Sam Neill: “I don’t know where Alan Grant is now”

The character of Dr Alan Grant has not been seen on screen since 2001’s Jurassic Park 3, and while many were expecting some form of cameo or reappearance in the long-awaited sequel Jurassic World, none of the original cast members showed their face – excluding Dr Wu.

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But that doesn’t mean the man who played him has not been busy – New Zealand actor Sam Neill has starred in a number of television series and movies over the past few years, and is currently traveling to promote one of his latest projects, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which opened two days ago in UK cinemas.

In a recent interview with Yahoo! Movies, the interviewer asked the actor about Alan Grant and whether or not we will see him again. While the clickbait title of the original article will have you think Sam Neill outright said the character is dead, that’s not entirely true. After a slight pause, Sam Neill responded:

“I don’t know where Alan Grant is now. He might have died. He could have a new career as an accountant. He could be running for President of the United States, in a parallel universe. I don’t know where he is. I don’t know if anyone could find him, he’s disappeared.”

As the Yahoo! article states, while promoting movies actors have to sit in the same chair for hours while various journalists ask the same questions over and over, so it’s natural for the actor to start having a bit of fun.

However, Jurassic World made the choice to not include any of the original cast members in the movie, except of course Dr Wu. Some were expecting Ian Malcolm or Alan Grant in a cameo perhaps at the end of the film, but the filmmakers made a bold choice to not include them. That’s not to say some of the original cast members won’t return for a future sequel as some have expressed their interest, but at this point it is seeming unlikely.

Where do you think Dr Alan Grant is now? How would you like to see him return in a sequel? Let us know in the comments section below!

Source: Yahoo!, John Toner

Jurassic World the Exhibition coming to Philadelphia Nov. 25th, 2016!

It’s official (again)! Jurassic World the Exhibition will arrive in the US this November, its first stop: Philadelphia Pennsylvania. We exclusively announced the city as the next location back in March of this year, and it was later confirmed in July by its new home, the Franklin Institute. However, it seems their confirmation was a bit premature as yesterday the news was again announced ‘exclusively’ via USA Today.

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Currently residing in Melbourne Australia, Jurassic World the Exhibition is an innovative interactive tour like no other. Created by Imagine Exhibitions in partnership with Creature Technology Company, the exhibition takes you to Isla Nublar, and face to face with numerous dinosaur species via life sized animatronics. Check out our video walk-through of the Australian version of the tour (Spoiler warning!), or read on to see what’s new.

While details are scarce, our understanding is the the experience has continued to evolve behind the scenes in preparation of its debut in the United States.  Tweaks to make the experience more immersive as well as flow comfortably in its new home have been made (such as climbing through a log to first see the Indominus). New attractions such as the ‘Raptor Training Paddock’ have been confirmed by the ‘Philly Voice’, and it seems reasonable to expect other surprises as well. Our guess: perhaps some props from the films can make an appearance alongside, or the Jurassic World VR experience resurrected.

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Of course, with something this cool happening it only makes sense for fans to try to arrange an official meetup! Stay tuned, as we’re hoping to arrange something like that for the upcoming debut.. we’ll be sure to share more as plans become formally fleshed out.

Are you excited for Jurassic World the Exhibition, and are there any changes or additions you’d like to see at the tour? Sound off in the comments below, and stay tuned for the latest news!

Source: The Franklin Institute

Review: Hasbro Jurassic World ‘Hybrid Rampage’ Indominus Rex

The fearsome hybrid Indominus Rex is terrifying and unpredictable. Born in captivity, she on the loose stalking her prey. Watch out! She’s rampaging across Jurassic World!

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Hasbro’s Jurassic World ‘Hybrid Rampage’ Indominus Rex is now appearing in stores and online, retailing at $34.99. This is a brand new sculpt, and was first shown off at Toy Fair 2016. Measuring 22 inches long, she is actually about 2 inches larger than the 2015 ‘Bad Boy’ Indominus Rex. She features articulated legs, left arm lever activated ‘Chomping Jaws’ & ‘Fang Reveal’,  button activated ‘Spike Reveal’, and a free to move articulated right arm. Plus, she’s electronic and features numerous different roaring sounds! What’s not to love?

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The first thing that stands out about this toy to me is its clean, crisp white coloration. While it has a tendency to wash out in photos a bit, it really pops and looks fantastic on the toy. The color scheme shines with the addition of the clearly defined reddish orange striping patterns running the length of her head and body, applied with a mildly metallic sheen. Her underbelly, hands, and feet are painted with an incredibly metallic gold paint – it looks really good in my opinion, but could have used better blending work. The orbital and fenstra sockets are filled with a dark, brownish purple paint which gives her face a sinister and skull like appearance. The eyes are nicely detailed, conveying a mean look, and featuring four different colors. The inside of the mouth is painted a solid, flat dark purple, and the teeth a cream color – sadly the claws are unpainted.

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The detail work on the sculpt is really great, and captures the Indominus Rex fantastically – albeit with larger, more stylized spikes. The teeth, claws, scutes, spikes and other finer details are all shaped very nicely, while still lending themselves to safe play. The skin detail feels very hand crafted, with each scale and scute inter-playing with the muscle and skeletal structure – something most Jurassic World toys were severely lacking. Unfortunately, the right flank of the toy features six visible screw holes, however these are far less offensive than those seen in prior releases. The biggest issue with the sculpt is the feet. While they look great, they are not proportioned for the weight of the toy, leading to major balance issues (surely to frustrate both kids and collectors).

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The toy is made out of hard plastic which is fairly lightweight. It doesn’t feel as cheap as generic toys offered by competitors, though its lightness does feel quite strange for a Jurassic Park toy and gives a sense of added fragility. The sound quality sits at a nice middle ground, neither too loud nor too quiet. The sounds can accidentally activate in play, as the jaw hinge is loose and can open and close from momentum rather easily. Otherwise, the sounds are activated by the spike reveal button on her left flank, and the ‘chomping jaw’ activation via her left arm.

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The spike reveal works rather nicely – one firm push of the button, and they pop out and stay in place. Another push, and they recede back into the neutral pose. The chomping mechanism is a lot of fun – when it works. It has a tendency to get stuck, and not complete its activation without further nudging of the arm. Ideally, the arm is pulled back, and upon release it resets and activates a randomized amount of chomping motions (up to 14), plus different roars. It’s quite cool when it works, but I worry that so many reports of it being faulty straight out of the package may lead to complete brokenness via casual play.

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The toy sizes nicely compared to the rest of the Jurassic World lineup, and Jurassic Park toys of the past. This toy has notably more size to it (helped by better proportions) than other large offerings from the 2015 range, and is quite eye catching. Not only is it longer that the previous large Indominus Rex, it stands taller at the hips, and is wider overall. Its head and arms are lightly smaller, and legs slightly larger, but all look more natural. Honestly, this is the perfect sized toy.

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Overall, this is easily my favorite toy from the Jurassic World lineup, and is the first that looks at home next to past Jurassic Park items. I really dig the sculpt, colors, play features and sounds – but am certainly bummed by the quality control issues on the chomping mechanism, plus item balance. For a collector it’s frustrating, but for a parent it’s a nightmare and for a child, a letdown. However, overall this toy skews positive in my eyes – and it’s important not to forget that target audience:

 

(Used with permission)

If that adorable video doesn’t prove this toy is a must buy, I don’t know what will. Should future releases have the chomping gimmick fixed, and feature better balance it’s a near perfect toy. Hopefully the QA issues are short lived, as this overall is something special (in fact, it also may be the last big Dinosaur from Hasbro as Mattel is taking ownership in late 2017). If those issues did not exist, I would note the room for improvement in the gold paint blending, and perhaps continuation of the red stripes to the tail.

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6~8 / 10

(Based upon variable balance & chomping activation experiences)Recommended for collectors and parents/kids, but we wary of bad balance and faulty chomping features! Want more? Check out the additional photos below!!

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New Jada Toys 1:24th scale Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler!

Jada Toys recently revealed via Instagram that the previously teased 1:24th scale Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler would be released this fall. While they have yet to post anything to their website yet, eBay store ‘Minineopet‘ has seemingly gotten the items in stock, giving us our first look! Take a look at the images below!

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The 1:24th Jeep Wrangler measures 7 in (17.8 cm) long, and features rotating wheels, plus an opening hood and doors. This is an accurate representation of the 1992 Jeep Wrangler featured in the film, which is a first – the previous 1:43 scale Die Cast from Jada was not an entirely accurate model like so. The final retail price has yet to be officially revealed, but will likely be between $14.99~$19.99.

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Interestingly, the toy features Jurassic Park Jeep #12 which Dennis Nedry drove, and was not featured in Jurassic World (like #29). That perhaps makes the usage of the same Jurassic World merchandise packaging with that ugly generic looking Tyrannosaurus a pinch confusing, as something more closely themed with the first film would feel at home. Either way, this a piece fans and collectors have wanted for years, and it’s great to see it finally come to fruition!

Things have been fairly quiet lately, but this is just the calm before the storm. Jurassic World 2 begins filming around February of 2017, and news is sure to begin flowing soon. Further, Jurassic World the Exhibition comes to the US in November of this year, first stop Philadelphia PA!

As always, stay tuned for the latest news and sound off in the comments below!

Source: eBay (thanks to Baptiste Coudert for the heads up!)

New Michael Crichton novel ‘Dragon Teeth’ will be published next May

HarperCollins have acquired the rights to publish Michael Crichton’s third posthumous novel – entitled ‘Dragon Teeth’ in May. According to Variety, who first reported the news, Dragon Teeth is described as a “fictional recounting of the actual rivalry between paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh during “The Bone Wars” of the 1870s.”

“The story unfolds through the adventures of a young fictional character named William Johnson who is apprenticed first to one, then to the other and not only makes discoveries of historic proportion, but transforms into an inspiring hero only Crichton could have imagined,” the publisher said.

“Known for his meticulous research, Crichton uses Marsh and Copes’ heated competition during the ‘Bone Wars’ — the golden age of American fossil hunting — as the basis for a thrilling story set in the wilds of the American West.”

Michael Crichton, who wrote Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Prey, Congo, Sphere, passed away in 2008. After his unfortunate passing, a number of manuscripts were discovered on his computer, the first being ‘Pirate Latitudes’, which was published in 2009. The second was ‘Micro’, which was finished by Richard Preston and released in 2011.

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This is the third manuscript to be discovered and was found by his widow, Sherri, who said:

“When I came across the ‘Dragon Teeth’ manuscript in the files, I was immediately captivated. It has Michael’s voice, his love of history, research and science all dynamically woven into an epic tale.”

There is no official date set for publication, but HarperCollins announced that it was hit the shelves in May of 2017.

It is interesting to note that another manuscript was found, with the potential for more. It makes you wonder if Crichton ever dabbled with something in the universe of Jurassic Park. A potential sequel to The Lost World… one can dream. I do recall an old video interview where he mentioned a novel he was writing, which “Jurassic” fans would enjoy. That very likely became Dragon Teeth, but again, one can dream. If anybody recalls that interview or even has it – please get in touch!

It’s great that Michael Crichton’s work continues to entertain and thrill readers, and that there is more to come! His writing is incredibly detailed, unique, and most of all entertaining. His work continues to inspire, and we really have him to thank for opening up the world of Jurassic Park.

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Have you read any of Michael Crichton’s novels aside from Jurassic Park and The Lost World? I personally loved Prey, and Micro was thrilling. Sphere was also great. Be sure to let us know in the comments section below and as always, make sure you’re following our Twitter and Facebook pages for super speedy news.

Source: Variety

IDW to publish Jurassic World comics in 2017!

Universal Pictures may not have a panel at San Diego Comic Con 2016, but their licensing partners do and we just got a megaton: IDW Comics will produce and publish Jurassic World comics for 2017! Information is scarce, but Bleeding Cool has the details from the panel:

IDW Jurassic Park cover art, circa 2009
IDW Jurassic Park cover art, circa 2009

“[IDW] to return to Jurassic Park with Jurassic World comics (…) based on the recent remake movie, and scheduled for 2017.

It’s too early to state creative teams. But not too early to state that there will be no feathers.”

Finally! It’s long overdue, but I’m thrilled to learn comics are inbound. The concept of the Jurassic franchise adopting an expanded canon is incredibly exciting, and I cannot wait to see how the story evolves. Here’s hoping hoping for some complex and nuanced stories coupled with kick-ass artwork.

That said, it always bugs me when the Jurassic Park franchise brags about abandoning feathers. Not all Dinosaurs were feathered, but plenty were, and that’s not a bad thing. With the right art direction feathers on some new species to the franchise could look killer. Plus, adhering to modern science (with creative liberties) and depicting the dinosaurs as animals rather than monsters is a Jurassic Park staple.

Be sure to check back for updates on this, in case more information arises from the panel. Are you excited for some new Jurassic fiction to digest? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Bleeding Cool

Chronicle Collectibles unveil impressive Jurassic Park & World lineup at SDCC

It’s taken 26 years, but we finally have a huge lineup of high end collectibles based around the Jurassic franchise coming out. Chronicle Collectibles has spared no expense bringing the franchise to life, and they’re showing it off in full force at San Diego Comic Con 2016. Start saving up and find a second job, because there is no way to pass any of this up!

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Thanks to Steven Ray Morris on Twitter, we have pictures of their booth! On display from old to new (with links to item pages for previously announced products included):

Wow! We’re gonna need a bigger collecting display. Yes, you read that right – we’re finally getting an accurate Alan Grant figure. If you’re familiar with ‘Hot Toys’ then you know what to expect from the Owen and Alan figures – if not, hit google and prepare to be awed (and broke). Check out the 1:6th Alan Grant + Owen Grady, and more below!

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Stay tuned, as we will add more details and pictures to this article as they become available!

Be sure to listen to our latest podcast below where we interview Paul Francis, the Co-Founder and Art Director at Chronicle Collectibles:

Thanks again to Steven Ray Morris for the pictures!

Mattel will take over the Jurassic World license from Hasbro in late 2017

Mattel will now be the exclusive toy maker for Jurassic Park and World action figures. This is following yesterday’s news that Hasbro was unable to come to a new agreement with Universal Pictures for the Jurassic toy line. Hasbro has been the license holder for Jurassic Park since the first films toys hit shelves in 1992. Read the press release below!

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif., July 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Building on an ever-expanding list of strategic collaborations with many of the world’s best-known entertainment companies, Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) today announced that it has been awarded worldwide master toy licensee for Jurassic World beginning in July 2017. Under the terms of the deal, Mattel will design, produce and bring to market a wide variety of toys and consumer products inspired by the franchise and its multiple feature films, including the highly-anticipated next film, set for release in 2018.

“We are honored that NBCUniversal chose Mattel to help bring the Jurassic World brand to life, and we look forward to developing multiple new lines of innovative, engaging toys and products,” said Chris Sinclair, Mattel’s Chairman and CEO. “Spanning three decades of sustained worldwide popularity, few entertainment properties have so successfully captured the collective imagination of millions of fans around the world, and we are delighted to be a part of this truly evergreen franchise.”

Mattel’s license rights include a wide variety of products, including (but not limited to) action figures, play-sets, vehicles, games, plush, role-play, preschool, and activity toys. Mattel and NBCUniversal will begin to design and develop new lines immediately, with initial products hitting shelves in early 2018.

“We are looking forward to collaborating with Mattel and broadening Jurassic World products worldwide. The appetite for the franchise globally is stronger than ever with consumers wanting more.  Mattel’s global support, creativity and category approach to expand our franchise makes them the best choice to partner with for this brand, bringing innovation, technology and a host of new ways to play,” said Vince Klaseus, President, NBCUniversal Brand Development. “Jurassic World is more than awe-inspiring blockbuster films, it’s a brand that has been reaching consumers for more than twenty years on everything from video games, toys and apparel, to theme park attractions and live events.  Our focus for the franchise is to continue to collaborate with best-in-class partners as we build and expand this iconic property into a mega-brand across our Universal platforms.”

This is uncharted territory for the Jurassic toy line. Hasbro has always owned the license, and Jurassic World 2 (w/t Ancient Futures) will be the first film without Hasbro toys. While the 2015 Jurassic World toys were a let down in quality and style, it’s uncertain if this new partnership will see the improvements the fans want.

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In my opinion, Mattel is a mixed bag of quality. Their DC toys look straight out of the 90’s, which may have a nostalgic appeal for some, but aren’t up to Hasbro outputs with most. However, their latest 6″ Ghostbusters series is pretty great – it’s comparable to thenStar Wars Black Series, but not quite as good in quality. My hope is that Mattel looks at Hasbro and Kenners past Jurassic Park offerings that fans enjoyed, and crafts a line that sits next to them comfortably without a notable change in style.

Want to learn more? We discuss this news in our latest podcast – listen below!

Stay tuned as the news keeps pouring in, and be sure to sound off in the comments below!

Source: PRnewswire

Breaking: Hasbro will lose the Jurassic Park license post 2017

Extinction is merciless, and it’s coming for the dinosaurs once again. Earlier today, Hasbro has announced they were unable to secure new deal with Universal Pictures for the Jurassic Park license and 2017 will be its final year producing items for the brand. CNBC covered the latest investors call, and reported the following:

The company, which makes a significant part of its revenue through licensed products, revealed that it would no longer handle “Jurassic Park” licensing after 2017 during its earnings conference call. Earlier, the company had posted quarterly profit and revenue that outpaced analyst estimates.

“We have had a many year relationship with Universal; we will no longer handle ‘Jurassic Park’ because they are unable to arrive at a mutually beneficial financial arrangement on that brand,” Brian Goldner, CEO of Hasbro, said during the call.

“Jurassic Park” was a headwind for the boys’ category in the latest quarter, and it would continue to have an impact into the third and fourth quarters, Goldner said.

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This is fairly depressing news. It’s no secret that Hasbro’s Jurassic World offerings were underwhelming, and a severe step down in quality compared to their past lineups. However, Hasbro has been the license holder since the original Jurassic Park (if you count them as Kenner due to their acquisition of the brand). I personally cannot think of another toy company out there capable of easily producing a toy line worthy of Jurassic Park’s action figure legacy.

While toy manufactures like NECA could do good things with the Jurassic brand for collectors, they would not create a line nearly as expansive as the past. This means removable dino-damage, vehicles, capture gear, and large, affordable electronic Tyrannosaurus Rex items are less certain going forward. Today’s news will mark a fairly large tonal shift for Jurassic toys, and it is likely the future lines will not be nearly as mainstream.

While Hasbro retains the Jurassic license up until the end of 2017, it is unclear if they will proceed with their plans of releasing toys. It is possible that both the 2016 ‘Dino Hybrids’ and 2017 ‘Raptor Squad’ line will see cancellations.

Update: Mattel is now in charge of the ‘Jurassic World’ license. Learn more!

Thanks to Brad Jost of the Jurassic Park Podcast for the heads up!

Source: CNBC, Wall Street Journal

Why has Universal Pictures splintered the Jurassic Park and World social media accounts?

Marketing can be a weird thing. Focus groups, key words, and target demographs are the typical forces that drive the decisions forward to making as big of a splash as possible. Our world today is ruled by social media: we want more stimulation faster, and if appropriate, in as an abbreviated format as possible. Because of this, platforms like Twitter thrive – the hyperfocus of a Tweet can capture attention with ease.

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It’s no surprise then that Twitter is an important social media tool in the film industry. It is used to unify the online community with an official focal point, which can then be shared and networked beyond through hundreds of thousands of followers. As such, keeping a growing brand like Jurassic Park and World – which has numerous unofficial fan sites and social media accounts – unified for marketing synergy only makes sense. While Jurassic World did change its name, effecting marketing and branding, it is still the fourth film in Jurassic Park series.

Up until today, the social media accounts reflected that: on Twitter the account handle was @JurassicPark but the ‘account name’ and imagery was for Jurassic World. It reflected that the franchise was one, and helped bring fans of classic to the new, and fans of the new to the classic. However, now Universal Pictures has made the inexplicable decision to split the handles to @JurassicPark and @JurassicWorld, splintering their following.

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Ultimately, this move unnecessarily confuses and dilutes the brand by splitting its potential followers in two. What happens if those following @JurassicPark still want news for the next film, but don’t realize the other account exists? Or perhaps an inverse scenario, where fans of the newest film would be interested in news about happenings revolving around the classic trilogy – however, they aren’t following the other account as its existence isn’t necessitated by common sense nor current marketing trends. And if they both share the same news, why split the accounts in the first place?

Jurassic World was the 4th highest grossing film of all time in the box office, making over $1.6 billion dollars worldwide. However, it only has 178,000 followers on Twitter – as opposed to Star Wars with 2.3million followers and Marvel with over 4 million. The Jurassic brands online presence does not nearly match its box office strength or recognition, and splitting the accounts will not help with its true potential in growth. Of course, to grow the social media accounts would require activity which also felt organic and genuine in tone; unmanufactured. As it stands now, they are neither.

It can be frustrating to be a fan of the Jurassic franchise. While as fans we are not owed anything (an inflated sense of entitlement can often lead to unwarranted toxicity between the studio and fandom), it’s easy to see the potential the brand has to excel, yet there is a palpable lack of enthusiasm – or perhaps confidence – from the studio to hit those marks. Some of the most frequent non-toy and non-videogame questions we receive from other fans are ‘Will there be a Jurassic World artbook?’, ‘Where are the Jurassic Park and World comics’ and ‘Will there be new movie canon tie-in novels?’. The opportunity to expand the fiction (and brand strength by association) into new territory is ripe, and utilizing the momentum Jurassic World presented is essential. Yet it’s radio silence, and minimal visible output abroad.

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However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Yes, the rant is over for the time being – lets talk the future, and what we can infer from the splitting of the accounts. First and foremost, ‘Jurassic Park’ is not dead. By giving @JurassicPark its own social media account it’s clear the classic trilogy will continue to see new merch and media going into the future – alongside the current Jurassic World film merch and media. With a slick new logo similiar to the current DVD offerings, which is quite different from the nostalgic original, it’s clear they’re utilizing brand imagery that is meant to operate with today’s trends.

As for Jurassic World: those who didn’t believe the title and branding were here to stay should reconsider. When the accounts split, one had to start anew while another would keep the existing followers. The handle @JurassicWorld was given the existing 178k followers, meaning it will be the brand and marketing powerhouse moving forward, @JurassicPark the niche. So yes, while we do not yet know the name of the fifth Jurassic movie, it will certainly include ‘Jurassic World’ as opposed to ‘Park’ or something entirely new.

Ultimately, it’s exciting to know that as we get closer to the release of the Jurassic World sequel, classic Jurassic Park will remain relevant. We’ve heard buzz that a toy line inspired by the classic Jurassic films could be targeting 2017 alongside ‘Raptor Squad’, and this seems to give it further legitimacy. While the splitting of the brands seems to be a convoluted misstep, it’s nice to see the Jurassic Park logo on social media once again.

As always, sound off in the comments below and stay tuned for the latest news!