Runtime Of ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ Is The Longest In The Franchise!

“You’re gonna need a bigger soda.”

According to One Take News, the final runtime of ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ is 146 minutes and 57 seconds, or in other words: 2 hours 26 minutes and 57 seconds (this includes credits)! This makes it by far the longest film in the entire franchise! The two runner-ups in length were ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ and ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’. Both of those films clocked in at at 2 hours and 9 minutes.

While length of a movie never defines its quality, it is fitting for the final film in the ‘Jurassic World’ trilogy, and according to the filmmakers the ‘Jurassic Park’ saga, to have such an extended length. With the legacy cast and the current cast thrown into a blender with all-new characters on a global adventure, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it became the longest film with so much going on. Given that the final film in the original ‘Jurassic Park’ trilogy, Jurassic Park 3, was only 1 hour and 32 minutes, it is nice that the sendoff for ‘Jurassic World’ at least gives us much more to digest.

Some will undoubtedly question a runtime of nearly two and a half hours: but looking at recent blockbusters such as ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’, ‘The Batman’, and ‘Avengers: Endgame’; audiences seem to dig these extended runtimes for franchises they love (if the filmmaking, story, and script support it), with the box office receipts to prove it. Believe it or not, we’ve also heard much content – some finished, some not – was left on the cutting room floor after numerous test screenings; extended cuts of the film exist and could have released.

Before we close off the article, let’s end it with some fun non-runtime anecdotes we’ve personally heard from those at the various test screenings: ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ is reportedly the best Jurassic World film yet. It’s not going to be long now, and with the exact runtime known we expect a second trailer alongside ticket pre-orders aren’t far off.

Does the reported runtime make you more excited for this film, or do you wish it were even longer? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

Source: One Take News

New Animatronic Images From ‘Dominion’ Featured In Upcoming Fangoria Magazine Issue!

This is NOT a joke. Later this month, Fangoria magazine will unleash a new issue in stores featuring some spectacular images from the upcoming film ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’! However, subscribers to the magazine already have the new issue in advance (with an alternate cover, apparently)! While we haven’t seen its special ‘Dominion’ article in full yet, Ganon Gorder delivered to us a first look at some of its fantastic new images!

First up we have an in-progress look at the animatronic head/neck of Giganotosaurus! This thing looks like it could eat up the entire crew working on it with a single chomp! In the foreground you can see a smaller maquette version they are basing it off of. A quote on this image from creature effects supervisor John Nolan says:

“Jurassic is a perfect example of how digital and practical complement each other.”

– John Nolan

If you look to your left, you will see the next dinosaurs on our tour called… Dilophosaurus! Dilophosaurus, yes! Even in an unfinished form it is still impressive!

Now the Dilophosaurus is even more impressive in stunning color! From this angle, it certainly does have that original ‘Jurassic Park’ look compared to the couple of shots we saw of it in the trailer. Hopefully we get a better look at it in the final film, like this!

Here is our first look at Microceratus! It is nice to see new herbivorous dinosaurs enter the franchise, especially with such a vibrant blue color scheme! It’s more blue than Blue!

Next we have a close look at the head of a Pyroraptor! How cool is it to finally see an animatronic dinosaur in the ‘Jurassic’ films with feathers (beyond the quills we saw in ‘Jurassic Park 3’)? Right below it we have a pair of Dimorphodons, which we haven’t seen since the first ‘Jurassic World’! While maquettes were made of those for that film, there was never any full animatronics created as seen here! John Nolan’s studio is really knocking this out of the park (and world?).

For a grand finale, we have this amazing collection of finished animatronics surrounding John Nolan! The beautifully red-feathered Pyroraptor on the front left, a caged Stygimoloch on the front right (oh no!), another look at the Dilophosaurus right behind it, and then off to the rear left are more Microceratus! It appears there are a couple other things further beyond in the background, but they are hard to make out. This photo is adorned with another John Nolan quote:

“We built thirty-eight dinosaurs, fourteen species, I think. Some were tiny, like the Compies. And then the Giga, which has a head the size of a car.

– John Nolan

Now THAT is incredible! Certainly gives the Stan Winston Studios from the original ‘Jurassic Park’ trilogy a run for its money! It also makes up for a lack of animatronics so far in the ‘Jurassic World’ films. ‘Jurassic World’ only had one actual animatronic sequence (the head and neck of a dying Apatosaurus). While ‘Fallen Kingdom’ had a nice amount of animatronics created, many of them were replaced with CGI once post-production took place. Will these fantastic beasts of ‘Dominion’ end up the same way? Or will we know exactly where to find them?

Fangoria’s issue featuring ‘Dominion’ arrives on store shelves later this month! We are all curious to see what details the article’s text contains beyond the quotes we have seen, and any other new images that could be within! Be sure to pick it up as soon as it drops!

Which of these animatronics do you like the most? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

Advance Review Of The Upcoming ‘Jurassic Park: The Original Topps Trading Card Series’ Book!

Back in the early 1990s, things were very different. The internet was still in its infancy and cell phones weren’t available. People read books, played board games, watched a lot of cable TV, and played outside. I know, it’s a time for many that is as foreign as the time of the dinosaurs.

‘Jurassic Park’ came out in June 1993. But it wasn’t available for home viewing (via VHS and Laserdisc… which is a whole other topic to explain to some people) until October… 1994! Yes, nearly a year and a half after the film was released in theaters! Back then, theatrical releases for big movies really could last that long to make as much money as they could if popular. And as a kid who saw it during its original release, it was popular. But for me, the wait was painful. Excruciating. I had seen what to me was the greatest thing I had ever laid my eyes on… and waiting almost a year and a half to see it again (my allowance at age 6 couldn’t afford that many tickets) felt like an eternity. I wanted to endlessly watch it, rewind it back to the beginning, and watch it again. But no. We all had to wait.

The Topps Trading Cards, that were on store shelves as soon as the movie was, were a godsend. For ‘Jurassic Park’, they had dozens and dozens of wallet-sized cards that had fantastic stills from the film, concept art, behind the scenes images, and more. And if you got them all, you essentially had the entire story of the film that could fit in your pocket. I remember flipping through them, soaking in every image, reading every detail. For that long wait, those cards were the film. Only the comic book adaptation came as close to truly filling the void as those cards (also produced by Topps).

That’s why the upcoming ‘JURASSIC PARK: THE ORIGINAL TOPPS TRADING CARD SERIES’ book (available April 26th) is such a fantastic compilation of that time for me. And even if you weren’t around to enjoy the cards the way I had, you can still appreciate them as pieces of the film’s rich merchandise history. They are an artistic joy to behold.

Journey back to where it all started in this deluxe collection showcasing the classic Topps trading cards from 1993—timed for the theatrical release of Jurassic World: Dominion.

When Jurassic Park was released almost 30 years ago, it was an immediate blockbuster and went on to become one of entertainment’s largest multimedia franchises, with five more films, theme park attractions, and a robust consumer product program—including a set of trading cards released by Topps in 1993 to tie into the film. This comprehensive collection of the original trading card series—timed to publish alongside the release of Jurassic World: Dominion—includes the fronts and backs of all of these classic cards, plus the special chase cards and rare promotional material. The book also includes text and commentary by Gary Gerani, editor of the original series, and an afterword by Chip Kidd, who created and designed the cover of Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, which became the iconic logo for the franchise.

The book begins with a foreword by Gary Gerani, who happens to have been the co-writer of the film ‘Pumpkinhead’ (directed by the same animatronics legend who brought the dinosaurs of ‘Jurassic Park’ to life: Stan Winston). Before and after that time, he worked for Topps. The ‘Jurassic Park’ cards were all written and edited by him. Before the film was released, he was able to see a myriad of storyboards & fantastic photos of the amazing on-set dinosaurs. Another thing he was privileged to see was the film’s super-secret script; required reading to make the text for all the cards.

Gary goes on to explain how the cards became organized into themed sections and how they gained their appearance & layout. After he selected the images and text, they would be taken to the art department at Topps and turned into their final form.

Speaking of layouts, the main sections of the book feature one side of every card on its own page. Personal commentary is provided by Gary on select cards. He shares his views on certain parts of the film as depicted in the cards and why he made certain choices. Gary clearly had admiration for Stan Winston’s work on the animatronics, likely heightened from his time associated with ‘Pumpkinhead’. It’s always nice to see the animatronics of the film still getting love all these years later.

The first main section of the cards begins with everything from “Series One”: all 88 cards of the original set. This is followed by its 11 sticker cards (which put together would create a cool single picture on the other side), 4 hologram cards, & 4 promo cards. The first series essentially tells the entire story of the film, in a reduced form of course. But it also has cards that focus on certain characters, places, dinosaurs, and some behind the scenes information. There is even a selection of cards that focuses on Crash McCreery’s famous artwork for the film.

From there, we go into everything from “Series Two”, which continues from the first series with card 89 through 154, followed by its 11 sticker cards. This second series was released a few months after the first one and featured a looser approach to conveying the film instead of trying to tell a story. It featured many behind the scenes quotes from people who worked on the film. This series is also the only one that features ILM-produced CGI shots, since Topps did not have access to them until after the first series had to be completed.

The final main section of the book showcases the fantastic 10 art cards that were part of the “Gold Series” (a special gold-embossed version of the cards that was produced after “Series 2”), making for a very showy finish. While the backs of these art cards are for some reason not represented, the artists for each one are all credited with text.

However, that’s not all. The book features an afterward by Chip Kidd, the creator of the ‘Jurassic Park’ novel cover (which later was literally converted into the film’s logo). He details how the cover of the novel came to be, and how he was told to make it be as iconic as the cover for ‘Jaws’. This afterword also includes a note from Michael Crichton that was inscribed to Chip.

The book is about the size of my entire hand, bound in a sturdy hardcover with a thin bubble gum wrapper-style sleeve (which is made to look slightly distressed around the edges). The pages are thick and printed with high-quality vibrant color. The cards represented on each page are about 30% bigger (rough estimate) compared to the actual card size, which is nice to see a bit more detail.

As the cover promises, the book includes four promotional cards, taped to the inside of the back cover in sealed plastic. Luckily, removing the cards from the book did NOT leave any kind of blemish and was easy to do. The four cards are exclusive to this book. Two of the front designs are from actual cards in the series, but the others are new additions. One resembles the cover of the 2011 ‘Jurassic Park’ Blu-ray, while the other features a top view of the retail display box. All four of their backs are the same, but numbered. Overall, this book is even better seeing it in person than it would be as an eBook (in my opinion).

If you remember collecting these cards, or never got to have them, this book offers the perfect way of showcasing them. I must warn you that if you’re like me, you will be overridden with nostalgia. Topps would go on to do cards for the first sequel in the franchise, ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’. Thankfully, Gary teases the possibility of more of that story being told. So, keep your fingers crossed that we get a second book!

You can pre-order the book right now so it can come home to you on April 26th! I can’t recommend it enough.

(Note: Some images are from Amazon’s preview of the book.)

Did you collect any of the Topps cards when the film came out? Were you ever able to get a complete set on your own? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always return to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

New ‘Jurassic World Cookbook’ & ‘Hungry Dinosaur’ Kids Book Are Coming Soon From Insight Editions!

Insight Editions has two new Jurassic World-related books on the horizon that fans of the franchise will certainly be hungry for!

The first book will salivate anyone who likes to cook up new dinosaurs— I mean food— in their labs! ‘Jurassic World: The Official Cookbook (available on April 19th) has every recipe you need to avert disaster in the kitchen and the park!

“Designed to look like an in-world souvenir sold at the park, this colorful cookbook features approachable at-home recipes for treats and dishes that celebrate the different regions of the iconic park and the miraculous dinosaurs that live there. Cook up some Fossilized Flora Pastry Puffs from the Triceratops territory or enjoy a Raptor’s Claw Scone from the Junior Paleontologist’s Menu. Nosh on some Shrimp à La Isla Nublar, inspired by the Mosasaurus Feeding Show in the Jurassic World Lagoon. And for those whose appetites run to the truly gargantuan, try the King of Steaks, a massive grilled sensation worthy of T. rex herself – be sure to bring your whole appetite for this one!”

I should stress that there are also drinks in this book… alcoholic ones! Hey, scientists need a break too, okay? Especially if you got a date later in the evening. Don’t forget your boardshorts!

The book’s souvenir-like design makes for such a cool item to have on display even when you aren’t cooking up anything more than an Indominus! Apart from the recipes, the book features numerous dinosaur facts, data about the park, and plenty of dinosaurs and other imagery from Jurassic World.

Each of the recipes feature easy-to-follow instructions, gorgeous photo representations, and—you know what? Let’s make some grub right now! What could go wrong?

Let’s start with the main course: “The Ultimate Carnivore Burger”!

“Jurassic World is home to some of the most magnificent carnivores on Earth . . . and one of the most magnificent burgers. Named for our majestic meat eaters, our Mediterranean-inspired Ultimate Carnivore’s Burger, served daily throughout T. Rex Kingdom, features not one meat, but three, so guests can enjoy the maximum carnivore experience.”

Every main course needs a sidekick! For that, we have the “Root Vegetable Chips”!

“The baked chips served at Jurassic World are created from root vegetables such as carrots, yams, beets, and turnips. They offer a healthier and more flavorful alternative to fried potato chips and are a popular, energizing snack or side for many park visitors.”

With all this food, we’re going to need a watering hole to quench our thirst. Wait, I did mention alcoholic beverages earlier! No need to push aside a Pachycephalosaurus for the last of the water, now! (They’d headbutt right back, anyway!) There are a number of drinks to choose from in the book, and while this particular recipe is an asset in containment, I made myself a “Jurassic Sunset”!

Overall, it was a delightful dinner worthy of a night at Nublar!

Now, let’s see what’s next! The second new book from Insight Editions (available on May 3rd) is a little one for the little ones called ‘Jurassic World: The Very Hungry Dinosaur’!

“Follow the adventures of Jurassic World’s dinos as they eat their way across the island. The story begins with a very hungry herbivore gleefully chomping on foliage. Soon, the other dinos escape containment and playfully rampage through the park eating all manner of strange things.”

This adorable board book (featuring a bite out of its top right corner by one of the prehistoric miscreants) is a cute way to get the younger set into your favorite franchise without scaring the living daylights out of them (yet). We’ve got to prepare them early! Each page has bright and colorful illustrations depicting Baby Blue-levels of wide-eyed adorableness! The text is also written in a clever way to teach its young audience numbers. They will have to learn them to eventually ask Dr. Wu about “Version 4.4″…

Whether you’re cooking up a feast for a pack of Raptors or trying to entertain your little Compies, Insight Editions has the books for you in this ever-evolving Jurassic World of ours!

Will you be checking out either of these new books? Share your thoughts below and remember to return to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

4-Part Interview With Storyboard Artist David Lowery Unveils New Art & Details From The Making Of The ‘Jurassic’ Films!

Join me on a lengthy and engaging discussion with David Lowery! He was the storyboard artist on the entire ‘Jurassic Park’ trilogy and the first ‘Jurassic World’ film. His talents were also part of the productions for ‘Honey, I Shrunk The Kids’, ‘Rango’, ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’, ‘The Mandalorian’, and many others. Included in the interview are a myriad of David’s storyboards, with some that have never been seen before!

Click Image To Watch The Full Interview Playlist!

There are four parts to the interview, with each one focusing on a different film. The first part delves into how it all began with ‘Jurassic Park’! David explains how he got involved with the film, what it was like to shape classic sequences with Steven Spielberg, why certain scenes were cut, and a lot more! Newly-revealed storyboards show Robert Muldoon attempting to tranquilize the Tyrannosaurus Rex after it has escaped from its paddock; a scene inspired by the novel that was never filmed! There is also a drawing featured that was made by Spielberg himself!

In Part Two, David recounts his memories from working on ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’. Before the film even began, he first helped Spielberg create a new studio: DreamWorks! From there, his role expanded in the first ‘Jurassic’ sequel, working even closer with Spielberg and storyboarding many sequences, including: the thrilling Stegosaurus meeting, the terrifying trailer attack by the Tyrannosaurs, and the divisive San Diego chase (a bigger climax that was created due to pressure from the success of ‘Independence Day’ the year prior)! For the first time, we also get a look at the full storyboards for the Rex raid on the hunter camp and the raptor attack in the long grass! He also details how the film’s paleontologist advisor, Jack Horner, helped shape the look of a shot involving footprints that was left largely unfilmed!

The third part of the interview touches on ‘Jurassic Park 3’, and what it was like shifting to a different director: Joe Johnston. David remembers what it was like being at the extraordinary indoor jungle sets! He also details the challenges he and the production faced to please eager audiences with the anticipated film. The story went through many changes, with several never-before-seen storyboard sequences featuring a group of kids as they are faced with Isla Sorna’s fierce inhabitants! We also discuss the interesting change of the film’s lead dinosaur from Baryonyx to Spinosaurus; something that was evident in an early logo!

In the final part of the interview, we discuss the early storyboards David did for ‘Jurassic Park 4’, which would eventually become ‘Jurassic World’. Many of the sequences he storyboarded either didn’t make it into the film or were tweaked in various ways after he had left the project. He explains what the original opening of the film was before Colin Trevorrow came on board to direct, and it definitely sounded… interesting! Despite leaving the film during its production hiatus to work for Jon Favreau on Disney’s ‘The Jungle Book’ remake (leading David to eventually storyboard for the highly-praised ‘Star Wars’ Disney+ show, ‘The Mandalorian’), he was thrilled with how the film, and largely the series as whole, turned out. At the end of the interview, we are treated with a video “animatic” of David Lowery’s “Opening Montage” storyboards from the film, fan-made by Bernard A. Kyer (beginning with footage from the fantastic computer game ‘Jurassic Explorer‘)! It shows a vastly expanded version of what the opening to ‘Jurassic World’ could have been!

I’d like to thank David Lowery for taking the time to reminisce about his experiences working on the ‘Jurassic’ films, and the many fantastic storyboards he created that are truly a work of art!

I hope you enjoy this multi-part interview! After watching it, what were some of your favorite stories David told? Which storyboard sequences captured your imagination the most! Share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

Watch ‘Devil In The Desert’, A New Fan-Film Set After ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’!

‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ still hasn’t unveiled a trailer, ‘Camp Cretaceous’ is behind us for now, and apart from some advertisements associated with the Olympics; not much is happening. This will all change very soon, but in the meantime wouldn’t it be nice to watch a short film connected to the story of the movies? No, I don’t mean the fantastic ‘Battle At Big Rock’ from years ago (although you should definitely check that out if you somehow haven’t). Fans have created their own films! One of these fans, Joshua Malone, an aspiring actor and filmmaker, has recently unleashed a brand-new film: ‘Devil In The Desert’!

Click Image To Watch The Film!

Created in association with the Colorado Northwestern Community College and their paleontology program, ‘Devil In The Desert’ is a found footage-style production that takes place after the events of ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’. Filmed on location at a real dig site in Colorado, follow a group of paleontologists as they go about their daily work… until “the devil” slowly begins to reveal itself. Could a dinosaur from Lockwood Manor’s grand escape have made its way to them? If so, who better to handle a dinosaur than a group of dinosaur experts? Or is real-life much more dangerous than its buried ancestors could have foretold?

When asked about what it was like to direct and work with actual paleontologists on the film, Josh said:

“It was interesting because some of us had some previous experience and some didn’t, but everyone was really on board with this. We didn’t have a script, at all. It was just us constantly brainstorming and coming up with scenes on the spot while we were taking breaks or after dinners. Everyone out there loved dinosaurs and enjoys ‘Jurassic’ so we all just were like, “How would we handle running into a Lockwood dinosaur?”, and it went from there. The dig site itself is incredible, and the field program Colorado Northwestern Community College offers is truly unique and an amazing experience.”

‘Devil In The Desert’ is a fun and creepy little film that is sure to delight ‘Jurassic’ fans! Joshua Malone’s recent additional works include Haunted: A Halloween Horror Nights Fan-Film and several voice roles in Rick Carter’s Jurassic Park: An Illustrated Audio Drama.

What other ‘Jurassic’-related fan films have you seen that you love? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

EMPIRE Reveals New ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ Atrociraptor Image & Details!

EMPIRE magazine has the scoop with a new image from ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’!

Director Colin Trevorrow describes the image for us:

“It’s a sequence set in Malta. And the picture speaks for itself – it’s Chris Pratt being chased by an Atrociraptor. And if they catch up, he’s gonna die, I can tell you that.”

With Pratt riding a motorcycle down a weathered stone staircase somewhere in Malta (never a good idea), the image resembles a James Bond movie more than ‘Jurassic Park’. This is now our second real look at dinosaurs in an urban environment for the film (after seeing the Tyrannosaurus Rex at the Drive-In, although that sequence may not even appear in the film itself). The dinosaur in this photo is a newcomer to the series: Atrociraptor.

Trevorrow explains what makes the Atrociraptor different from a Velociraptor:

Where the Velociraptor is a little bit more of a stealth hunter, the Atrociraptors are a bit more brutish. […] These things will just come at you. And in this particular case, they’ve picked his scent, and they’re not going to stop until he’s dead. They’re pretty brutal. They’re pretty vicious.”

It’s interesting that he sees these details as the differences. Since ‘Jurassic Park 3’, the Velociraptors of the franchise have changed into more intelligent and stealth hunters compared to the brutish, murderous qualities we saw in ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Lost World’. It sounds like the Atrociraptors are a return to form of the early qualities of the Raptors more than something truly new.

Still, it is exciting to have any new form of dinosaur in the series. The article confirms there will be even more, such as Pyroraptors and Moros intrepidus.

According to EMPIRE, there will be even more revealed about ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ when their December 23rd issue hits, so stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for any future details!

Do you think there’s just No Time To Die for Owen in this image, or is it an atrocity? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

First Full Clip From ‘Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous’ Season 4!

We finally now have our first clip from the upcoming season of ‘Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous’!

Titled “Mosasaurus Ocean Chase”, this 4-minute clip picks up not long after we last saw our intrepid campers as they attempt to drive the boat back to the mainland. Somehow, Darius is already in the ocean as a Mosasaurus is heading toward him.

To make matters worse, his leg is caught in a rope and some seaweed (without any context, it is hard to imagine how this happened). Kenji dives in for the rescue as the Mosasaurus continues to swim in their direction. Tensions rise, until finally they both make it back to the boat before being gobbled up by the massive prehistoric reptile.

Unfortunately, the Mosasaur isn’t finished with them. It proceeds to violently thrash itself against the boat, jostling the campers all over the deck.

A body of land is seen not far ahead of them, as the Mosasaur thrusts itself into the air before landing with a crash and a splash against the boat… and the clip fades to black.

This clip was pretty exciting and well-executed for the show and does definitively answer the question as to why they clearly don’t make it to the mainland as intended. While it is a shame we didn’t get a real look at the mysterious new island that they end up on, we are only a week away from the release of the fourth season at this point: December 3rd on Netflix.

Does this clip excite you for the new season, or are you going to just watch the ‘Dominion’ prologue again, instead? Share your thoughts in the comments below and stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

Insight Editions “Jurassic Park Visual History” Book Is Released, But Is It “Ultimate”?

For years, fans of ‘Jurassic Park’ have wanted an art book of the franchise’s original three films. While we have had wonderful “making of” books for both ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ since the films were released, there was only so many of the thousands of production artwork that could have been displayed. ‘Jurassic Park 3’ never even got any form of a “behind the scenes” book at all.

Insight Editions has a new book that claims to change all of that, with “Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History“. They describe it as:

The most comprehensive book about the Jurassic Park trilogy to date, Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History begins with an in-depth account of the making of Spielberg’s original film, including rare and never-before-seen imagery and exclusive interviews with key creatives. Readers will then unearth the full history of the trilogy, from The Lost World: Jurassic Park to Jurassic Park III, through unprecedented access to the creative process behind the films. Fans will also find a fascinating look at the wider world of the saga, including video games, toys, comics, and more, exploring the lasting legacy of the movies and their influence on pop culture.

But after all this time, is this new book truly the “ultimate visual history”? Unfortunately, it’s not; but it is a good attempt with some beautiful new images and information thanks to the “key creatives” from the film’s production.

WHAT’S GOOD?

VISUAL STYLE

The book is visually pleasing, featuring Jurassic-inspired borders around the pages, filling them up with as much colorful artwork and photographs as they can. The text is neatly placed within it all, and nothing ever feels too crammed or out of place.

EXCLUSIVE INTROS/OUTROS FROM THE ORIGINAL TRIO

Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum each get their very own pages in the book to speak about the franchise from their own words. This is a nice personal touch to the book that fans will love. For example, Laura Dern recounts:

My favorite memory is going to the Amblin offices to watch Jurassic Park for the first time. We were in this small screening room, and it was just me, Steven, Jeff, and Sam. Steven’s assistant very kindly brought us popcorn, the lights went down, and we watched our movie. It’s a beautiful thing to see a movie with your filmmaker. […] You really feel the beauty of the collaboration, and there is nothing like it. And, in that moment, we realized Steven had made a world none of us had ever seen before—not even in our wildest dreams. The four of us were screaming and crying. It’s one of the great memories of my life, and to be able to share in the magic he created was really incredible.

NEW IMAGES

As hoped for, there are some never-before-seen illustrations, and some that are seen in better quality than in the past. Across the board, ‘Jurassic Park”s Art Director John Bell fills this book with amazing artwork for all 3 films (most were recently seen in advance on his website). One of the new illustrations is of Dennis Nedry in his Jeep, driving during the storm toward the East Dock, thwarted by crashed machinery that blocks his path.

Storyboard Artist David Lowery also provides several new storyboards from all 3 films, including little Benjamin’s point of view in his San Diego house when the T-Rex arrives (complete with an E.T. toy reference that didn’t make it into the film, but later would in ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’).

NEW INFORMATION

While many stories do get recounted to drive a narrative for the book, there are plenty of bits of new information thanks to new interviews.

For ‘Jurassic Park’, several details are revealed: Spielberg’s infatuation with dinosaurs as a kid thanks to museum exhibits, lowering the budget was the reason the baby Triceratops scene was ultimately cut, John Williams expresses his delight writing the music for the Raptors, and even Spielberg’s take on there suddenly being a drop in the T-rex paddock: There’s a T. rex [there]! [The audience isn’t] gonna notice anything else but that!. There is also mention of how Ian Malcolm was almost cut from the film, more than once, until Jeff Goldblum auditioned for the role:

Reading lines from the novel, Goldblum, known for playing a brilliant yet troubled scientist in The Fly (1986), immediately captured Malcolm’s essence. “I watched the tape with Steven and we just went, ‘Yes!’” says Hirshenson. Jim Carrey, a few years away from his breakthrough role in 1994’s The Mask, also tried out for the part and made a strong impression. But Hirshenson instinctively knew Goldblum was perfect for Malcolm: “He just has a persona and speech pattern like nobody else . . . such a wonderful oddball!” Goldblum’s take on Malcolm was so compelling that it convinced Spielberg to keep the character. Recalls Koepp: “Steven said, ‘I know why you want to cut him. But Jeff Goldblum came in and was just reading from the book, and he was so good.’” With the actor’s distinct vocal patterns in mind, the character finally clicked for Koepp, and he wrote Malcolm back into the script: “Once I started picturing Jeff, it was easy. He’s such a distinctive actor. He was perfect for the part.”

For ‘The Lost World’, Spielberg reveals how he originally was going to do a third film where dinosaurs got off the island until he realized he likely wouldn’t do another one, which was a big reason why the climax of ‘The Lost World’ changed to San Diego’s T-Rex rampage. There is also a brief mention of why Kelly became Malcolm’s daughter instead of a student, like she was in the novel: to mirror the protection of the T-Rex’s offspring with that of Malcolm’s. But perhaps the most interesting new detail is that screenwriter David Koepp directed some second unit footage for the film, which shaped how one sequence played out due to a circumstance:

After Spielberg and the main crew returned to LA, David Koepp stayed in Kaua‘i to direct the second unit, principally shooting an early sequence where a chartered boat ferries Malcolm, Van Owen, and Carr to the island. “It was supposed to be a sequence of them landing the boat,” says Koepp. “People and equipment pour off the boat, and they have this conversation on the beach.” But on the day of the shoot, the tide changed and the boat they were filming on got stuck on a sandbar. Panicked, Koepp called Spielberg. “I remember Steven was on a plane, and I was talking to him, saying, ‘We’re stuck on a sandbar. I can’t do the landing.’ And he said, ‘Oh . . . what are you gonna do?’” On the spot, Koepp reshaped the scene so that the captain of the ship refuses to go further upriver, spooked by stories of fishermen disappearing near the island: “I kind of rewrote it on the boat as we were all sitting there.”

JURASSIC PARK 3′

As mentioned, ‘Jurassic Park 3’ never had a behind-the-scenes book before; so that automatically gives this book a major bonus point. While some stories and quotes are lifted directly from other sources over the years (more on that later), to finally have a compilation of the film’s history is praise alone. Unlike the old DVD bonus features, the book takes a more honest look at the film’s troubled history involving its script. In fact, David Lowery recounts how there was even a contest involved with coming up with the film’s opening sequence:

They had a contest: Who could come up with the best opening? We all pitched some version. Nobody won the contest, which was kind of a bummer.”

The compilation of information is joined by a myriad of artwork, both new and old, which is all incredible to see finally cobbled together.

FOCUS ON SCRIPTS

While touched upon in the prior books made for ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Lost World’, this time there is a greater focus on the scriptwriting process of the film. David Koepp usually chimes in with commentary on his drafts, making the process that much more interesting to delve into. Several different drafts, in different stages, get summarized in this book for all three films, although there is one omission that is a bit puzzling (more on that later, as well).

THE INSERTS

One of the biggest standouts for the book are its various inserts, which is a staple of Insight Editions books. There are some replica prop designs throughout that are fun (but with some issues, that you will see below), beautiful character design illustrations for ‘The Lost World’, various selections of never-before-seen storyboards, a blueprint, and a lot more.

WHAT’S NOT SO GOOD?

THE INSERTS

The inserts are often held with an adhesive that will unfortunately leave a permanent stain on some items, whether they are removed or not.

INACCURACIES

Unfortunately, this book has inaccuracies. Some leeway must be given with the nearly 3 decades since the original film came out, for example, but there are some errors that easily would have been spotted by a fan if seen in advance. For example, it is mentioned that “Hasbro brought its relationship with Jurassic Park to an end in 2005“, which is not accurate at all. ‘Jurassic Park’ toys from the company continued in 2006, 2009, and 2013. Let alone 2015, when it took on the toys for ‘Jurassic World’ (though to be fair, one could say that is no longer ‘Jurassic Park’). Another flub is that the Stegosaurus animatronic in ‘The Lost World’ is completely out of the film when it can be seen, for multiple shots, in a cage during Sarah and Nick’s sneaking into the Hunter Camp. While it is easy for a writer unfamiliar to the franchise to make these kinds of mistakes, even with research, perhaps it should have been looked at further by people who could have averted this kind of misinformation.

OMISSIONS

While editing a book always involves “cutting the fat” out of its diet, I feel like some things should have been adapted that weren’t. For example, the biggest portion of new artwork comes mostly from John Bell and David Lowery: something NO ONE is complaining about seeing! But a countless number of artists worked on all three films, and it would have been nice to see more variety from some of the lesser-presented talent. There are also some surprising artwork omissions compared to the original books, such as no art at all for the omitted river sequence of ‘Jurassic Park’. Having key sequences like that from the film’s history not even present this time, when it was before, takes the word “ultimate” out of the equation. So don’t you dare throw away your old copies of the “Making Of” books!

This may feel personal, but I am also surprised that the widely documented (and even performed) script arranged by Rick Carter, ‘Jurassic Park”s Production Designer, which featured many storyboards as seen here, was not even brought up. While it may have been obscure or not even referenced in their files, it would have easily shown up online at the time the book was being worked on. Which brings us to…

YOU HAVE THE INTERNET… USE IT

While there is definitely new information in this book, due to whatever access they did have with people and places, it still doesn’t feel like they took full advantage of all opportunities at their disposal. Fan sites that have been around for years could have been courted with the wealth of additional materials they have procured if it wasn’t immediately available to them (many with images in high definition). It has also been known that special collections house materials from the films that could have been accessed for this book. An internet search would have likely picked up on these details easily.

Jurassic Outpost is quoted in this book numerous times for our Shelly Johnson interview, for example. It is clear they were aware of at least some parts of our site… yet we were never contacted. Had we been, and if they had seen our additional articles and interviews, they could have been greatly assisted. While we appreciate being referenced in the book, we were not fully utilized… and to their disadvantage.

THE COVER

The cover features a beautiful illustration by David J. Negrón that was made for the film during pre-production, featuring Grant and the kids being chased by the Tyrannosaurus Rex. It’s a striking image, and easy to see why it was used for the cover. Unfortunately, there is something very WRONG with it. The faces and even the bodies of the three humans have been photoshopped to resemble their film counterparts.

The REAL illustration features how the characters were conceived based on scripts at the time, and gave Grant the likeness of Harrison Ford due to a request that Spielberg made… which is even mentioned in this book:

Spielberg had considered [Harrison] Ford, his Indiana Jones, for the role of Grant. “I had a concept painting made featuring Grant with Timmy and Lex running toward camera, the T. rex in hot pursuit,” he says. Mulling over the possibility of casting his longtime leading man, he asked the artist to paint in Ford’s face and sent it to the actor with a copy of the script. “I know he read the script and he saw the picture,” recalls Spielberg. “And he just said . . . at this point in his life and career, this wasn’t his cup of tea.”

Now, from a marketing perspective it makes sense to perhaps touch up the image to make the characters resemble as they do in the film to better sell their product. However, the big problem here is that the same illustration is featured later in the book… in the same photoshopped form. Worst of all, it credits David J. Negrón only, and has no mention of the alterations or who did them. While it is POSSIBLE David had been contacted to do it himself, this seems rather unlikely. What we have here then is a case of art being misrepresented, and it’s a big issue. It’s like painting a smile on the Mona Lisa.

Also, why not just use another image for the cover that didn’t require any photoshop at all?

IT’S JUST NOT “ULTIMATE”

When it comes down to it, it’s hard to call this book “The Ultimate Visual History” when it isn’t. Is it a beautiful book, loaded with wonderful imagery and with plenty of details and goodies? Yes, it certainly is. Will many fans love it? Definitely. But the criticisms must be pointed out, because if they are not, these kinds of things will just keep happening. Inaccuracies can become facts, omissions can become lost to time, and not taking advantage of materials easily at your disposal is a detriment to the fans for a product like this. This book is good, but it isn’t great; which is truly unfortunate. It comes with a mild recommendation, if you can afford it at its current price point.

If anyone involved with this book sees this article, please don’t take it personally. We are passionate fans who are just passionate about these kinds of products. The Insight Editions Back To The Future book had a revised version; perhaps the same can be done for ‘Jurassic Park’? I hope it happens so these issues can be resolved, at least to some degree.

While we did NOT quite endorse this book, what do you think? If you agree, comment below. If not, don’t bother. Only joking!

The Noble Collection Releases 3 Jurassic Park Dinosaur Figures With Scenic Bases!

Get ready for a set of cool new Nublar figures, thanks to The Noble Collection!

Available now, you can adorn your home with 3 different dinosaur figures (T-rex, Raptor, & Dilophosaurus) from ‘Jurassic Park’. Each detailed figure is approx. 7 inches tall and is removeable from a base inspired by a key scene featuring the dinosaur.

First, we have a Dilophosaurus! Frill up, mouth open, ready to spit at our favorite saboteur! Her base is sculpted to resemble the watery, muddy hill that Dennis Nedry crashes onto. While we don’t see the Barbasol can anywhere, the Dilophosaurus clearly makes a beautiful but deadly addition to your collection!

Next, we have a pair of Velociraptors! They are rummaging through a base that resembles the kitchen Tim and Lex were hiding in: complete with a table, pots, pans, and spoons! This terrifying sequence is now finally brought to miniature life! Maybe you’ll include it in your kitchen?

Last, but certainly not least, we have the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex! Standing in a Visitor Center rotunda base, she is roaring in her classic, victorious pose! The “When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth” banner is shown falling in front of her during this dramatic scene. The sculpt of the Rex is so detailed that they even included the freshly-produced wounds near her neck, made by the Velociraptors! While Dr. Grant may not have endorsed the park after this scene, we certainly endorse this figure!

As you can see in the image from the Noble Collection catalog above (thanks to jurassic_version4.4), they even look great left in their packaging! Each of these wonderful figures are $39. I’ve got my credit card standing by in Choteau!

The Noble Collection has long been a maker of quality products based on some of our favorite franchises like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and even Jumanji. They previously produced a unique Jurassic Park Chess Set (showcased by us below), and we hope they continue to create more products for eager fans like us! Now, we just hope there’ll be a coupon day, or something…

We love these figures, but why would we care what WE think? We want to know what YOU think! Let us know in the comments below!