An all-new original short film ‘The Hatchling‘ featuring plenty of dinosaurs has roared online! While it is not an official entry into the Jurassic World universe or a production by Universal Pictures, it is sure to be right up your alley. Drawing clear inspiration from Amblin classics such as ‘The Goonies’ and ‘ET,’ this short film transports viewers to a world reminiscent of Jurassic Park (and dare we say, a more grounded Camp Cretaceous), complete with numerous easter eggs for all the dedicated fans like ourselves.
The production comes from quite a few members of the Jurassic Park community (with full transparency: Chris Pugh, from our own website, is among them). Although it doesn’t formally position itself as a fan film, ‘The Hatchling’ offers a surprisingly high-quality experience despite its modest scale.
So what are you waiting for, watch ‘The Hatchling’ below (after all, it’s only 10 minutes long)!
Get ready for a new adventure.
Check out the poster for ‘The Hatchling’, an All-New Short Film roaring online this October!
So what did you think? Be sure to let us know, and if you have a project you want featured here sound off. We hope to see more projects from all the independent filmmakers and storytellers out there tackle dinosaurs in the future!
The ‘Jurassic’ franchise is definitely on a bit of a hiatus after ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’. The story that began in 1993 closed with the sixth film, and while there are opportunities to continue in a new direction, many believe the actual choices for an engaging narrative are limited.
The BioSyn “Sanctuary”, as shown in the final moments of ‘Dominion’, is really the only bit of lore left to tie the franchise forward unless something new is concocted (much like the “Lockwood” material in ‘Fallen Kingdom’). Depending on who you ask, Isla Sorna could be the setting for future stories – but what is left to mine from there at this point in the series? Otherwise, we just have a future with random dinosaur attacks in our world (which honestly has a limited shelf life in terms of having an actual story).
‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ made over a billion dollars last year, a feat only shared by a handful of films. No matter what your take is on the last entry, the box office is proof that there is still an audience for this series. Universal Pictures will undoubtedly move forward with a new story at some point. However, what if instead they went backward?
Jurassic Outpost has been given exclusive new details on the proposed John Hammond prequel that was teased two years ago. An independent pitch that features a gallery of concept art showcasing Hammond’s years leading up to the creation of ‘Jurassic Park’! Included are several new images, which you can view below:
In many ways, this looks like a version of the story told by Richard Attenborough (the actor who famously portrayed John Hammond) in the DreamWorks Interactive game ‘Trespasser’ through a collection of memoirs written by Austin Grossman.
However, that game’s story has been questioned by fans as meshing canon from the films and the novels in ways that don’t quite line up (although we personally enjoy it regardless). This new pitch appears to adhere more closely to the films. For a taste, we were given this page from the script, depicting a moment from the well-known “flea circus” story.
So far, this concept sounds great and looks like it could have potential. Given how most people didn’t like the direction ‘Dominion’ went, the chances of a prequel happening (or even a remake of sorts) are definitely not out of the question. Do you think Universal Pictures would be interested? Would you be interested? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!
Let’s just cut to the chase, this is the embodiment of ‘spared some expense.’
Courtesy of bol.com we have the first look at the Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary collectors set and while at a distance it seems to be a nice package, at closer inspection it just doesn’t hold up. From the steelbook cover just being a trace-over of a statue to the slip case looking like a bit like a photoshop filter disaster – and of course the art cards using Jurassic World dinosaurs rather than Jurassic Park – we have to wonder how this thing made it past approvals.
Wait, why is the Jurassic World T. rex on a beach, why is that the Jurassic World Dilophosaurus and WHY is Dr. Malcolm holding a lightsaber? We are interested in that collectible booklet… but…
We can go on about how influential Jurassic Park is as film and how well-regarded the first film is amongst all fans new and old. We can spit out metrics and have a long discussion about how Jurassic Park has been poorly managed via a series of poor attempts at cash in’s without the work and love required. But that’s just putting more work in than the franchise does itself these days, which is deflating. So instead, we’ll leave you with some pictures, tweets, and a song.
Does someone in the home entertainment department actually hate Jurassic Park, and they’re in charge of the art?
To be fair, the more recent attempts aren’t as awful as this 2013 poster. But let’s be real, that’s a low bar.
@UniversalPics this is such a slap in the face to the fandom. You absolutely know you cut corners on this crap and then you use a statue for the “art,” as well as renders from another film series and not Winston’s original designs??? 🚮 🗑️ https://t.co/7Gq2azP7Fn
This…looks terrible? Like the boxart look’s so unprofessional and why are the art cards using JW renders??? And what is with that trex render!? What happened here!? https://t.co/a9BhVlif1F
This really just makes me think the Jurassic Park fandom is the equivalent of a child who constantly seeks the love from a parent who does nothing but neglect them https://t.co/v4sIUzdwbx
— The Dino Crisis (Safi’jiiva Enjoyer) (@PaleoNotArtist) May 2, 2023
The following article was submitted to us by Paolo De Bonis.
Sauria is a tabletop board game about surviving and escaping a dinosaur theme park while competing with others to accomplish secret objectives. Giving that ‘Jurassic Park’ feel with a lot of variability with different dinosaurs and map layout every game – being able to inspect the park as one of 8 unique characters with abilities that will help you try your best to do what it takes to escape the park and the erupting volcano.
“Sauria takes the story we’re all familiar with from Jurassic Park and converts it into an exciting board game. Both the artwork and mechanics are dripping with theme, making the game thrilling and engaging until the very last second.” – Tabletopping
The premise of the game is that each player has a set of goals that they must secretly complete. Each goal that they complete earns them Victory Points, and the player with the most points AND escapes Isla Sauria wins! Throughout the game, different dinosaurs will reveal themselves and wreak havoc upon the players in different, fun and interactive ways. The game takes place over 16 rounds, which equates to 48 hours in game, but just as you think things couldn’t get any worse, a volcano erupts on the 24 hour mark!
Now, the creators behind Sauria are releasing their latest expansion, “The Claw of Sauria” which introduces a handful of new Dinosaur species, as well as some new hybrids such as “Saurionyx” (aka The Claw of Sauria)! This new expansion also adds a new co-op mode, and, characters. You do not want to miss this!
The first game was originally funded via the crowdsourcing platform called Kickstarter. The campaign was fully funded in 3 days and ended at $20,000. Millian Games’ goal was to create an “escape from a dinosaur island theme park” experience rather than another run of the mill park builder as it would help set them apart from most dinosaur tabletop games.
In the world of Sauria, a genetics company called Genitech purchased the island known as Isla Sauria. On the island, they began their genetics research in manufacturing life, specifically prehistoric life. Their goal is to create the ultimate tourist attraction, a Dinosaur Theme Park. Before opening for the public, Genitech brought in experts for their opinion on the park. During their inspection, the Dinosaurs broke loose and the volcano began to erupt. In a chaotic twist of events, they now have to escape the lava, call for a helicopter or repair the boat, and try not to get eaten alive by the most vicious predators on the planet.
Meanwhile, the new expansion, Claw of Sauria, focuses on the rebuilding of Isla Sauria after the devastation during the first game. Once again, those experts must return to inspect the park, but an unforeseen development took place… the creation of a Hybrid Dinosaur, the Saurionyx!. This hybrid is part T-rex, raptor, poison dart frog, Sauropelta, scorpion and more. This hybrid has unknown abilities that are only discovered after reaching zero health and returning even stronger, possibly even venomous!
The game is available for backing on Kickstarter until the end of March! Make sure to check out their Kickstarter page if you are interested! Let us know if you’ve played Sauria before and what your thoughts on the game are!
The following is a guest article contributed by Ruann Jovinski of ‘Jurassic Park 4.4’ first published in Portuguese and now translated to English. The review is largely spoiler-free, however small spoilers to follow:
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Last Friday myself and a bunch of fans were invited by Universal Pictures to a very special event in São Paulo, Brazil – a visit to the Iron Studio’s owned Jurassic Park Burger restaurant, a screening of ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ (we even got JP tattoos for free, but that’s another story).
Before the movie started, we got to see the trailer for ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’, which was then followed by a very short segment were two minions were confronted by their own version of Rexy.
From there is where the fun began.
Jurassic World Dominion opens with an exposition heavy “Now This” news montage that catches the audience up to speed on how dinosaurs are now free to roam the world and introduces the mega-corporation BioSyn. While one would expect it to be exciting and primarily set up BioSyn, it mostly serves as a Fallen Kingdom recap rather than a striking or needed introduction to the film. This segment feels odd, but thankfully the movie soon finds much sturdier footing: from there we are introduced to two different storylines that have much more in common than we are initially led to believe.
This movie brings back the classic Jurassic Park characters in a huge way, driven by Ellie Sattler. Likewise, the Jurassic World characters are trying to make their peace with the world they helped create as well as take care of Maisie Lockwood – the clone girl who they essentially illegally “adopted “after the events of Fallen Kingdom.
Dominion brings us to a whole new world with many different set pieces and concepts that have never before been seen in the Jurassic franchise. From the snowy mountains of Sierra Nevada to the populated streets of the island Malta and the dense BioSyn Valley in situated within the Dolomite Mountains of Italy. Dinosaurs are free in our world, trying to survive, and humans are adapting to this ever changing set of circumstances. We see illegal trafficking of dinosaurs in black markets, and what happens when dinosaurs wreak havoc in city streets. This is a whole new Jurassic World.
The movie is far from perfect – the plot is bloated, the pacing is horribly rushed, and many of the characters feel slightly out of key – but at least in my humble opinion it is much better than the two previous entries. ‘Dominion’ revisits Jurassic Park’s Techno-Thriller roots diving into the power of genetics like we have never seen before and some of the plots points are for sure something we could easily have seen in Crichton’s work.
I was thrilled and extremely happy to see Dr Alan Grant and Dr Ellie Sattler’s shenanigans throughout the film, interacting with another another, other characters, and of course dinosaurs. The chemistry between Sam Neill and Laura Dern is strong as ever. Jeff Goldblum as Dr Ian Malcolm is another great win – this movie really belongs to the classic Jurassic Park cast.
Outside of the classic characters, the newcomers are also great: standouts would be DeWanda Wise’s “Kayla Watts”, Mamoudou Athie’s “Ramsay”, Campbell Scott’s “Lewis Dodgson”, Isabella Sermon’s “Maisie”. Of course, BD Wong’s Dr. Henry Wu is also back and he’s better than ever. Yes, Dr Wu does get a meatier role and a stronger arch this time – something much overdue. Bryce Dallas Howard gets to flex her muscles as Claire both physically and emotionally as we are presented with a more sentimental and even haunted version of the character. Chris Pratt brings nothing new to Owen – he’s pretty much the same as the last two films, however played a little more seriously and doesn’t lean into out of place levity during serious scenes like in Fallen Kingdom.
As for the dinosaurs, Dominion brings some incredibly new additions to the franchise in the form of the territorial Therizinosaurus, the menacing Giganotosaurus, the tiny Moros and the vicious Atrociraptors. We also get to see some old friends like the venom spitting Dilophosaurus – which feel like a throwback to 80’s films more than Jurassic Park. The Pyroraptor is another standout, though sadly virtually every moment of its scene is in the trailer – this one was criminally underused and it’s insane Dr. Alan Grant never meets it. That would have been a full circle moment to his Velociraptors are birds speech in Jurassic Park.
As I said before the movie is not without it’s flaws, which comes in form of some very odd creative decisions, the lack of crucial dialogue to better explain some of the plot points (this movie often feels like a sequel to a movie we never got) and what I thought were the worst offenders – The animatronics. Yes, there are many (many!) animatronics in this movie and they all ended up looking very rubbery and stiff, looking more like Dark Crystal or Star Wars creatures than the living breathing animals Stan Winston Studio created. Perhaps this is in part the fault of the way they were filmed – but I really thought most (if not all) should have been touched up with CGI, especially the Microceratus.
The soundtrack is quite fun and has its moments, but I also feel Giacchino could have used more of the original themes – after all this movie is the “epic conclusion” of the entire saga and the return of the original characters, which comes with certain thematic expectations.
In general I can say I really enjoyed ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ and I had a great time and I just can’t wait to see it again. It has the flaws of the first two Jurassic World films, but BioSyn driven plot line and return of the classic characters really elevates the fun. It’s hard not to have certain expectations – this was meant to be the close of a series of stories that began in 1993 but ultimately just feels like another sequel. I wish the movie was longer as it needed to flesh out the story and characters, be less choppy, and build more believable stakes. Likewise some of the effects, both practical and CGI, needed more work – it’s unfortunate that some of the CG is weak considering how long they had to work on the film (Blue and Beta are a large offender here).
Ultimately this movie left me wanting more – both in good and bad ways – but most of all good. And thankfully, Dominion is not the end, but a brand new beginning. More will come, and the movie makes that clear.
Stay tuned, as more of our team sees the movie and are allowed to publish reviews new review articles will be added!
If you’ve been following the Jurassic World: Dominion press tour, you’ve no doubt heard those involved with the franchise hinting that this is the end – some in more ambiguous tones, others seemingly more direct. Most recently while promoting the film on the Today Show, Dominion star Chris Pratt had the following to say:
First things first – semantics matter. “I really do think it’s the end” is very likely the expression of a personal opinion rather than an objective fact. He later follows that up with “converging in a way that is very much a finale.“ ‘A finale’. Not ‘the finale’. As a seasoned actor with many press tours under his belt, Pratt is very familiar with how to craft his words. This is a case of him toeing the line that the marketing has chosen to land on, while also outright stating something that he knows is not entirely true. Nobody likes being put into the shoes that poor Andrew Garfield was in before Spider-Man: No Way Home came out. Marketing this film as “the end” excites fans and moviegoers – people who want to see the culmination of the Jurassic franchise’s storyline, but definitely don’t want the Jurassic franchise to end.
Let’s look at this logically: the Jurassic franchise is a billion dollar powerhouse in theaters, through retail, and now on streamers with Camp Cretaceous. Since 2018, Jurassic has managed to craft itself into an evergreen toy line with Mattel leading the charge – bringing a wide variety of dinosaurs to life in collectible play form. That in itself is a reason to keep things going. Not to mention, the only other franchise of this caliber (we’re talking box office; not quality) is the Fast and Furious franchise – which Vin Diesel and the writers seem dead set to race to the junkyard as quickly as possible. Jurassic is a massive cultural icon and an idea that Universal Pictures and fans will continue to bank on.
Remember what writer and director Colin Trevorrow has said: The entire goal of the Jurassic World trilogy was to get dinosaurs off the islands and break free of the narrative guardrails the franchise was previously shackled to. They obviously have no desire to kill off every last dinosaur in Dominion (who wants to see that?) nor do they plan to just ship them back to an isolated island after working so hard to get them off. Dinosaurs roaming the entire globe provides the landscape for a myriad of stories for years to come.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly: producer Frank Marshall has already said this is not the end – it’s the “start of a new era” for the franchise. The dinosaurs are in our world now, and there’s no going back on that – you can’t put the Jurassic story back in the box.
Don’t get us wrong, Dominion will serve as a type of conclusion for certain story elements. But will it be the end of the franchise? Absolutely not. We’re just getting started.
Jurassic Outpost has recently partnered with E-WIN Racing, makers of high quality gaming chairs, desks, and equipment. The folks there were gracious enough to partner with us for a review of one of their new heavy duty E-WIN Racing gaming chairs – read on for our thoughts, in affiliation with Caleb Burnett/JurassiCaleb!
This is the E-WIN Champion Series ergonomic computer gaming office chair! It comes with high-density pillows and cushions for neck and lumbar support, and also comes in a few different color combinations. The one we received is a sleek black and red.
It looks so great in the JurassiCaleb studio. It’s upholstered with E-WIN’s stain resistant leather and can be cleaned without damaging the surface. The arm rests can be adjusted and rotated into multiple positions, and the chair itself can be set to a good range of different heights.
One of the best things about this chair is that it completely reclines for both leisurely work and full relaxation. The office gaming chair can be set into multiple positions for anything you need to do in it. Every part of this chair is strong and comfortable, and it is relatively easy to put together. This chair fits in well in a dinosaur and music studio, and feels very solid and grounded.
It’s perfect for both working or just hanging out in the JurassiCaleb studio, and it fits the modern aesthetic and dark colors there. This chair has become a crucial part of Caleb’s workflow and comfort whether working on music, brainstorming a video, or looking at the next dinosaur toy he wants to track down.
The black leather and red accents fit into the JurassiCalebstudio and collection room so well. You can shop their Champion Series Gaming Chairs here, and you can get the specific chair from our review here. Use code OUTPOST20 for a discount on your purchase! Huge thanks to the folks at E-WIN Racingfor sending this chair to us for a review!
Following last week’s expansive Mattel and LEGO reveals for Jurassic World Dominion, book publisher Penguin Random House has officially announced many of their Jurassic World Dominion titles. These publications range from activity books, to junior novelizations, and to something even more exciting: spin-off books.
Check out the titles below (which are available to pre-order on Amazon), and be sure to appreciate the covers: Some give us our best look at the new dinosaurs like Velociraptor Beta, Therizinosaurus, and Pyroraptor yet!
Jurassic World Dominion: The Junior Novelization
Jurassic World Dominion: The Deluxe Junior Novelization
Jurassic World Dominion Dinosaurs in the Wild! (Step Into Reading)
Jurassic World Dominion Official Activity Book
Jurassic World Dominion – Caution: Dinosaurs and You!
Jurassic World Maisie Lockwood Adventures #1: Off the Grid
Jurassic World Maisie Lockwood Adventures #2
Jurassic World: The Ultimate Visual History
These are just some of the new Jurassic World books coming out, starting this April – we expect even more exciting announcements as we get closer to the film’s release this June. We’re excited to see what else may be coming from spin-off titles. While the Maisie Lockwood Adventures may be targeting younger readers (much like the JP3 tie-ins ‘Jurassic Park Adventures‘) we’re hopeful more core aimed publications are planned as well.
Be sure to stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost – more coming soon.
The first trailer for ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ is here and it is truly epic. Watch below!
From Universal Pictures:
This summer, experience the epic conclusion to the Jurassic era as two generations unite for the first time. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are joined by Oscar®-winner Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill in Jurassic World Dominion, a bold, timely and breathtaking new adventure that spans the globe.
From Jurassic World architect and director Colin Trevorrow, Dominion takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live—and hunt—alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.
Jurassic World Dominion, from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, propels the more than $5 billion franchise into daring, uncharted territory, featuring never-seen dinosaurs, breakneck action and astonishing new visual effects.
The film features new cast members DeWanda Wise (She’s Gotta Have It), Emmy nominee Mamoudou Athie (Archive 81), Dichen Lachman (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Scott Haze (Minari) and Campbell Scott (The Amazing Spider-Man 2). The film’s returning cast includes BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu, Justice Smith as Franklin Webb, Daniella Pineda as Dr. Zia Rodriguez and Omar Sy as Barry Sembenè.
Jurassic World Dominion is directed by Colin Trevorrow, who steered 2015’s Jurassic World to a record-shattering $1.7 billion global box office. The screenplay is by Emily Carmichael (Battle at Big Rock) & Colin Trevorrow from a story by Derek Connolly (Jurassic World) & Trevorrow, based on characters created by Michael Crichton. Jurassic World Dominion is produced by acclaimed franchise producers Frank Marshall p.g.a. and Patrick Crowley p.g.a. and is executive produced by legendary, Oscar®-winning franchise creator Steven Spielberg, Alexandra Derbyshire and Colin Trevorrow.
Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment present, in association with Perfect World Pictures, a Colin Trevorrow film. jurassicworld.com
Hold on to your butts, because this Jurassic June is going to be a proper celebration of the franchise. After weeks of rumors and speculation, we now know more about the plans for ‘Jurassic World Dominion’s’ heavily teased trailer: revealed by Dr. Alan Grant himself it’ll premiere with a scene from the film exclusively during IMAX screenings of ‘Fast and the Furious 9’!
This all-new poster seems to show a mosquito biting a dinosaur over 65-million years ago, which is full of exciting possibilities if it’s not just for the poster – especially with the tagline “It All Started Here”. We imagine we’ll know lots more soon.
UPDATE: It seems we are traveling back in time with Jurassic World Dominion, seeing the dinosaurs in their habitat prior to cloning. Most excitingly, this includes the debut of feathered dinosaurs within the franchise! Take a look at the all-new look at the opening of the film courtesy of Rob Keyes of Screenrant.
We had earlier speculated about a ‘F9’ trailer connection, and it’s great to have further details and confirmation about how the exclusive preview will make its debut. While there is no word yet on what exactly the footage will entail, we suspect it may be an extended scene from the film leading into the trailer itself, with the aforementioned scene remaining exclusive to IMAX screenings only. However, we do suspect trailer itself without the extended sequence will be available online soon after.
While ‘Fast 9’ doesn’t hit theaters until June 25th, tomorrow (June 10th) is the year-out release date of the upcoming Jurassic Park sequel — so we fully suspect we may get even more news then! Further, while it remains unconfirmed, it seems Empire Magazine will have a preview of the footage to come, including an interview with director Colin Trevorrow.
Got to see 5 mins of spectacle from a 2022 biggie on an IMAX screen. Interview with the director on Empire Online tomorrow.
Empire Magazine has been a long time partner with Universal and Colin Trevorrow for the Jurassic World franchise, and with Colin’s recent hints about news hitting soon, it certainly seems like the stars are aligning.
Further, tomorrow may have even more in store for Jurassic fans, with the official opening of the Velocicoaster resort, and a rumored Jurassic World game reveal at Summer Game Fest. While the latter remains unconfirmed, Geoff Keighly has been dropping Jurassic hints on Twitter, which certainly coincide with Jeff Goldbum’s involvement in the show – not to mention Frontier Developments, the Jurassic World Evolution developers, are partnered with Summer Game Fest.
Next Thursday, don't miss @SummerGameFest Kickoff Live hosted by @geoffkeighley, streaming live at 11 am PT / 2 PM ET / 6 pm GMT.
Just announced: The one and only Jeff Goldblum will join Geoff as a special guest. pic.twitter.com/7RBDYofNMQ