Hold on to your butts – it seems the original Jurassic Park trio are returning in Jurassic World 3!
Either this is the worst kept secret ever, or they knew they couldn’t keep this contained, and decided to have fun with it up until the official announcement. Either way, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard talk of Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum returning, but now Sam Neill has joined the party. Speaking to MTV while promoting Rocketman, Bryce Dallas Howard couldn’t contain her excitement when asked if she would be acting alongside those iconic Jurassic Park characters.
We understand Bryce, we wouldn’t be able to keep up a poker face if we had to keep that secret either! Now that the cat has been let out of the bag many, many times, we think it’s time Universal just makes it official – it would be a great Jurassic June gift to the community, even if it is early in the news cycle.
Bryce Dallas Howard plays the character of Claire Dearing, Jurassic World’s ex-operations manager, who was last seen on the Californian coastline with Owen Grady, Maisie Lockwood, and some pesky Pteranodons. How Dr.’s Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm may cross Claire’s path is an exciting prospect overflowing with unknown opportunity. With the dinosaurs on the loose in California, as well as the species sold and transported to shady underworld locations worldwide, we’re sure each of these characters could have their hands full in various different ways.
Are you excited to see the return of the original Jurassic Park characters return in 2021 with Jurassic World 3, and how do you want them to be integrated into the story? Sound off in the comments below and let us know your thoughts!
Some surprising news has caught our attention: Apparently, reports hit Irish outlets back in January that Jurassic World 3 had been filming in forested locations just outside of Dublin, and we all missed the news. Our bad. Ireland based media site Joe.ie recently sat down with Bryce Dallas Howard while promoting her role in the upcoming ‘Rocketman’ movie, when they moved the conversation to Jurassic World.
Check out the exchange below (around 4:44):
When asked if it’s true that any part of Jurassic World 3 has been filming around and in Ireland, Bryce played coy before breaking into a smile and saying “I can’t answer that question”, then breaking into a laugh that all but says there’s more to the story. “I can’t say anything” she playfully continued, before stating with with a certain confidence “I’m not saying no”.
While Bryce doesn’t outright confirm the rumours, she more or less telegraphed the answer is yes. So what are the rumours we missed back in January? Geek Ireland reports they filmed outside of Dublin, in an accessible but forested location and had this to say:
“Speaking of dinosaurs, dinosaur animatronics have been spotted at the location, meaning this Irish location will almost certainly be featured in action sequences, as opposed to simple pickups and establishing shots (it is not uncommon for movies to film such shots in separate areas from where the main action takes place). Due to the aforementioned NDA, we cannot specify which species feature just yet, but re-watching the end of Fallen Kingdom should give you a good idea. Very specific props from Fallen Kingdom have also been spied on set, indicating the presence of a character who has appeared in both previous Jurassic World films in the Irish-shot scenes.”
The fact that this all played out a few months back without more coverage or leaked images is pretty shocking, and can likely be attributed to top notch set security and what we assume was a shorter shoot schedule. It’s way too early to begin filming Jurassic World 3 in full, the script is assuredly still being written, and reports to us suggest pre-production swings into full throttle this Fall at Pinewood Studios. In fact, this might not be Jurassic World 3 at all, but the mysterious ‘Jurassic World: Battle at Big Rock’.
As previously reported, Jurassic World Allosaurus and Nasutoceratops toys have hit shelves branded with “As seen in Battle at Big Rock”. ‘Big Rock’ is rumoured to be a live action short film debuting this Summer, and perhaps is a Jurassic World 3 precursor. While the existence of the live action short film is surprising, it makes more sense than Jurassic Park 6 filming in January of 2019 when it’s to release in 2021.
Update: thanks to sluething by Reel News Hawaii, some images from photojournalist Padraig O’Reilly have been uncovered, revealing that filming took place at Powerscourt Estate! Note the ‘District of Columbia’ license plate on the red van, likely confirming a US setting.
Exclusive photos of the crew at work during this weeks filming in Powerscourt Estate,Co.Wicklow of American blockbuster film series @JurassicWorld 3… pic.twitter.com/lprr5CDTHa
— Padraig O'Reilly Photographer (@padraig_reilly) January 26, 2019
Whether the reports from Ireland are Jurassic World 3, Battle at Big Rock, or something else entirely we’re excited by this news, and can’t wait to learn more soon!
Yesterday, numerous fans of the Mattel Jurassic World toys were surprised of the sudden appearance of two previously unannounced toys on store shelves: the Dual Attack Nasutoceratops, and Dual Attack Allosaurus. Bot featuring brand new, never before seen designs, they immediately catch the eye – and this is especially important given the larger news buried within.
The packaging features a surprising callout:“As seen in ‘Battle at Big Rock'”
(Photo’s courtesy of Tyrant Tyrannus and Mr Classic Jurassic)
Thanks to Facebook user Tyrant Tyrannus we had our first look at the Mattel toys for the Nasutoceratops and Allosaurus, which are now appearing in stores (and now HD photos via Mr Classic Jurassic on Instagram). Considering these toys have been withheld from other promotional campaigns, and none of the other toys feature the ‘Battle of Big Rock’ callout, it’s clear these two dinosaurs are appearing in whatever Big Rock may be. Rumors have circulated about a potential Live Action short film releasing sometime this year, and our money is on those rumors being true.
This news is as exciting as it is mysterious! The prospect of knowing Jurassic World will be expanding into new territory outside of the core films is great, as the franchise has been historically slow to evolve and expand. Everyone has worked up quite a dinosaur sized appetite for new content, and it’s finally coming.
Other details of the short film are still unknown at this time. Whether it takes place after Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, is a prequel, or perhaps something that is not canon at all has yet to be determined. It’s also possible that this is actually an animated project, however we think ‘Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous’ is the franchises first real foray into feature animated content.
If Battle at Big Rock is canon, it would be the first of its kind for expanded universe content within the Jurassic Park universe. While certainly different than the approach properties like Star Wars and Marvel are taking, it could pave the way for more traditional spin-off content, such as films, television series, and more.
Should this be canon, and a sequel to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’s ending there are a few options for the Allosaurs inclusion: at least one was purchased, and shipped away via cargo trucks at the end of the film. However, at least one other was still present in Lockwood’s estate when the dinosaurs were released and ran into the wild. It’s very possible that the film will follow the paths of one of those two animals, wherever they’re destined to appear. Perhaps its setting is this location in California?
As for the Nasutoceratops, this one is a mystery. It’s a newcomer to the Jurassic franchise, and perhaps could be the result of brand new parties cloning dinosaurs? It’s a brand new dinosaur, and whatever content it’s featured in will be a fascinating way to get a new dino design. The Allosaurus also appears to look quite different from it’s Fallen Kingdom toy and appearance, leading to speculation this may be an adult Allosaurus design. Further, if these are new designs, does that mean new film-quality assets from Industrial Light & Magic plus similar effects houses have been made? Whatever the answers may be, we’re sure excited to find out come this Summer – and we’re excited to get our hands on these great new toys!
What do you think of the title of “Battle at Big Rock” for the live action Jurassic World short film? Also, what would you like to see in the film, do you think it will be canon, or is this simply a high budget Mattel outting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and on our forums.
When John Hammond dreamed up the idea of Jurassic Park in the later years of the 20th century, he thought he had control of the future. “We control their chromosomes, it’s really not that difficult,” Dr. Henry Wu (Hammond’s ‘Chief Geneticist’), proudly proclaimed, going on to mock Dr. Malcolm “You’re implying that a group comprised entirely of females will…breed?” Little did he or John Hammond know what lack of control they truly had on this expansive and ultimately impossible idea. Sure, Jurassic World boasted roughly 10 years of control over these animals – but – “You never had control. That’s the illusion.”
In the beginning of the franchise, we’re told that all the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park are female. This is because, as Wu says, “all vertebrate embryos are inherently female, anyway. They just require an extra hormone given at the right developmental stage to make them male. We simply deny them that.”, ultimately displaying the ignorance and arrogance Jurassic Park is showcasing. Hammond and his team of scientists were trying to force nature into what would end up being a very unnatural state. “Life finds a way,” as Dr. Malcolm puts it, nature fights back, and he is proven correct.
As you know, later in the film, Dr. Grant and the kids come across velociraptor eggs. Eggs mean reproduction. In vertebrate species, reproduction typically means males and females (though in certain scenarios with some vertebrates asexual reproduction is possible). However, as we discovered that from the very start, there always have been both males and females in Jurassic Park, though they’re not always distinguishable via sexual dimorphism. The Lost World confirms the dinosaurs are reproducing sexually, distinguishing the sexes of the animals with the Tyrannosaurs and Velociraptors. We’re introduced to the fact that male Tyrannosaurs are green, while the females are brown – further, male Velociraptors are brighter orange with distinct tiger-like stripes. Later, in Jurassic Park III we’re introduced to new raptors, where the males have a stripe running down the sides of their back (a feature later reflected in Velociraptor Blue) and feather-like quills. The females are more white in appearance. (This makes sense because – no offense ladies – in nature, males are usually more vibrant, like cardinals for example. This is because the females are usually the ones doing the hunting and protection of their young, and so for these reasons, they need to be more dull in color and blend in better to their surroundings.)
So what’s the deal with the dinos in Jurassic World? While Jurassic World established that the Raptors, Mosasaur and Indominus are female, we do know that there were also males, and controlled breeding, like in today’s zoos. This tweet from writer/director Colin Trevorrow himself spells it out:
Jurassic World had controlled breeding, like modern zoos. The dinosaur population on the island has grown since the park fell…
This information from Colin Trevorrow confirms that between Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the animals were breeding on Isla Nublar. In Fallen Kingdom, there’s an Allosaurus that is literally called a “juvenile” Allosaurus, and you can also see various baby Triceratops several times. If you’re reading this and thinking you were the only one who thought that the animals were all female, don’t worry, you are not alone. Strangely, numerous instances of licensed material for the franchise have stated that all Jurassic World dinosaurs are female. Mattel has referred to the male “buck” rex as female, for instance, while ‘Jurassic World: The Evolution of Claire’ has also claimed all animals to be female. (Side bar: I’d love to see male and female distinction in the games, and even a “controlled breeding” element. This could be risky territory – I just want to see baby dinos, can you blame me!?)
This makes the ending of Fallen Kingdom all the more significant: now that the animals are on the mainland, they will continue to breed. There obviously aren’t multiple rexes or raptors released from Lockwoods estate, so their reproductive options are limited. However, there were multiple ankylosaurs, ceratopsians, theropods, sauropods, and others released into North America that will certainly have the chance to reproduce naturally.
I am interested to see how the animals will repopulate in the Americas as invasive species, if that is something that Colin Trevorrow decides to explore. The key for combatting this invasive species threat will be response time to their capture. Compies would likely be impossible to locate and capture – there could be thousands running around after a few years. Conversely, some of the larger animals will be easier to isolate and capture with the help of the technological forces of the 21st century. With the amount of animals that were released from Lockwood’s estate, there certainly had to be a few males and females of most of the species and they will have the ability, if given the opportunity, to breed. After all, they’ve always been male and female, and breeding – ever since 1993.
If you ever forget that, just remember the words from Owen. “They’re thinkin’ I gotta eat…I gotta hunt…I gotta…”
Hold on to your butts – we have an asset out of containment! Courtesy of our friends at Entertainment Earth, we have the brand new 2019 Mattel Dino Rivals Destroy N Devour Indominus Rex in hand for an unboxing and review! This all new action figure lives up to its name, and is one of the coolest dinosaur toys out there.
Check out the video below:
Relive the terror! Be a part of the Jurassic World adventure with the ultimate in dinosaur battle action! An abomination hybrid of the Velociraptor,Giganotosaurus, Rugops, Majungasaurus, and Carnotaurus, the Indominus Rex is one of the most terrifying and deadliest dinosaur ever masterminded. Inspired by the film, this larger-sized dinosaur wreaks havoc and fear everywhere! Ominous features include realistic scales, longer arms with dagger-like claws, and push button activation. To activate, move the back button to operate the mouth and activate sound effects;also use the button to make Indominus bend down, pick up and swallow human figures. The mouth opens wide to swallow 3-inch figures in its throat. An LED light in the throat lights up to show the human figure! WOW! Now get the slashing action going by pushing the front button for arm strikes and slashing sound effects. Act out ferocious battle scenes with Indominus and relive all the exciting adventure and terror of the movie! Requires batteries: 3x “AG13” (included).
Mattel has truly knocked it out of the park with the Destroy N Devour Indomoninus Rex, far surpassing the 2015 release by Hasbro, and it stands tall with the Jurassic Park Kenner classics. Every scale, quill, and tooth is beautifully sculpted, making this one of the most detailed dinosaur toys out there. Whether it’s kids for playing, or collectors for displaying, everyone will be thrilled by this terrifyingly fun and large toy.
Huge thanks to Entertainment Earth for sending this toy along so quickly so we could feature a review! The Mattel Indominus Rex is expected to ship this month from Entertainment Earth, which means they will be one of the first places you can pick up the toy – before brick and mortar stores carry it. If you’re new to Entertainment Earth, they have a mint condition guarantee, a low price guarantee, and hassle free 90-day returns. You can still Pre-order the Destroy N Devour Indominus Rex here!
Even more new toys from Mattel will be shipping soon, including toys such as the Mega Dual Attack Quetzalcoatlus and Amargasaurus – so stay tuned! This line of toys continues to evolve and explore more exotic species and play patterns, truly living up to the Jurassic name. Toys find a way.
Sound off in the comments below, and let us know if you will be picking up the Destroy N Devour Indominus Rex, and tell us what toys you would like to see from Mattel in the future! Also, be sure to like the video, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for even more content!
The Jurassic Park franchise is synonymous for cutting edge visual effects bringing the dinosaurs and world to life, with none more iconic than the lifelike animatronic creations from Stan Winston Studios. With the return of the Jurassic franchise in 2015, animatronic dinosaurs were severely dialed back, with only the dying Apatosaurus head and neck by ‘Legacy Effects’. However, after the films debut audience flocked to theaters, winning more goodwill for investing in practical effects with ‘Fallen Kingdom’ – in which Neal Scanlan and his Star Wars Creature Team of Pinewood Studios made their dino-debut.
Fresh from the creatures and animatronic panel at Star Wars Celebration 2019, Neal Scanlan has been confirmed to be returning for the third, and final film of the Jurassic World saga.
(About 8:45 in)
While Fallen Kingdom significantly increased the amount of animatronics used from Jurassic World, it still did not hit the same level of scale that Stan Winston’s team achieved across the original trilogy. Namely, all the final on screen animatronics in the film were that of animals who were laying down due to being traqulized or injured. While a Indoraptor animatronic of the head and neck was made for the animal during the his hunting antics, the final creature on screen was replaced by (incredibly lifelike) CGI. As the third Jurassic World is expected to bookend the latest Jurassic trilogy, it would be the perfect opportunity to trailblaze the technology bringing the dinosaurs to life into whole new frontiers.
With the huge advancements in what CGI is capable of, I would personally love to see fully mobile practical dinosaurs (perhaps people in suits with legs exposed ‘Jurassic World Live Tour’ style – or perhaps driven around on some sort of vehicle base) augmented by CGI to simply hide the bells and whistles of the puppetry at play. The new expansive saga of modern Star Wars films use those techniques to bring characters to life without the limitations usually associated with practical effects, which Scanlan and his team are involved with (alongside Industrial Light & Magic).
This news unfortunately means the team at Legacy Effects, founded by Stan Winston Studios veterans after its closure, are unlikely to work on Jurassic World 3. As Legacy has many artists who worked on the original Jurassic Park trilogy, in which its lifelike animatronic dinosaurs have yet to be topped, it would have been fitting to see them close out trilogy. However, Scanlan and his team have an incredible pedigree of films, Scanlan himself being a founding member of the Jim Henson Creature Shop, and their immense talent and passion is a perfect fit for Jurassic World.
Personally, outside of pushing practical effects into bold new territory, I’d love to see one more thing: the return of the Stan Winston Jurassic Park designs. As Jurassic World 3 promises to close out this six film saga which started in 1993, now would be the perfect time to reanimate every detail fans fondly remember, bringing those iconic dinosaurs back to the big screen in big ways.
What do you hope Neal Scanlan and his team do with Jurassic World 3’s animatronic dinosaurs, and would you like to see Legacy Effects return as well? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned for the latest news!
Hold on to your butts! The first trailer for Universal Studios Hollywood’s ‘Jurassic World the Ride’ is here! Unleashing the Tyrannosarus Rex on the backlot, this fun new trailer ends with a tease for what type of action the ride will feature. Check out the trailer below:
Introducing Jurassic World – The Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood. More real. More intense. It’s an experience like never before. See what awaits you with our new TV commercial and then get ready to survive the new epic adventure opening this Summer.
“Jurassic World—The Ride” will debut an original storyline that takes place within the theme park as depicted in Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s film, JURASSIC WORLD, on the day the Indominus rex escapes.
The exciting thrill ride will soar to new heights with the addition of several iconic dinosaurs from the movie, including the colossal Indominus rex and the magnificent aquatic Mosasaurus that will mesmerize onlookers in her natural habitat from behind a three million gallon glass encased Aquarium Observatory tank.
“Jurassic World—The Ride” comes to life under the direction of the award-winning and inspired minds at Universal Creative, the Academy Award®-winning special-effects visionaries at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a division of Lucasfilm, Ltd., Universal Pictures and acclaimed filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Colin Trevorrow and Frank Marshall.
The aesthetics of “Jurassic World—The Ride” will be dramatically enhanced welcoming guests to a reimagined space reflective of the JURASSIC WORLD films. In addition, there will be a fresh new entry statement, stonework landscaping and a contemporary redesign of the iconic JURASSIC WORLD gates, illuminated with billowing flames.
Engaging and interactive queue-line videos featuring facts and information about the dinosaurs within the ride will set the tone for the expedition ahead, as guests learn more about these imposing prehistoric creatures that first roamed the earth more than 65 million years ago.
Once aboard specially designed rafts, guests will navigate the lush environs of dense vegetation, traversing new areas besieged with towering dinosaurs meandering at just an arm’s length away from visitors. Encounters with such docile creatures as the Stegosaurus and Parasaurolophus will quickly turn awry as predatory Velociraptors and Dilophosaurus begin to wreak havoc, turning guests from spectators to prey. When the Tyrannosaurus rex begins to battle one of the attraction’s new ferocious dinosaurs, the rafts will spill down a treacherous 84-foot waterfall as the sole means of escape.
Located adjacent to the ride will be a new elaborately themed “Raptor Encounter” where Blue, the most beloved Velociraptor from the JURASSIC WORLD franchise, will engage guests in daring face-to-face encounters.
In addition, a new interactive “Dino Play” area will incorporate educational components within an inspired space where children of all ages can explore and excavate giant dinosaur fossils.
With so much to see and do at Universal Studios Hollywood, the new California Neighbor Pass invites guests to experience 175 days of fun for $149 when purchased online. Visit www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com for more details. Blackout dates and restrictions apply.
The new Jurassic World ride is built upon the basic outline and structure of the original Jurassic Park ride, and much of it will remain the same – including many dinosaur species. One of the largest changes is underwater Mosasaurus viewing atrium, which is believed to have replaced the Ultrasaur Lagoon – and of course, the addition of the Indominus Rex later in the ride.
We can’t wait to see more, especially the new dinosaur animatronics replacing the old ones, which promise to be state-of-the-art, and more lifelike than ever! Further, we can’t help but wonder if any elements of ‘Jurassic Park’ will remain, perhaps in the form of the parks old ruins once the boat is knocked off course?
Be sure to stay tuned for news and updates – such as the opening date – and always, sound off in the comments below!
Get ready to boot up those labs, and extract some DNA, as three new species of dinosaur are hitting Jurassic World Evolution tomorrow (April 17th)! Announced on the PlayStation store, this small DLC pack is listed for a price of $8.25 – check out the trailer below!
Unleash three new carnivorous dinosaurs into your park and witness the chaos they create. These menacing predators will challenge any park manager.
• Herrerasaurus has a long narrow skull with lots of serrated teeth for tearing into the flesh of its prey.
• Acrocanthosaurus features large spines running along it’s back giving it a name that translates to “high-spined lizard”. This large muscular theropod is a force to be reckoned with.
• Proceratosaurus may be a small two-legged dinosaur with a distinctive nasal crest but it is also an ancient relative of the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex!
No word yet if the DLC adds any other new additions to the game, like missions, gameplay tweaks, or otherwise – so stay tuned for potential updates.
Don’t yet have Jurassic World Evolution? Now’s the perfect time to pick up the park management simulator video game which allows you to play on Isla Nublar, Sorna, and the Muertes Archipelago (also known as the five deaths). You can order the game from Amazon today on the Xbox or PlayStation.
The DLC page has yet to be added to any storefront outside of PlayStation, which can be accessed here. Keep your eyes peeled, as it should hit the appropriate marketplaces soon!
What are your thoughts of the new species being added to Jurassic World Evolution, and what types of additions would you like to see added to the game? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest news!
You may think you know what the ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ is, but you don’t (I know I didn’t). We went behind the scenes yesterday, survived dinosaur encounters, and are thrilled to share the tale.
Stepping in to a soundstage from the busy streets of a city, the sounds of the excited chatter of a crowd greet our team, interlaced with occasional dinosaur roars. Our journey for a sneak peak at the latest Jurassic World adventure has taken us not to Isla Nublar, but rather Root Studios in New York City. Feld Entertainment and everyone involved with the ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ excitedly greeted us, eager to lift the veil off this exciting new story within the expanded Jurassic universe.
First thing first. Let’s address the elephant – or rather, the dinosaur – in the room. The Tyrannosaurus Rex used in the shows promo imagery, which fans immediately pointed out was inaccurate, was placeholder. The iconic star of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World is currently being worked on by numerous talented artists, and she will be accurate to the design we know and love from the films. As the animatronic is currently under construction, another large Tyrannosaur (originally crafted for Walking with Dinosaurs) was swapped in. Stay tuned for the true reveal of 43 foot full animatronic, which will surely steal the show both awing and terrifying audiences.
The Story
So, what is the show? The ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ is a touring arena spectacular of epic proportions making its world premiere this Fall – but that much you probably know. What you perhaps don’t know are the burning questions, such as what is the story, and is it canon? I entered the event believing I understood what this show was, and was ultimately surprised in the best possible ways by how little I knew. The story spans a block of time, opening just before the downfall of Jurassic World, and we soon witness the rampage of the escaped Indominus Rex from all new perspectives – and that’s only the beginning.
Our main character is Kate Walker (played by Madison Embrey), a Jurassic World scientist who is working to better understand the emotions and feelings of dinosaurs. To do this, she is working with a Troodon – the smartest Jurassic species yet – named Jeanie and a-all-new piece of proprietary tech called the “Dino-Decoder”. The “Dino-Decoder’s” goal is to better understand and predict the emotions of dinosaurs, much like Owen Grady’s goal was to understand and predict their behavior. However, her research comes to a terrifying halt as the Indominus Rex escapes its paddock and the park is thrust into chaos. The audience follows this pandemonium from Kate’s perspective, showing the events on parts of the island we never saw being terrorized by the hazardous hybrid.
You know what happens. The park falls, is evacuated, and abandoned. Flash forward.
A few months after the fall of Jurassic World, our heroes find themselves in New York City dealing with a surprise: Jeanie is still alive. This thrusts them on a quest – perhaps to finish their research, or simply relocate the animal – and uncovers a dangerous conspiracy. InGen hasn’t given up on weaponizing dinosaurs, and they are very interested in Kate’s “Dino-Decoder” and of course, the Troodon. Here comes the curveball which excites me the most – the adventure then moves to a desert in Chile, featuring a secretive and remote InGen facility (some may even call it a ‘Jurassic Outpost’).
This facility has a grim purpose – it houses dinosaurs off of the security of Isla Nublar, and is dedicated to continuing Vic Hoskins IBRIS program for weaponizing Velociraptors. Our heroes confront these mercenaries who have a pack of raptors of their own, which leads to chaos of hero vs villain, dinosaur vs dinosaur, and dinosaur vs human conflict.
The story continues to evolve as the conflict escalates, and eventually the setting circles back to Isla Nublar promising more thrills and adventure synonymous with Jurassic Park.
There Will be Blood
This new Jurassic World story will be a true Jurassic experience, will “not be watered down” and offers the same thrills, freights, and wild dinosaur action you know from the films. While the show is ultimately geared for families of all ages, it was important to all the creators involved that it retained its bite and not shy away from the moments of suspense it’s loved for.
Some of the scenes hinted at included the Indominus Rex on her rampage, Velociraptors hunting Triceratops and leaving battle wounds in real time, and of course, dinosaurs hunting human characters. While the show will make sure it remains appropriate for its younger crowds who will surely flock in faster than a herd of Gallimimus, it will also find creative ways to bring these moments of carnage to life.
It’s Canon
Feld Entertainment worked very closely with Universal Pictures, and the franchise heads like Steven Spielberg, Colin Trevorrow, and Frank Marshall to ensure an authentic Jurassic Park experience, and canon story. They poured over every detail of the story to make sure it did not conflict with past, current, and even future outings and will work as a brand new installment in the Jurassic saga. Things like InGen’s facility location off the island were closely considered, optioning a few different locales, before eventually settling on Chile.
Likewise, they worked closely with Universal Pictures to ensure the all new dinosaur – the Troodon – was granted a canon Jurassic design, with numerous artists working to bring her to life. Further, costumes like the ACU outfits were granted film archival reference for absolute accuracy. Of course, the vehicles were given the same love, bringing the Gyrosphere to life directly off of the props and digital files, while the all new Jeep vehicle was carefully designed.
The filmmakers also worked closely to ensure the tone of show remains true to Jurassic World, from the thrills, awe, and wonder all playing within a fun adventure. Some of the earliest feedback was from Steven Spielberg, suggesting the show should boost its comedic elements, amping up the humor when appropriate alongside the dino-thrills.
The Dinosaurs
The ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ will feature 7 different species of ‘dinos’: Troodon, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Indominus Rex, and Pteranodon. Some species have different variants, such as Velociraptor Blue alongside a new suite of Raptors being used by InGen, or the adult Stegosaurus and her baby. Overall the show features well over 20 different dinosaurs, promising a plethora of prehistoric perturbation.
Each dinosaur has been painstakingly brought to life by the artists at Feld Entertainment, and their partner studios, built from the film accurate Industrial Light and Magic files. The accuracy is important to bring these iconic animals to life in the most realistic way possible, seamlessly bringing the dinosaurs from the screen to the stage.
However, this process is not without its unique challenges.
One of the most important things for the ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ is making sure that no matter where an audience member is seated, they can fully enjoy the show. To fully realize this, this also means making adjustments to the color contrast, scale size and depth, and other tweaks to the design so the detail you’ve come to expect from the movies is visible in action. These challenges are also met with the technological constraints: will the dinosaur be a full animatronic, or a dinoteer puppet suit?
Dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex will be a colossal 43ft long full motion animatronic behemoth driven by puppeteers at a control station. However, species like the Troodon will be 100+ lb suit worn by a performer, putting enormous athletic strain on the person bringing that animal to life. I had a chance to wear a 60 lb weight vest yesterday, which is half the weight of Blue, and could only imagine what it would be like inside the narrow constraints of the suit while running around for extended periods and puppeting the dinosaur at the same time.
The show promises the most authentic live action dinosaurs ever created, with unparalleled speed, animation, and authenticity.
The dinosaur who will perhaps even be considered the star of the show by fans is Jeannie the Troodon. Troodon is a species all new to the Jurassic franchise (outside of making an appearance in Telltales 2011 ‘Jurassic Park: the Game’, pictured above). While she is a carnivorous animal, they wanted her to be less intimidating than the Velociraptors, giving her a more inquisitive and almost playful appearance to reflect her intelligence. As she was designed from the ground up with the show in mind, without any prior film designs, they took in the consideration of the constraints of a dinoteer suit while crafting her look.
One of the challenges reportedly was her sickle claws, a trait Troodon is most known for, and how they effected the performers mobility. While Blue herself retained her sickle claws, at this stage in development Jeannies have been removed – however, I am unsure if her design is final, or if it may yet evolve. This tweak has been met with mixed feedback, as the anatomical change would reclassify the species as an entirely different evolutionary branch of animal, and has been mistaken as a overlarge Compsognathus by fans due to their near identical appearance.
Compsognathus confusion aside, Jeannie the Troodon animates fantastically, giving her very bird-like inquisitive and snappy motions one would expect from the species. We also saw Blue in motion, who was incredibly lifelike with her movements, eyes darting from person to person as she snaps at them, and snarled intimidatingly. Further, her skin looked incredibly detailed and real, moving convincingly giving the appearance of organic muscles moving within a living and breathing animal.
As we touched on before, bringing the dinosaurs to life authentic to their film appearance is incredibly important for the show, and the Tyrannosaurus you know and love will be featured. However, as we see her after Jurassic World and before Fallen Kingdom, months of painstaking work went into defining elements like just how well her wounds from the Indominus Rex battle would have healed, and how much scarring should appear. This level of attention has been applied across the board, promising an exciting journey into Jurassic World for all fans.
It should be noted, that while the behind the scenes reel featured ‘Desert Velociraptors’, presumably InGens dinos at their Chile basecamp, we’ve been told the design has been changed. We’re unsure what color the raptors will be, but from our understanding they will be based upon film appearances.
The Show
You know the premise of the story, and the species of dinosaurs, but that’s only scratching the surface of what the show entails. One of the elements Feld Entertainment wanted to fully leverage was organic interactivity – when you visit a theme park with animatronic dinosaurs, they do the same thing every time you ride the ride. However, this show has live puppeted dinosaurs – so they opted to embrace that opportunity, and have the dinosaurs occasionally react to the audience. If a child laughs or screams, a Velociraptor may come over to investigate the noise – or perhaps a Tyrannosaurus Rex may loom over the crowd, and sniff an audience member, sizing them up as a snack.
Characters in the show will enter from all sides, walking out to the stage from wherever the audience may be seated, truly integrating the crowd into the experience and offering a fully 360 degree focus.
The stage will be themed to the setting of the story in real time, with detailed locations, buildings, and other interactive props. Dinosaur cages adorned with InGen insignia are sure to capture your attention, just as park location signs will attract your curiosity. The island will be alive, with greenery, fog, and even a real watering hole where animals will occasionally drink from. Just as the characters are, the stage will truly be alive as it continues to evolve as time progresses.
While dinosaurs may be the star attractions, the full array of characters will perform exhilarating stunts as they survive the shows numerous set pieces of adventure, villainy, and fun. Expect combat, explosions, stunning effects, and vehicular action including motorcycle stunts among rampaging dinosaurs. When the dinosaurs are hungry, they will eat, and that means our heroes and villains are sure to be given a run for their money as the story unfolds.
Characters will go through numerous wardrobe changes as time progresses, not only dressing differently per environment, but eventually showing the wear and tear of the adventure as it unfolds. The has made sure every element you expect from a film of Jurassic’s caliber will come to life, with no pauses between scene changes, mimicking the flow of the films.
It of course wouldn’t be a Jurassic story without new and unique vehicles. On top of the aforementioned motorcycle scenes, a new Jurassic World Jeep vehicle makes an appearance, paying homage to the 1993 classic, alongside a curious dino-capture buggy, and of course, a real-working Gyropshere. This mix of new and familiar vehicles will surely inspire new custom vehicles from fans at home, like the Jurassic Park Motorpool.
But Wait, There’s More
This report is only scratching the surface of what’s to come with the ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’! Be sure to stay tuned, as we have more content from our visit including video interviews with Chris Nobels (Associate Producer), Dan Shipton and Ross Nicholson (Directors), and of course, Juliette Feld. We will also upload a photo gallery from our experience soon, so you can pour over every detail we had access to, and share in our fun-filled behind the scenes look.
For more from our personal experience, be sure to follow the visiting team on Twitter: Myself, Jennifer, and Josh.
Tickets are on sale now, so be sure to grab the seats you want before they’re gone! I walked into the event yesterday uncertain about what the show was, and if would be anything more than a cute experience for families – after spending time to learn more about the show, and speak candidly with the creators and talent, I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come! A huge thank you to Feld Entertainment and Mullen Lowe for being accommodating, helpful, and most of all – passionate – while we visited the preview event.
As always, stay tuned for the latest news and sound off in the comments below!
Are you ready to return to Jurassic World? This Fall, the all-new touring live arena show from Feld Entertainment will make its debut in numerous major east coast United States cities! Take a look at the city list below:
The tickets for those locations will go on sale March 26th, 2019 – so mark your calendars to not miss out! As stated in the image, further US locations as well as an international tour will be announced in the future. While not much is known about this exciting Jurassic show, the official blurb promises an epic dinosaur filled spectacular.
Jurassic World Fans — get ready for this all-new, live-action show coming to your hometown! Experience the excitement of being face-to-face with life-sized dinosaurs, including the vicious Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Velociraptor Blue and many other favorites. Adventure is guaranteed with arena-sized action, special effects and physical stunts that will leave you on the edge-of-your seat!
Additionally, we’ve been given a pretty great hint that the plot may take place while Jurassic World was still open for visitors with the latest image released below:
Is that another trained dinosaur confronting Blue?
Pictured are three Jurassic World employees inside an all-new World updated Jurassic Park style Jeep, as they encounter Velociraptor Blue and another unknown species of carnivorous dinosaur (which looks like a oversized Compsognathus, but is likely to be a dinosaur such as Coelophysis or Troodon). It stands to reason employees would have been unlikely to be doing much work outside of evacuating post the Indominus Rex breakout, so the open era of the park seems set!
Considering the rapidly approaching pre-sale date, we’re sure to learn a lot more about this live show soon! Be sure to head over the official website to sign up for alerts and to purchase your tickets once they’re available.
As always, stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost, where we will be sure to bring you all the latest Jurassic World news!
