with dinosaurs in Jurassic World 2. When Jake Johnson was asked whether or not fan favorite character “Lowery” would be returning in the Jurassic World sequel, he responded:
Even though this may sound unfortunate to some, as Lowery was considered one of the highlights of the film to many, his character would have no place in the sequel based on what we know of the next movie. The Jurassic Park franchise has never been about shoehorning side characters into sequels, and oftentimes features an entirely new cast.
With that in mind, as the start of production nears, it is only a matter of time before more casting news begins to emerge.
Who is Lucy? That is the question that keeps rippling across the online community since the ‘Ancient Futures’ casting call was discovered. While any attempts to decipher more information about the character beyond that provided in the casting call may be baseless conjecture, I decided to take a stab at it anyhow. Worst case scenario: I’m completely wrong, but generate some discussion amongst fans in the process. So, let’s have some fun.
Before moving forward, I want to pull up the character description Actors Access provided:
She is a young girl around 9 years of age. The girl playing “Lucy” must be at least 9 years of age by February 2017, but cannot be over 10 years old. She must be a sensitive and clever actress capable of handling long and complex scenes. Lucy must be able to handle a range of emotions from tender moments with her father, to anxiety, bravery, and shock.
Let’s get one thing out of the way now while we’re at it: the casting call mentions her father, and names her Lucy. The name may be placeholder, just as Ancient Futures is used in place of Jurassic World 2, while the father role may not actually be her father. However, for the sake of discussion and discovery, we will presume those two things are actually factual.
What else do we know? Those who attended auditions implied it was clear they were going for a ‘certain look’ for the girl, but did not elaborate further due to NDA’s. The test dialog apparently played against the implied father character – though no details on what exactly that involved were shared online. With that in mind, what immediately becomes clear is the father character is assuredly just as important as Lucy – if not more so. As such, they are likely looking for a young actress who would have good on screen chemistry with that mystery actor.
To test ‘Lucy’ actresses properly, it only makes sense that they know who is playing the father. Considering no casting reports for Jurassic World 2 have been shared by the trades or Universal Pictures, I find it unlikely to be an entirely new player in the franchise. My assumption is that the actor has not been reported on, as he did not need to try out: he is simply a returning player, established in prior films. With that in mind, I’ve floated a few ideas.. but am favoring one more than the rest.
Credit: Science Picture Co Collection Mix: Subjects Getty Images
As I said earlier, in this article I will presume the name Lucy is not placeholder. In a film about extinct creatures, it’s hard to ignore the scientific importance of that name. Around 42 years ago a stunning discovery was made by a team of scientists in Ethiopia – the fossil remains of an early hominin who lived over 3 million years ago was discovered. Dubbed Lucy, some even suggested she could be the missing link in humanities ancestral evolution – and her remains being 40% in tact helped fuel many scientific discoveries. While she may not be the missing link some had hoped for (it’s now suspected we branched from Chimps around 13 millions years ago), her importance is not to be understated, with more being learned even today. Lucy remains a very significant name in the scientific fields and popular science culture, especially those to do with ancient history.
With the information above, in a series of films where our worlds ancient history becomes our future, I couldn’t help but wonder if a character naming their child Lucy would do so on purpose. Surely the significance wouldn’t be lost on them? It seems too uncanny to be a coincidence, and I feel it’s safe to assume the screenwriters Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly are also familiar with those facts.
Rather unsurprisingly, I find myself pondering who in the franchise would name their child after a scientific discovery with such gravitas. While some may assume the paleo-past connection would favor Dr. Grant, I just don’t think that would be his style. Plus, I’m hard pressed to imagine a situation where Dr. Grant shows up in Jurassic World 2 AND has a child. That would take a ton of exposition to make believable, and I really cannot see it happening in a organic way. Where he was left off in Jurassic Park 3 does not really leave a path to that result – nor him returning in a sense-worthy fashion.
Then, I suppose we could look at Ian Malcolm.. we know he does like to have kids. I could certainly see him returning in Jurassic World 2, he’s like a moth to the flame, simply to have the chance to be right and say “I, uh, told you so”. But I just can’t imagine him naming a daughter – and we’re presuming the context is on purpose- Lucy. After his experience in Jurassic Park, the implications of a name tied to extinct history would be testing the chaotic nature of fate, far too close to experiences he’d like to forget.
So, where is this all leading? Why, Dr. Henry Wu (played by B.D. Wong) of course. Yes, he would have the hubris to name his child after such a momentous scientific discovery (in the real world it may be innocuous enough, but in the Jurassic universe it carries irrefutable clout). His work in bringing the extinct world into the extant, playing god, and exploring the history while defining the future is unparalleled. That name is the perfect fit if he were to have a daughter. Further, him having a daughter to interact with could add a complex layer to his characterization – helping add a more human element to the man who’s ego often leads to deadly results.
In Jurassic World Dr. Wu was played more like a villain, and while I doubt we’re going to be rooting for him in the sequel, adding empathy and motives to his persona would only play to the benefit of the story. Ideally, the inclusion of ‘Lucy’ would help drive and further define his character, perhaps playing in contrast to his less idealistic actions, reminding us that he’s a human, not a caricature. It also plays to the benefit of the audience, because while we may eventually think it’s best he becomes dino-food, the inclusion of his daughter now creates a situation to be dreaded and avoided. Will he be able to evolve, and see the dangers in his actions, or will he slip up and potentially put his daughter in harms way? The material is there, and while the Jurassic franchise has a rich history of roles for children, there has never been one quite like that.
Ultimately, I could be connecting the dots where none exist, and building a reconstruction of a fossil that never existed in actuality. In fact, that’s more than likely the case… but I covered that in the first paragraph. Despite the complete lack of evidence, I do feel like I’ve cracked the code on this one – although just earlier today I was favoring Malcolm’s return with another daughter, if only for the parallels to The Lost World. Yet until a definitive answer comes to light, I will continue to enjoy the thought that Dr. Wu may return in Jurassic World 2 with a more somber story than many expect.
Be sure to listen to our latest podcast where we discuss the “Lucy” casting and what it could mean for the franchise:
As always, sound off in the comments below – and be sure to share your crazy theories as well! Stay tuned, more news is surely on the horizon.
Our friends at Chronicle Collectibles have now opened pre-orders for their new Jurassic Park officially licensed product – the 1:1 scale Velociraptor bust! The pre-order opened on Friday, October 21st at 12:00 noon Central Standard Time and for 30 days, the bust will be available for $999!
This is Chronicle’s first full size item from the original Jurassic Park, and features the infamous “Clever Girl”. The item has been molded and cast directly from a Stan Winston Studios casting of the full, original 1:1 Velociraptor, so this is a genuine replica of the on-screen animal. It stands at roughly 30″ tall and spans 28″ from the back of her head to the front of her jaws. As you can see from the Comic Con photo below, she is a big one.
As with all of Chronicle Collectible’s fantastic products, this is a limited edition run and will include individually numbered units that are assigned numerically by the time and date of the order. Chronicle debuted a number of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World products at Comic Con earlier this year and you can read more about the items here!
Check out the pre-order page here which also includes payment plan options. Chronicle Collectibles have a number of Jurassic Park products with more on the way! Last month they debuted the 1:1 scale Compy from The Lost World which is still available for pre-order. Other products include The Lost World Stegosaurus Maquette, the 1:5 scale The Lost World T-Rex bust (which has now sold out) and of course, the Jurassic Park Breakout Rex which is available for $549.
Here are some exclusive behind the scenes photos of Chronicle’s Velociraptor in the making!
If you’re as excited as us to see what else Chronicle Collectibles are planning for this franchise, take a listen to our last interview with Paul Francis, Art Director and Co-Founder of the company. He dishes some juicy details on their upcoming products!
Have you pre-ordered any of these collectibles? Let us know in the comments section below!
The news for Jurassic World 2 continues to flow out showing no signs of slowing, today’s being something fairly momentous: an open casting call. Yes, casting for Jurassic World 2 has finally begun. One of the biggest questions we’ve had is what new actors will star in the movie alongside Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, and we are now one step closer to an answer.
Jurassic World 2 (under the working title of Ancient Futures) is conducting a open casting search in both the UK and US for the role of ‘LUCY’. Here’s the casting breakdown:
She is a young girl around 9 years of age. The girl playing “Lucy” must be at least 9 years of age by February 2017, but cannot be over 10 years old. She must be a sensitive and clever actress capable of handling long and complex scenes. Lucy must be able to handle a range of emotions from tender moments with her father, to anxiety, bravery, and shock.
This role represents a huge and exciting opportunity for a young actress to play a significant role in a major Hollywood blockbuster.
If you know a young actress who would be fit for this opportunity (ANCIENT FUTURES – Role of LUCY), you can sign up at ‘ActorsAccess.com‘ or ‘CastitTalent.com‘and submit for audition! Please be aware that there may be different local casting websites or opportunities that are more appropriate options, depending on where you live. Also note: reports suggest that young actresses up to the age of 12 repped by agents may be allowed to audition. Consult your casting agencies for more information, and good luck!
The casting call states the filming will primarily take place in the UK from February 2017 to June 2017, with a shoot lasting roughly 5 months! As the casting call does not mention Hawaii, we are unsure if her scenes will take her to the islands. It will be interesting to see if an unknown lands the role, or if it lands in the hands of a more established actress (Millie Bobby Brown, AKA Eleven from ‘Stranger Things’, anyone?)
Stay tuned, as more casting news is sure to pop up soon! Who do you think ‘Lucy’ is, and what role may she play in the upcoming film? Be sure to sound off in the comments below – and let us know if anyone you know will be submitting an audition!
We have just launched the brand new Mobile Version of our website! Ever since we launched the site back in June, we have been intending to launch a more streamlined version of the website for mobiles and tablets by the year’s end, and now we are pleased to reveal that it is now available!
Be sure to check out JurassicOutpost.com on your mobile and tablet devices, and check out the quick demonstration video below!
Wanted to say a huge thanks to Sam Lihou who developed the Outpost as well as this awesome mobile version!
The crust has seemingly broken open, allowing Jurassic World 2 news to trickle out like the slow flow of magma fissures before an inevitable eruption. Recently director J.A. Bayona said the film will address the responsibility mankind faces for playing god, while Colin Trevorrow said the film will tackle more complex themes such as the mistreatment of dinosaurs (he also joined our podcast and unloaded details about the sequel, such as more animatronics, making a scarier movie, and confirming they’re not focusing on weaponized dinosaurs).
Today J.A. Bayona shared a little more with Noticias RCN:
“Obviously, when you have Chris Pratt will also be very funny.. but [Jurassic World 2] will be darker. It’s the second part of a trilogy, which are historically darker. ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ or ‘ the Wrath of Khan ‘, are good comparisons.“
“In that sense,” continued Bayona, “the film takes the story to new places, which surprised me. We are going to places where the saga has never been before, and yet at the same time, we are staying true to the franchise. We will take it a step further. There things that will happen that people are not expecting, and they really are shocking. That’s what really excites me about a project like this.”
J.A. went on to say how excited and honored he was to be working with Steven Spielberg alongside Frank Marshall and Colin Trevorrow. From there he added:
“‘[The Jurassic Park franchise] is a creation of Spielberg’s. He created it, and Colin Trevorrow is helming the new trilogy, so you know it’s a collaborative effort of filmmakers. It is also a personal film like ‘The Impossible’ or ‘A Monster Calls'”
So, if you’re like me, you’re probably trying to connect the dots and figure out what direction the story may be heading. For those unaware (spoiler warning!), ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ is the Star Wars film where Darth Vader reveals himself as Luke Skywalkers father, cuts off Lukes hand, and freezes Han Solo in carbonite. ‘The Wrath of Khan’ (Star Trek) is the movie in which Spock dies in self sacrifice to save Captain Kirk and the others.
The Darth Vader reveal and death of Spock in those two films are huge pieces of pop-culture relevance, that are constantly hearkened back to by fans and filmmakers alike. Thematically both movies are more serious films, and while they do not lack the sense of fun their predecessors established, they allude to impending disaster and feature real consequences. The two films are revered for their high stakes and surprising reveals, coupled with betrayals, and loss.
Will Jurassic World 2 live up to the high bar those movies set? Time will tell. I suspect high stakes will certainly play a role in the film, perhaps blurring the line of right and wrong, judging by the above themes coupled with past news – specifically the morality of caring for dinosaurs and mankind facing responsibility for creating them. Considering Jurassic Park has no villains to reveal their true identity (unless Dodgson crawls back out of the woodwork), it seems likely the film will shock audiences with loss, and hard choices presented to our heroes.
Sound off in the comments below, and let us know if you think the Jurassic World sequel can truly be ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ of Jurassic Park, and how you think they can do it. As always, stay tuned for the latest news!
In a new video interview with IGN, director of the Jurassic World sequel J.A. Bayona discussed the challenges of the upcoming sequel, and shares how his entry into the franchise will be different.
In the interview, Bayona reveals how Colin approached him to direct the sequel based on Bayona’s film The Orphanage, and that Colin’s intention with the sequel is to make it darker and scarier. He also discusses how it’s important that they stay faithful to the legacy, but also bring something new and exciting to the story. Check out the video below:
A few days ago, Colin Trevorrow revealed how the sequel will be a more complex film, exploring the mistreatment of dinosaurs as you see with other animals in the world today.
“The dinosaurs will be a parable of the treatment animals receive today: the abuse, medical experimentation, pets, having wild animals in zoos like prisons, the use the military has made of them, animals as weapons. The second part will be a very different, more complex movie that will explore new paths. For that reason, it was clear that it needed to be Bayona who would direct it, in order to have it grow and evolve with his very personal vision.”
Last week we interviewed Colin Trevorrow about the sequel and he brought on J.A. Bayona towards the end – be sure to check out our interview for that here, along with a number of other interviews from cast and crew members on our interviews section of the Outpost!
Thanks to Reel News Hawaii for pointing this in our direction!
The legendary Phil Tippett is auctioning off a number of pieces from his personal collection, which include a number of incredibly rare pieces from the production of Jurassic Park! Phil was the Dinosaur Supervisor on Jurassic Park and returned to this role recently for Jurassic World.
The auction began on PropStoreAuction.com two days ago and ends on the 21st October at 5:03pm PDT, so you only have a week to get your bids in! Among the items up for auction are original scripts from the production, a Baby Triceratops Maquette, original Key Art prints, original storyboards and much more!
I’m fairly surprised at how much is available for auction; some of these items will reveal details from the production of Jurassic Park that we never knew, and all of the items will be an asset to any fans’ collection – if you’re lucky enough to win one!
Recently some guys from Tested visited Phil’s workshop and saw some of the products that are up for auction up close! Check the video out below:
Be sure to check out the auction and full list of items available here. Phil is auctioning not only his Jurassic Park memorabilia, but items from most, if not all of the films he has worked on throughout his career!
‘Jurassic World 2’ will be a scarier movie, that much we know. But the darker tones will apparently go beyond the on-screen roars, digging deeper into the concepts of morality. Speaking to ‘El Mundo’ at the Stiges Film Festival in Spain, Colin Trevorrow has shared more details about the upcoming sequel. [The original source El Mundo is in Spanish, and some translations come courtesy of TIME]
“It’s hard for us to imagine growing up not knowing Jurassic Park, but there is a whole new generation who possibly never saw it.” said Colin Trevorrow “We had to reintroduce the franchise for them with Jurassic World. It was a movie with universal ideas that could appeal to everyone. James Cameron understands how to do that better than anyone: how to make a film appeal to a 15 year old in China, or a child in Florida.”
Colin then elaborated on how the sequel will evolve into a darker, more complex animal: “The dinosaurs will be a parable of the treatment animals receive today: the abuse, medical experimentation, pets, having wild animals in zoos like prisons, the use the military has made of them, animals as weapons. The second part will be a very different, more complex movie that will explore new paths. For that reason, it was clear that it needed to be Bayona who would direct it, in order to have it grow and evolve with his very personal vision.”
The concepts of animal abuse were also explored in ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’, notably with InGen capturing numerous animals in less than humane ways. It will certainly be interesting to see how this is further explored in the upcoming sequel, which is part of a mapped out trilogy. Colin Trevorrow recently joined our Podcast, and revealed that ‘the end’ of the trilogy was already decided while writing the first Jurassic World – so it’s safe to assume these concepts will evolve beyond those showcased in the aforementioned Jurassic Park sequel.
Be sure to listen to our recent Colin Trevorrow interview if you haven’t already! He shares many details about the upcoming sequel, including confirming a heavier use of animatronics and revealing that the story will not focus on militarized dinosaurs! The link above includes a direct MP3 of the podcast, and a transcribed summary of the key information. If you’re more of a YouTube person, we also have you covered:
It sounds like we’re in for a wild ride with the upcoming Jurassic World sequel, and I personally cannot wait to learn more. As always, stay tuned for the latest news, and sound off in the comments below!
[Note: other translations of the sourced article make mention of Jack Horner. We believe that to be a transcribing error on ‘El Mundos’ part, typing ‘Jota’ (a Spanish variation of Jack) instead of J.A. We were in the process of working on a proper translation, but TIME beat us to it, corroborating our suspicions.]
While Jurassic Park 3 isn’t generally considered to be the best sequel in the franchise, at least critically, it does hold a special place in fan’s hearts – especially for those born in the 90s as it was likely to be the first Jurassic movie that many were old enough to see in cinemas.
I grew up watching VHS copies of Jurassic Park and The Lost World on repeat, but Jurassic Park 3 was the first movie that I remember following the production of. I remember the toys, the posters, the commercials, the games, everything from that period. It’s nostalgic to think back, and up until the release of Jurassic World last year it was the only movie I had seen merchandise for in stores.
One thing I remember fondly is the video games and the commercials that came with them. Jurassic Park 3 had a wealth of games released alongside it for multiple consoles. Danger Zone, Dino Defender, Island Attack, The DNA Factor… the list goes on.
One game that I never had myself but remember seeing endless commercials for, was Scan Command. It was a video game that utilised a physical barcode scanner – you would scan the barcode of household food/drink items to obtain “genetic code” to progress in the game.
Today, we have some concept art that was made for the game by artist Maurice Kimball, who also worked on some concept art for Jurassic Park: Institute. The concept art is described as visual development and production art. Check out more of the artwork below:
Maurice uploaded these images to his website along with some really cool concept art for Jurassic Park: Institute:
The art gives us an interesting look at some things that never came to be within the franchise, as well as some terrifying shots for Scan Command showing InGen’s facilities in ruins.
Do you remember playing Scan Command, or any of the other Jurassic Park 3 video games? Let us know in the comments section below, or let us know what your ideal Jurassic Park video game would be!
