Star Wars, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Harry Potter and Fast and Furious are all major live-action Hollywood franchises that not only entertain and shape generations of moviegoers, but also dominate at the global box office. But despite all those franchises’ success, there is only one live-action film franchise (with 2+ films) that averages $1 billion worldwide per film and it might shock the average person of which franchise that is: Jurassic Park.
That is right, the Jurassic Park franchise, which currently stands at 5 films (with the 6th film, Jurassic World: Dominion currently in production for a June 11, 2021 release), is the only live-action movie franchise to reach this amazing feat. With the Covid-19 re-release of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom this Summer in multiple countries and some theatrical showings of Jurassic World, the franchise global total has finally crossed the $5 billion mark ($5,069,589,335 to be exact as of this writing).
One might argue that the re-release of those films to push it over the top is unfair, but most major film franchise’s see re-releases from time to time, including other big ones like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So how does this all break down for the Jurassic films compared to the others? Well lets start with Jurassic Park.
Before 2015, the Jurassic franchise consisted of only three films, Jurassic Park (1993), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) and Jurassic Park III (2001). The worldwide grosses of those three films are $1,033,756,460, $618,638,999 and $368,780,809 which totals $2.02 billion, or about $673.7 million per film. So how did the franchise go from averaging $673.7 million to $1 billion? In 2015 the release of the fourth film in the series, Jurassic World demolished box office records at the time on the way to a massive global haul of $1,670,400,637. Three years later the fifth film, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, while not as massive as it’s predecessor, was still one of the biggest film’s of all-time with $1,378,012,430. Add those all up and you have a franchise that makes it to the $1 billion per film average.
So if you are still surprised or asking “Well what about Star Wars or Marvel, they have to be at or close to an average of $1 billion also”. Those are indeed massive franchises with at least one film in each that has made over $2 billion individually, but overall still behind Jurassic in terms of averages. Star Wars has 11 theatrical films that average $937.4 million per film and if you include 2008’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars as the 12th film, the average drops to $859.8 million. The Marvel Cinematic Universe currently has 23 films that average $982 million. Some other major franchises that are near the top of the list include the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts films ($923.8 million average), Pirates of the Caribbean ($904.9 million), The Hunger Games ($742.0 million) and (Fast and Furious ($654.9 million).
But there has to be a catch right, is Jurassic REALLY the highest grossing franchise in Hollywood on average? Yes, and well, also no. It is the highest grossing live-action film series per film, but it is not the highest grossing film series per film overall. There is one other franchise that can claim that title: Disney’s animated Frozen films. Currently sitting at two films, the series is averaging a very impressive $1.37 billion per film.
While Jurassic might be the only current $1 billion per film live-action franchise it will be interesting to see if a series like Star Wars or Marvel can ever reach those heights too since they are not that far off. It will also be something to watch if Jurassic can maintain that level with the series adding Jurassic World: Dominion next Summer. If Dominion can earn at least $1 billion itself it will obviously stay in the exclusive $1 billion per film club. Based on past results, the movie going audiences love for new films in the series it is a no-brainer that the new film would reach those heights. However, the wrench in the whole thing is the current world climate with the Covid-19 pandemic and the complete uncertainty of the film landscape going forward. Will the virus be gone, or at least contained enough that normalcy resumes? Will theaters be open at 100% capacity? Will some theaters even fail to re-open after their financial losses, especially in a very big box office market in China? There are a lot of rough waters that a blockbuster like Dominion will have to navigate.
The other thing Jurassic has proven and earned is the right to exist as a franchise. Not everyone loves all the films, and people will always question certain choices by the filmmakers and not everyone will always agree with with the direction the movies take. Like any other film series though, some absolutely love every aspect of it, and there are people that hate everything too. You can’t please everyone and every series will have its positives and negatives. But you can’t deny that there is a global thirst and want for these films. It is a franchise that if a new film is released, people will flock to see it. You might see people on social media or even national movie critics ask things like “Why are they making another?”, “Jurassic is not a franchise”, “It is time to let the series die”, “No one asked for another Jurassic movie”, yet what they fail to realize is that how well these films do, people do want more films and they don’t want the series to end. If you don’t want to watch another Jurassic film, then don’t, no one is forcing you to, but it is still going to have a major turnout, excitement and box office haul.
So what do you think of the Jurassic franchise being the only live-action film franchise to average $1 billion per film globally? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
It was a digital landscape that sometimes we think time wishes it could forget. Before Facebook or Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr, even before Myspace. It was an age when the internet wasn’t quite in its infancy, but more of an awkward transitional phase, as everyday it seemed new sites, forums and chat rooms came and went.
Today the graveyards of Archive.org are littered with the remnants of this now bygone era and provide a fascinating insight into the Jurassic Park fandom. Full of forgotten fanfics, early rumors of a “Jurassic Park 4” and maybe if you’re lucky some old screencaps and fan art, there is one page in particular that stands out. A place many once heard of and few probably remember, it was only recently that it was rediscovered.
Almost lost forever and forgotten by most, Jurassic Park: England (or “JP:UK” as it was also known) was a website chronicling a labor of love undertaken by British fan Andy Simpson and his quest to create a patch of prehistoric paradise in his own garden. Seemingly inspired by “Jurassic Park: The Ride” and then then recent Jurassic Park III, you can guarantee no expense was spared.
With some reports estimating that Andy spent about £4,000, the attraction included a 20ft. river safari through primeval overgrowth, smoky banks and of course a 15ft. recreation of the infamous “King Kong gates” that loomed over guests in the movie. All of this ending in a home theater where guests could join its creator in a private screening of his favorite films. “I’ve seen Jurassic Park over 300 times!” Simpson told reporters back in 2001. “I watched the films over and over ’cause each time I’d notice new things to re-create.” he also commented.
The attraction itself was by no means easy to build. According to Andy, besides the two years and countless hours needed to construct the massive attraction, it was also required to meet certain standards from the local council in order to entertain guests. Luckily for him however, “Jurassic Park: England” came just short of the required dimensions for some serious urban planning. As, if that wasn’t enough to consider, Simpson had to reach out to Steven Speilberg and Universal themselves for their blessing to use the Jurassic Park name and iconography. With little in his favor and probably as much chance as the cast of Jurassic Park had escaping the jaws of a hungry t-rex, Universal and Speilberg’s company actually reached out to the teenage fan, providing him with everything he needed to properly represent what they created.
Unlike the fictional park, which was only previewed to six selected guests, “Jurassic Park: England” opened to 40 and was met with critical acclaim for such a humble attraction. People gasped with delight as they were towed through the torch lit river and amazed as they came face to face with simulated dangers waiting along the banks. Simpson went on to be featured in countless news outlets including radio, tv, magazines and newspapers. In addition his site showcasing the ride briefly went viral with thanks from an avid community of fans.
What happened to “JP:UK?” Well truth be told, nobody really knows. In a time before social media as we know it today, it was easy for it all to fall into obscurity. The last time anyone heard from Simpson was in 2008 when he last updated his webpage. Perhaps somewhere in a British suburb, in an overgrown garden adorned with plastic skulls are the ancient ruins of this once proud attraction. A real lost world, waiting to be rediscovered, to be explored and maybe even entertain guests once again.
It’s hard to think that anything this huge could be forgotten, but if it’s one thing dinosaurs like the ones in Jurassic Park have to teach us, it’s this: Even the biggest things can be lost to time and reclaimed by the Earth. That’s why it’s important that we make our mark and tell the world who we are. The dreamers, the innovators, the people who do the impossible, keep pushing forward, shine bright and leave your legacy.
This article was written with love and with cooperation from “Big Razzie” and “Jurassic Outpost”.
Hold on to your butts! Jurassic Park, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Jurassic Park III are now available to stream on Peacock TV (no expense required)!
Peacock is the new streaming service from NBC Universal that launched today! You just have to create an account with email and password and the first three Jurassic movies are yours to enjoy. A ton of other shows and movies are available for free, but Jurassic is the most important obviously.
Xfinity and Cox customers may be eligible for a free upgrade to Peacock Premium, which includes additional content not available with the free account. RUN over to Peacock to see some dinosaurs!
A new Kickstarter has launched for an upcoming dinosaur survival horror game known as Deathground. The game is described as a solo and co-op survival horror game that throws players into a desperate battle for survival against deadly AI dinosaurs.
The Jurassic Park franchise has unfortunately been a stranger to survival horror video games, with efforts in the past often being cancelled before completion. Jurassic Park: Survival was a cancelled Playstation 2 video game that was third person and similar to Tomb Raider in gameplay style. It was set on a mysterious third island and for its time appeared to be the horror survival game fans had wanted.
In more recent years, Universal Pictures had trademarked Jurassic World: Survivor, which was known to be an open world third or first person survival game taking place on Isla Nublar. It was being developed by Cryptic Studios but ceased development at some point in 2017.
This year, Universal Pictures trademarked Jurassic World: Aftermath, which we believe could be the same game, perhaps under a new developer. So far the game has not been officially discussed.
And that brings us to now. Five movies into the franchise and not a single, modern (we can’t forget Trespasser) survival adventure game. Nothing with a similar style to The Last of Us, or Alien: Isolation, which are arguably two of the most defining in that genre.
Based on the trailer, Deathground promises to be the survival game Jurassic fans have been looking for, mixing deep jungles with InGen looking facilities, it does appear to be heavily Jurassic Park inspired. Check out the video below:
The game already looks very promising and has strong Dino Crisis vibes, and it’s hard to argue with the beautiful imagery that it isn’t Jurassic inspired.
As huge dinosaur fanatics and experienced game developers, we’re building a game that we’re extremely passionate about and believe this is a game people would love to play. For years, we’ve spotted all types of requests and comments across the internet for this game type. We’ve heard your calls and this is our answer! We’re a collective of experienced game development professionals and specialists in Unreal Engine. Beyond this, we have a wide range of talented collaborators we frequently work with who can help us create something incredible. So we feel we’re in a great position to develop a game like this and we’ve come to Kickstarter for your support on this journey!
The game aims to fully immerse you in its world, using dynamic weather changes and unpredictable AI dinosaurs to create a suspenseful and challenging experience for the player.
They are using Unreal Engine 4 to create beautiful environments that scream Isla Nublar/Isla Sorna, and currently there are four main dinosaurs in the game, with more to be added.
The team behind the game are looking for £80,000, and with their experience of 10 plus years working in the industry, they believe reaching that figure will allow them to get the game into early access.
Jaw Drop Games have worked on a number of AAA games, including Alien Isolation, Lego Star Wars, Dirt 5, and more. They share a lot of experience in various forms of gameplay which, when put together, will help make this ‘independent’ game feel as real as it can.
With Universal showing no signs of filling this gap in the video game market, Deathground is worth looking at, and if you’re impressed with what you see then please consider donating to this game. Even a small donation goes a long way, and personally I’m excited to see what the team can really do once they reach their Kickstarter goal.
The campaign ends on August 7 and there are many rewards that come with your pledge, so be sure to go check it out and if you like what you see, donate what you can!
Let us know what you think of this game, and what Jurassic Park game you’d like to see in the comments section below!
Jurassic Park’s groundbreaking special effects are often the topic of conversation when the movie is discussed. So often in fact, that sometimes it can overshadow many other elements of the production that were fundamental in their own way, to creating the movie we know and love.
The production of Jurassic Park began with an adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel, and those involved with the production considered many different ideas and concepts before landing on the final screenplay. This exploratory phase of development and pre-production has been skimmed over in the movie’s official ‘behind the scenes’ documentaries and books…
Until now. Jurassic Time have launched a new project, one to showcase all of the myriad of ideas that could have been realised if they survived the development stage of Jurassic Park. Jurassic Memoirs dives into these un-seen concepts, sometimes with the aid of personal recollections from those involved with the production.
The first release, Michael Crichton’s Adaptation of Jurassic Park, is a 5-part audio analysis series that explores the variations in Crichton’s own screenplay drafts, and the first part is available to listen to now:
And to follow the above, Jurassic Time will then release Rick Carter’s Adaptation of Jurassic Park, which will be an audio drama with visuals.
Jurassic Time is known for it’s audiobook-style memoir of John Parker Hammond, featuring audio recordings of Richard Attenborough extracted from the video game Trespasser. The audio recordings unveil details about InGen and the islands, which Jurassic Time wanted to preserve. The ‘Definitive Edition’ of that is available in audio, video and book programs.
But aside from those audio recordings, founder of Jurassic Time Derrick Davis has also unveiled never-before-seen concept art and storyboards from Jurassic Park which shed light on ‘The Many Deaths of John Hammond‘, this image below was recently uncovered to help illustrate one of the concepts:
The Jurassic Memoirs website also includes a number of interviews with key people associated with the franchise, including John Bell (Art Director), John Gurche (Concept Artist), Gary Goddard (creator of Jurassic Park: The Ride), and Austin Grossman – the writer of Trespasser.
The website really is filled with a heap of resources and content to further your love for the original movie, so be sure to go check it out, and follow Jurassic Time’s Facebook and Twitter pages for more!
Dodgson, Dodson, we’ve got Dodgson here! Breaking just now from Collider, Campbell Scott has joined Jurassic World: Dominion to play the iconic role.
Jurassic fans know we haven’t heard a word about the fate of Dodgson since 1993’s Jurassic Park. Even then, all we got was a few minute cameo where we find out he works for an unnamed company and is trying to acquire Ingen’s dinosaur embryos via Dennis Nedry’s shaving cream CryoCan. Fans of the novel will recall Dodgson plays a much larger role in Crichton’s original story: He plays the head of rival genetics corporation, BioSyn, and ruthlessly attempts to further his agenda of putting his company at the top of the industry.
It’s been confirmed that Dodgson has since been promoted to the CEO of BioSyn, and as an audience we will be re-introduced to him as an “Inspirational, Steve Jobs-type” of industry leader.
Scott’s casting as Dodgson means big implications for the direction Dominion is heading. A confirmation of Dodgson inevitably means Biosyn will play a large role in driving the story forward. Could Biosyn representatives perhaps attended the dinosaur auction in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom? Have they progressed to human cloning and need Maisie for some reason? Did they obtain the assumed lost CryoCan in 93, and have then been creating their own dinosaurs all along? The possibilities are endless, which leaves us excited to see what Colin Trevorrow and Emily Carmichael will present on screen.
Dodgson was originally played by Cameron Thor in Jurassic Park – the role has been recast for Jurassic World Dominion due to Thor’s conviction as a sex offender.
Campbell Scott is an American actor best known for his roles as Mark Usher on House of Cards, Joseph Tobin on Damages, and Richard Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. We can’t wait to see what he brings to the character of Dodgson in the Jurassic universe!
What do you think Dodgson and Biosyn have been up to all this time? Are they still after dinosaur embryos or has Biosyn already obtained them long ago, and moved on to even more nefarious plans since the fall of Ingen?
Mattel and Entertainment Earth are back at it again to celebrate San Diego Comic Con, even if this years convention has gone online only due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic. Following 2019’s John Hammond figure, the 2020 exclusive is none other than Dennis Nedry himself, from his meeting with BioSyn’s Lewis Dodgson, packaged in the iconic CryoCan – which is electronic, says phrases from the film, and has lighting for dramatic display.
Jurassic Park Barbasol Dennis Nedry Action Figure – 2020 Convention Exclusive – $19.99
● Capture an iconic moment in Jurassic Park with this exclusive action figure!
● Features movie-true deco, film-accurate accessories, and deluxe detail.
● Packaging lights up and speaks authentic Dennis Nedry dialog!
● Measuring 3 3/4-inches tall, it captures the spirit of the franchise legacy.
● Packaging is based on the Barbasol shaving can seen on-screen!
Mattel / Entertainment Earth Convention Exclusive! “Nedry! Nedry! We’ve got a Nedry figure here!” Based on the original Jurassic Park film, this Jurassic Park Barbasol Dennis Nedry Action Figure – 2020 Convention Exclusive is a must-have collectible for fans. In his splashy Hawaiian shirt and shorts, he measures about 3 3/4-inches tall and comes with film-accurate accessories that include the bag of money from Dodgson, a piece of pie, and the Barbasol can of embryos so you can reenact your favorite scenes. The 7 1/2-inch tall packaging is based on the Barbasol Beard Buster shaving can seen in the movie – it lights up and speaks authentic Dennis Nedry dialog! This exclusive figure is available for a limited time only, so grab yours before it goes extinct and you miss out. Colors and decorations may vary. Ages 8 and up.
This cool Nedry figure is hidden in a Barbasol can that holds him and serves as a display case. For extra fun, twist the base of the can package to trigger a dramatic light effect and reveal the figure! Press the top of the can to hear these iconic lines Nedry says in the movie:
“Ah, ah, ah! You didn’t say the magic word!” “Dodgson! Dodgson! We’ve got Dodgson here!” “Don’t get cheap on me, Dodgson.” “Ah, no wonder you’re extinct.” “I’m totally unappreciated in my time.”
Relive the exciting big-screen action of Jurassic Park with this highly collectible Dennis Nedry figure! The fan-favorite villain and devious programmer is inspired by the scene when Nedry meets Dodgson for the cash-for-embryos deal in the original film. As Nedry enjoys a nice seaside breakfast, Dodgson shows up with a bag of money and the modified Barbasol can to hold the embryos.
This toy is a must have for all Jurassic Park fans and collectors, and is especially surprising and appealing as Mattel has unfortunately all but discontinued human action figures within the core line at major retailers. Perhaps exclusives like this can help the human action figures within this expansive and exciting line continue to find new life and explore new characters. No matter what, we’re thrilled by what we see here, and can’t wait to pick ours up — make sure you do the same before this deal is extinct!
Will you be pre-ordering the 2020 SDCC Dennis Nedry toy, and what other exclusives like this would you like to see from Mattel and Entertainment Earth in the future? Sound off in the comments below, and stay tuned for all the latest Jurassic news!
27 years after the original release Jurassic Park has dominated the weekend box office in the US, hitting the number 1 spot for the fourth time since 1993.
Movie theaters have begun to gradually open up again, with some outdoor drive-ins across the country showcasing movies to eager film buffs. Jurassic Park was one of the movies shown, and earned a whopping $517.6K across 230 sites!
Deadline also reported that Spielberg’s Jaws was shown at 187 locations, earning $516.3K, making both Universal movies take the number 1 and number 2 spot!
Back in 1993 when Jurassic Park was released it held the number 1 spot at the box office for three weekends in a row, and with this weekends ticket sales the movie now sits on a total domestic intake of $404.3M.
This movie continues to entertain audiences and with the sixth Jurassic Park movie now back in production, it’s safe to say this franchise isn’t going away anytime soon!
We hope you’re enjoying Jurassic June so far and if you haven’t already make sure to follow Stan Winston School on Twitter who have been dropping some incredible behind the scenes content from the original trilogy.
And along with videos and photos of the dinosaurs we already know, the team at Stan Winston School shared with us never-before-seen photos of the Mamenchisaurus from The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
Such a beautiful sculpt! The dinosaur was unfortunately only seen in computer-generated form in the game trail sequence.
Did you catch Jurassic Park this weekend? Will it be coming to a theater near you? Do let us know in the comments section below, and be sure to check out some of our merchandise and Jurassic shirts now available in the Store!
Are you looking forward to tonight’s ‘Watch from Home’ party of Jurassic Park, hosted by Joseph Mazzello? While you know him as Tim Murphy from Jurassic Park, his career has been incredibly diverse, with roles in films like The Social Network, and most recently starring as John Deacon in Bohemian Rhapsody.
We were lucky enough to chat with Joe about all things Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, and dinosaur. We cover a variety of subjects, such as runaway raptors, deleted scenes, and where his character may be today.
Tonight’s watch party starts at 8pm EST, and can be watched in the embeded video above once live. Until then, be sure to read our interview below!
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You have an upcoming Jurassic Park ‘watch from home’ with IGN, can you tell us a little bit more about that?
JM: I was approached by Universal first, and I really jumped at the chance! The last time I saw it was in 3D in theatres -a bunch of my friends made me go watch myself, and have their 3D glasses on and look at the screen and look at me back and forth like that for 2 and half hours. That was a chance to really think about what a great movie it was and how it still holds up today. You know I would hold it up against any action movie, any monster movie, really anything. I just think the visual effects hold up really well, the story is beautiful. Spielberg the way he was an artist with every shot, every single one, and you still feel it to this day- the care he took with everything. So any chance that I get to kinda come back to the fans a little bit. If there’s one constant in my entire life, it is guys around my age telling me that they went and saw Jurassic Park 4, 5, 6, or 7 times in theatres and telling me how much they identified with me. They wanted to be me when they were growing up. Stuff like that warms my heart, knowing that I could be apart of something that was so special in people’s lives. To be able to do it for as many people as possible while we’re all at home, we’re all trying to deal with these strange and heartbreaking events together is a great escape for us. Its a way for us to come together and enjoy a great film and impart my insight about it and great memories, and I can wait to do it.
I’ve grown up with Jurassic Park, I’m too young to have seen the original in theaters, but I grew up with it on VHS and it was always a really big part of my life, especially with dinosaurs because ultimately it guided me to go to school for paleontology — though I eventually shifted over to film. But Jurassic Park has been kind of a constant in my life, so outside of Jurassic Park, do you have a continued relationship with dinosaurs, going to the museum or anything along those lines?
JM: Well it’s funny, I have a five year old nephew now who is of course obsessed with dinosaurs. So I’ve been waiting for all this to be over so I can take him to the Natural History Museum in New York and kind of spur his excitement about this thing that was such a big part of my childhood. I think that I’m reliving a lot of it because of him, it’s probably close association with dinosaurs themselves. Jurassic Park of course I live everyday, but dinosaurs, it’s fun to see how excited kids can get about them.
Outside of the Jurassic Park films, do you have a favorite dinosaur that you like that wasn’t a part of the films?
JM: Oh man, that’s tricky looking at Jurassic Park ,and with all the sequels, you see a much bigger variety than you see in the first film. Even like the ‘pterodactyls’… When you saw them in some of the sequels, like in Jurassic World, I thought that was pretty awesome.
So have you kept up with the sequels then?
JM: I have yeah, absolutely! I usually don’t go see them in theaters and then once they kinda…you know I get recognized a lot from the original film. So I try to see them a little more in private now. But yeah, I watched them.
So here’s a question, and its probably a bit of an oddball one but it might the type of thing you would get from a jurassic park fan site. Over the years, Jurassic Park 3 and Jurassic World, had a very long development with many different stories. Was there ever a time that you were potentially going to be involved with Jurassic Park 3 or Jurassic Park 4.
JM: You know, I don’t know if I was. It was probably something that was discussed internally. No one at the time reached out to me about those two films in particular. Obviously, The Lost World, Steven called right away and kinda have me and Arianna come in there, and advance the ball and kind of away we go with the film. And even that was so much fun. But no, in terms of Jurassic World, but if they did, I wasn’t privy to it.
Do you think Tim would have visited Jurassic World when it opened? Do you think that’s something his character would like to do?
JM: My goodness, its funny because I feel there’s still so much character and you could go so many different ways with it. You could go the way it was a traumatizing event and his love for dinosaurs kind of faded – or became a fear instead of a love. Or you could do that it was something more, and he’s a average kid and being the grandson of John Hammond and being the heir to these things that he might want to get involved. But being at the park as a spectator, we could go either way with that, but either way it would be interesting.
It would be interesting to see his character’s perspective. Its funny, there was a comic book series released called Jurassic Park Redemption that featured an adult Tim and he kind of started his own little park, and his rules were no carnivore’s this time and lets do it right, and of course the scientists didn’t listen and things went astray. It would be one of those things that fans have wanted to see where Tim’s role would go. Tim and Lex have a legacy with Hammond and they probably still fit into the puzzle somewhere.
JM: I hope one day that’s something that gets answered. There is so much you can do with these characters and its such a phenomenal franchise that has grown and now been beloved across generations. It’s still a character that is near and dear to my heart and there is so much you can do with him going forward.
Now with Jurassic Park, I’m sure you get asked this a lot, what’s your favorite filming story.
JM: The one that stood out to me, there’s obviously a couple, the Hurricane Inniki, which at the time was the biggest hurricane to hit the US. The fact that was going to be happening, and on the last day of shooting [before halting for the hurricane] we wake up in the morning and they say we’re going to evacuate — but then Steven comes in and says ‘no, we’re going to hangout here, let it pass over us’. We ended up having the entire crew in the ballroom together like it was camp, and the craft services and caterers had a bunch of food for us, they brought in all the lawn chairs from the pool and we all just hung out as this hurricane was coming in. And Steven, because he was so passionate about what he does, and he’s such a perfectionist and has a love for film, his emotion behind this was “I’ve got to go out there and film this thing as it’s approaching, and maybe use it for the movie”. I guess having that kind of personality at the helm, it made me love acting and potentially directing which I ended up doing, only grew. It was something I found so inspiring. It was such a wild and crazy time thinking about how my mom and brother and sister were at home – there were no cell phones and all the phone lines were down so they didn’t know what happened to us. Such a wild time in our lives.
Onset though, a story I tell a bunch that I’m sure you guys know, but on my birthday, we were doing the kitchen scene and I’m supposed to be running to the freezer. I’ve got my limp going and I’m running to the freezer, and the Raptor is supposed to take a right and I’m supposed to take a left. Well the raptor was on wheels and being pushed since it was such a fast shot. The guys lost control of it and it ended up going left with me, and I turned around and its claw hit me in the head. I got knocked down on the floor! Steven came running over to see if I was okay. I was a little bit dizzy but I was alright. And Steven said “well this is as good a time as any, ready everybody?” and he starts singing happy birthday! I had Happy birthday sung to me by the entire crew of Jurassic Park, which was such a wild thing. And after that Steven actually asked me if we could film a little bit more, but at that point I was a little bit out of it. So he said “okay I think we got it, we got it”.
That’s a testament to working with practical animatronic dinosaurs I suppose – they really do make it real, on and off screen.
JM: Absolutely. It was funny too because it sort of played out the way it does in the movie where you’re waiting to see the dinosaurs and don’t really see them. Because first we started shooting in Hawaii, the first things we did mostly were CGI stuff. So it was like the Gallimimus around us that were not there. Then the T. rex coming out and eating one of them, that was just someone holding a big piece of wood that was like two stories high with a Tyrannosaur head made of cardboard on top of it, and guys moving it up and down. And then when we ultimately got to LA and started shooting in the studios we started working with dinosaurs every single day, and at last the Trex. It became so unbelievable how massive these machines were, and Steven would sometimes call me out of school on set, and show me them because he knew I was so interested and he’s got that childhood imagination and still has it. So he always wanted to show me these incredible dinosaurs they were building. Every day on set was wonderful. They were the best days possible, and even the worst day was still better than bad days I had on any other set.
It seems like for everyone involved in the movie, the production was something special and the movie itself with the visual effects, with what Stan Winston Studios did with the animatronics, what ILM did with the CG animals, what really is revolutionary on so many fronts, I think on top of the wonderful story, the great directing, the great acting, its one of the many reason it has held up and is so near and dear to so many people’s hearts.
JM: I agree. Like I said, after Jurassic Park because the CGI was so brilliant, movies started leaning on CGI too much and that continues to this day where a lot of films look like cartoons. As good as CGI often is, you still know when you can actually reach out and touch something. There’s something to be said, even the puppeteering back in the day, even if they looked a little wonky, you still know it was there. I think that’s also what helps make the originals so iconic. And the other thing is, it’s really a small story if you think about it. Like what is the movie Jurassic Park really about? Yes it’s about dinosaurs, it’s about monsters, it’s about the chase, it’s about all of that. But it’s really about very few people stuck in a small place, and this guy who doesn’t want to have children who is forced to take care of two of them in a dire situation, and learns to love them. That at its core is so Spielberg. It’s a story about a father, a family, a member that pushes against it but ultimately finding that redemption, and finding that love. I just think that when a story can play out on the small personal level, and play out on a grand scale, when those things come together you can tell it’s a classic and that’s what Jurassic Park is.
We talk about it a lot, the sense of intimacy across the board in the original Jurassic Park is what makes it so relatable on a character level, makes the story so engaging, which ultimately makes the action so believable. There’s a certain tactile sense to it that makes the story really resonate, and the things that play out visually really anchor to reality. Like you said with CG, one of the things about shooting practical is that practical has limitations and imperfections like the real world has limitations and imperfections.
JM: Right!
And sometimes I see CG, beautiful and incredible work, but it almost starts to break the sense of believability when everything is so beautiful, so incredible. The sunsets are so perfect, the mountain range so ideally placed that, while it looks photoreal but you as an audience member know its not real, and the illusion breaks. It’s interesting how Jurassic Park, being out there on location as much, embracing these ‘limitations’ made it feel all the more genuine.
JM: Right and thats not to say that brilliant, brilliant films haven’t been made using CGI almost completely but I think that there’s still that feeling you want to have something tangible there to hold onto as the audience. Something that you know is there, something that is real that you get invested in. Because when the more you can make people feel actual danger, the more invested you’re going to get, the more you are going to feel the plight of those characters.
Absolutely. You talked about the Raptor in the kitchen and how it hit you but what do you think has happened to that Raptor that got locked in the freezer. Where do you think that Raptor is today?
JM: Well it probably ate a lot of frozen meatballs. So it did okay, for a little while anyway. But who knows, maybe one day there will be a sequel in the works about the frozen raptor.
The frozen raptor being thawed out. On its revenge spree.
JM: Exactly. I think it’s perfect. Who knows what sub-zero temperatures do to dinosaurs. We’re about to find out!
Exactly, but we’ll probably have to wait for Jurassic Park 27 on the moon. Jurassic Moon.
Ok, so I imagine you’ve been asked this before, but when you’re in the Ford Explorer tour vehicle in Jurassic Park, the T. rex pushes its head down through the viewing dome — I guess when the window is on top of you and Arrianna Richards, a part of the window had broken off? Which was not supposed to happen.
JM: That’s correct.
Was that a scarier moment when that happened?
JM: You know, in real life, these are really heavy machines that are being handled by people in a remote way. And so there was inherent danger just even if they were big blocks, the fact that they were being controlled and brought towards you. And it was supposed to hit the plexiglass, it was supposed to come down. But it was not supposed to come down with that kind of force that it would actually come down that far, and actually break the plexiglass in half. Actually, you can see it in the movie that there’s a quick shot of the Trex with a missing tooth in that moment because the tooth fell out when it hit the glass, and they tried for like half an hour to get it back in and it wasn’t sticking, so we just said screw it we’ll just do it without it. So that’s a good little thing to watch out for, not an Easter egg. But it’s something funny to watch out for if you can pause it.
Another question a lot of people had, are there any notable deleted scenes that your character was involved in?
JM: Oh boy, I don’t think that’s a question I’ve ever been asked. I don’t think there was anything that I was in, a scene, that was cut. I’m sure in the original script there were things that were cut or moved around. There were certain shots I remember that were cut out. There was one in particular where when the self driving vehicles were on the track, we were supposed to go over this land bridge – a real land bridge in Hawaii – that had no guards on either side of it, they were supposed to have us go over it but we were like “no way”. So they have some doubles in the car of us, and have it go over the bridge for us. But that was something that was cut, I’m not sure why. They were little shots like that, but I can’t think of any scene in particular.
I believe one of the scenes people were questioning was I think in the children’s novelization, it talks about a scene where Grant starts talking about the Tyrannosaurus after the attack, while Lex and Tim are in the storm drain, but he realizes they are too traumatized to continue the conversation. So a lot of people wondered if that was filmed, or was that just part of the novelization from the script.
JM: That was not something that I remember filming. I can say with 99.9% certainty that we did not film it.
Okay! Another question we got was what was the hair and makeup process for making your electrocuted look.
JM: Ha! I can’t totally remember but it was my hair. Boy I wish I could remember. Monty Hall, I think he did the make up. But I can’t totally remember but it didn’t take any longer than usual. Pretty much a lot of hairspray to make it stand up. Actually Spielberg always had an issue with me coming to the set, my hair was always too neat in his opinion. And so whenever I would come on set, and no matter what, he would come over to me and rub his fingers through my hair, and just jostle it around a little just to make sure it was always messy. But I can’t quite remember the process but if I could I would do it again. For the IGN Watch From Home.
Are there any small details that Jurassic “superfans” would appreciate or know or what to know from your experiences?
JM: I think the answer to that question has to be join us tonight, because when I watch the movie is when all these things really come rushing back to me. I’m gonna try my best to really try and dig into the depths of my brain to remember every little moment.
Do you keep up with the Jurassic Park community to a degree just to see what people are talking about or are interested in over the years?
JM: I will say they definitely keep up with me. I get great messages all the time from Jurassic Park fans, and I’ve had a lot of great conversations around the world with people who love the film so it keeps me up to date just having people who enjoy these films so much. It makes me feel a part of the family which is a wonderful thing because it’s such a wonderful franchise to be part of, they’re making great movies and my hope is we keep seeing Jurassic Park a long way into the future.
Absolutely.
We wanted to end this with a huge thank you to Joe for taking the time to do this interview with us, and chat all things Jurassic. You can follow him on his Twitter here, and Instagram here. We hope to see you tonight during the Watch from Home stream!
In the times of work from home and social distancing, we have to find new ways to entertain ourselves and interact. Thankfully, IGN has announced an exciting new way to stay engaged during your quarantine isolation. Grab some popcorn & a comfortable chair and prepare to watch Jurassic Park with the “Human Piece of Toast – Tim Murphy” himself, Joseph Mazzello! Check out the announcement below:
The show starts this Thursday, April 23rd at 5pm P.T./8pm E.T. Mazzello seems excited to join fans watching Jurassic Park, saying “While we all continue to sit tight and wait for these scary and uncertain times to eventually be behind us, my favorite way to escape the worry and pass the time has been by watching classic films, and in my completely unbiased opinion, Jurassic Park is one of the all-time greats,” says Mazzello. “I can’t wait to join together with other fans to celebrate this iconic film and share the stories, insight, and fond and funny memories I collected while playing ‘Tim Murphy.’ It’s gonna be a blast!”
Participate in the chat by joining us in IGN’s new Discord server or tweet along with us using the hashtag #JurassicPark and #WFHTheater, and be sure to follow Joseph Mazzello on Instagram . Catch the stream on IGN.com, IGN’s Youtube, and Cinefix’s Youtube.
This event is part of IGN’s new Watch From Home Theater initiative, a weekly live show where they unite IGN personalities and special celebrity guest stars to watch the world’s biggest movies in your own home. Through IGN’s WFH Theater live stream, fans will see some select scenes from the movie, but they’re encouraged to watch Jurassic Park along with IGN on their personal devices for the full live commentary experience! They’ve even promised to give away digitial codes of the film and some mystery prizes from Mattel.
Now the only question is if they will announce Tim Murphy’s return in Jurassic World: Dominion. Will you be watching along? I know we will!
