Category: Jurassic Park

Seamus Blackley Reveals The Story Behind The Mysterious ‘Jurassic World’ Game Pitch Trailer & Its Inspirations For The Films

Posted on by Derrick Davis

Several years ago, a trailer was leaked on YouTube that featured a Quetzalcoatlus wreaking havoc on a beach. After flying around, it eventually snatches a surfer on the waves, taking him into the air, then crushing him with its beak. Its then joined by another Quetzalcoatlus, as they bond for a moment before going their separate ways.

For years, this trailer confused many people. It was originally said to be for an unreleased game, but others claimed it was for a movie-pitch. The strangest thing of all was its title: ‘Jurassic World’. Was this an inspiration for the film of the same namesake, or something else entirely?

To learn the story behind this trailer, we must, appropriately, go back in time.

“Trespasser- The Lost World: Jurassic Park” was released in 1998; an early PC experience that was advertised as “the evolution of first-person 3D gaming”. You played as Anne, voiced by Minnie Driver: a woman who just wanted to go on a vacation to escape from the drama of her life. Unfortunately, Anne got more than she bargained for when her plane crash-lands on Isla Sorna. Also known as “Site B” – the abandoned island that was once used by billionaire John Parker Hammond to experiment with the extraordinary science used to recreate extinct dinosaurs. His success becomes Anne’s folly, as she must traverse through the island’s dinosaur-infested ruins alone to find any hope of rescue. Her only company are Hammond’s memoirs, voiced by Lord Richard Attenborough, that are recalled as the island’s myth becomes a reality.

Seamus Blackley produced and programmed “Trespasser”, introducing realistic environments, physics, and artificial intelligence that were ahead of its time for the gaming industry. Unfortunately, release dates and budgets were pushed, cutting off the game from reaching its intended potential. This led to an incomplete experience when it was released, ridden with technical bugs and an engine that ran sluggish on the lackluster 90’s graphic cards. It became a critical and commercial flop, despite a dedicated fan-base that was mesmerized with what the game still achieved and went on to inspire.

Thankfully, Seamus made a massive comeback in 2001 when he created Microsoft’s “XBOX” gaming system. To this day, it is the only true rival against Sony’s “Playstation”, spawning many classic games including the “Halo” series.

Then, a decade later, Seamus had the unexpected chance to revisit what he had explored with “Trespasser”. He was tasked to make a “gaming sequel” to the first three Jurassic Park films. It led to the creation of concept art, detailed documents, and even a fully-completed “pitch trailer” that was shown to executives. Sadly, the game never got made. But its remains were not left to fossilize…

That trailer was, indeed, the one that leaked years ago. Thankfully, Seamus Blackley was kind enough to speak with Jurassic Time and finally tell the story behind the game and its inspirations on the upcoming film series.

Part One of the 3-part interview delves into the “Trials Of Trespasser”. Seamus goes into the details of that game’s inception, creation, and ultimate failure thanks to forces beyond his control with the studio. It’s an honest and dark look into the history of the game, but a necessary starting point to put the rest of his story in context. As he tells his story, footage of every level from the game plays to offer everyone a glimpse of the world he and his team created. Despite its flaws, it’s still impressive, even now.

In Part Two, Seamus reveals the “Origins Of Jurassic World”. What’s fascinating is that the origins of his unproduced ‘Jurassic Park’ game are also part of the origins of the ‘Jurassic World’ film series itself. Thanks to some extra sleuthing, Jurassic Time presents the game’s pitch trailer for the first time in HD, as well as some rare footage of the game’s early stages, and even some concept art. While Seamus tells it best, Steven Spielberg himself appointed him to come up with a game sequel to the original ‘Jurassic Park’ trilogy before a fourth film was truly underway. While great work was done that had been met with approval from everyone, including Spielberg when he saw the pitch trailer, its fate came before it got any further. Ownership in the company changed and focus on producing a game became dashed. Instead, the materials that had been made were carried over into the film’s production department for the fourth entry in the series. Various ideas clearly inspired the studio, including the title of the game itself: ‘Jurassic World’. Coincidence?

As a special bonus, the second part of the interview also has a brief appearance by his wife, Caroline Quinn. She was the art department coordinator for the original ‘Jurassic Park’, and she shares a brief story behind the film’s famous joke: Do-You-Think-He-Saurus! Included are several never-before-seen photographs.

The third and final part of the interview is where the gloves come off as Seamus delves into the “Remnants Of A Lost Jurassic World”. A story reel that was made of concept art from the game (featuring work by David Krentz, Iain McCaig, & Mishi McCaig) starts it off with a bang, leading into the reasons behind Seamus’s choice of the game’s protagonist: Billy Brennan from ‘Jurassic Park 3’. As pictured in all the artwork, Billy was meant to have a relationship with the raptors, and other dinosaurs, based on the same level of communication and respect that was seen in ‘Jurassic World’ with Owen and the “raptor squad”. The lead raptor also, just happens, to be “blue”. What’s awesome about the raptors in this game were that they were all feathered: an evolution of the creatures since we saw them in ‘Jurassic Park 3’, via DNA “correcting itself” on its own from generation to generation.

These revelations, and many more, can be found in the complete and extensive conversation with Seamus Blackley. While it is a shame that we never got this game, at least pieces of it lived on via the ‘Jurassic World’ trilogy. Owen’s relationship with the “raptor squad”, a prehistoric reptile attacking a surfer on the beach waves, and a Quetzalcoatlus wreaking havoc in the skies were among the many inspirations drawn from this unproduced game.

Do you still wish this game could be made today? What do you think about its connections and inspirations for the ‘Jurassic World’ trilogy? Share your thoughts below, and stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

‘Jurassic Park’ Soundtrack By John Williams Gets A New 2-CD Release!

Posted on by Derrick Davis

‘Jurassic Park’ has an earth-shattering music score that fans have never forgotten. The memorable themes expertly crafted by composer/conductor John Williams are filled with wonder, action, and intense horror that are forever engrained in our ears. Now, nearly 30 years after it was originally heard, the music score to the classic film gets a definitive release in a brand-new 2-CD set from La-La Land Records. But how definitive is it, and what sets it apart? To learn that, let’s have a little “history lesson.”

In 1993, the soundtrack was released on CD in the form of a 70-minute album via MCA records (also available on cassette and LP). This 1-CD release was assembled by John Williams himself, combining some cues together to form certain tracks, and arranging it all in his own personal sequence. There were some rather interesting decisions made in this arrangement. For example, the actual “End Credits” from the film happen in the middle of this album, titled as “Welcome To Jurassic Park.” Then at the end of the album the track titled “End Credits” is actually just the second half of the same cue. Why? We shall perhaps never know, but it is a very curious choice. While this album featured a large portion of the score it did leave off several cues that fans of the film sorely missed. But overall, it was a fantastic representation.

This same program was replicated in the year 2000 for a CD re-release of the score. It was included in a neat “Collector’s Edition” set with the films and soundtracks for ‘Jurassic Park’ & ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’. It featured unique cover art that mimicked the DVD release at the time.

Thankfully, in 2013, many of the missing cues from the score were introduced as bonus tracks for a digital-only 20th Anniversary Release by Geffen Records. Not only was this an expanded release, but it also featured a brand-new remaster. (Note: Mondo Records also did a limited-edition LP release of this remaster, sans the bonus tracks.) Several of the previously unreleased cues were combined (despite chronologically being from different scenes), and in some cases omitted the tail end of some of the music. These included the “T-Rex Chase”, when our favorite Rex goes after Ellie and the others in the Jeep; the “History Lesson” Tim gives Grant as they attempt to decide which tour car they want to go in; and Mr. DNA’s whimsical music as he is “Stalling Around” in his cartoon while explaining how they obtained dino-DNA. One of the most interesting additions was actually “Hungry Raptor,” which was the original version of the music for when Ellie is attacked by a raptor in the shed; followed by Muldoon’s death. In the film, only the middle portion of this cue is used, with the rest using music “tracked” from other scenes. Amusingly enough, the opening of the cue was first publicly heard during the end credits of the original ‘The Making Of ‘Jurassic Park” documentary that was narrated by James Earl Jones.

The 2013 release was a godsend for fans of the music score at the time. But just three years later, in 2016, La-La Land Records released a 2-CD expanded edition that was part of a 4-CD collection that had included John Williams’ score to ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ (also expanded and remastered for the first time). Using the source from the 2013 remaster, they did further mastering of their own (producing even better sound quality) while also going back to the original elements and providing every cue of the score for the very first time. This included Grant’s realization of “You Bred Raptors?”, Dennis Nedry’s “Race to the Dock” after the T-Rex gets out, and even a cue that was not heard in the film at all known as “The Saboteur.” That cue was meant to score the scene where Nedry is left at his messy workstation as the camera pans over to his inconspicuous Barbasol can. In presenting the complete score, the set also separates the unnaturally combined cues of both previous releases so they can be heard on their own for the first time, and without a single note being cut off or faded out. It also featured an extensive booklet detailing the making of both films and scores.

While many units of the 2016 set were produced, it did eventually go out of print. This led to second-hand sellers taking over the reins of offering this presentation of the score to people online, often selling for well over $100. While the 1993 Album remains in print and the 2013 digital-only expansion remains online, neither offer the perfect sound quality or the complete score that the 2016 release contains.

Now six years later, La-La Land Records returns with a brand-new 2022 re-release. Only this time, it is focusing on just ‘Jurassic Park,’ with some additional improvements to truly make this be the definitive release of the first score for the series:

La-La Land Records, Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Geffen Records present JURASSIC PARK, a limited 2-CD re-issue presentation of maestro John Williams’ (JAWS, STAR WARS, SCHINDLER’S LIST) original motion picture scores to the 1993 blockbuster JURASSIC PARK starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum and directed by Steven Spielberg. Williams’ monumental JURASSIC PARK score teems with thematic orchestral wonder and is celebrated as one of the composer’s most accomplished works. Produced, edited and mastered by Mike Matessino, (with fresh outputs of the 192k/24 bit master files utilized in our 2016 collection) this re-issue utilizes that material to re-create the original 1993 soundtrack album. This is featured on Disc 2 and is followed by the source music track “Stalling Around” (the composer’s homage to classic Warner Bros. cartoon music for Jurassic’s “Mr. DNA” sequence). Disc 1 showcases the entire main Score Presentation, which now includes, for the first time, the performances and mixes of “Journey To the Island” and “Dennis Steals The Embryo” as heard in the film. The 28-page CD booklet features liner notes by Matessino (adapted from our 2016 collection) and the new art design is by Jim Titus. This is a limited edition of 5000 Units.

As mentioned, having the film-version performances and mixes of both “Journey To The Island” and “Dennis Steals The Embryo” are quite special. Sometimes, the film performance or “version” of a cue can be different than what is presented on the released albums. In this case, neither had ever been heard before, apart from the film itself. In the film, and now on this new release, “Journey To The Island” features a bit of a faster and more timed tempo of the adventurous “Island Theme,” most notably a snappier pace when it transitions to the park visitors beginning their ride in the Jeeps. The moment for when the Brachiosaur appears is also now properly timed to how it is in the film, as well as later when the Jeeps begin their ride to the Visitor Center. “Dennis Steals The Embryo” fixes a mixing issue that has somehow always been present on every single release: the orchestra had been improperly mixed against the synth. Now it can be heard properly mixed, as it is in the film, for the very first time.

The inclusion of a rebuilt/remastered version of the 1993 Album is a nice addition on the second disc (where the Mr. DNA “source music” was decidedly put since it couldn’t fit on the first CD). Whatever qualms anyone may have had (such as myself) with that initial release, for many it is a bit nostalgic to hear the takes/mixes/editorial choices John Williams had created for it. In fact, for some fans of the score, the takes John Williams preferred for the album of certain cues are preferable to them as well! With this release, you get the best of both worlds by having it all together, and all sounding the best it ever has.

The booklet included in this release is very much the same as the one from the 2016 release, but of course only focuses on ‘Jurassic Park’ this time. The artwork and layout is a bit different as well, making it unique enough from the former release. There are some additional credits this time as well, including a special thanks to yours truly due to years of nerdy insight made on old forum posts (as well as Jurassic Outpost friend Bernard A. Kyer).

By far the most important aspect of this release isn’t what is new, but simply the fact that it is available again. Generations of old and new film score fans, and even those who would like to study such a masterful score as this, should have a comprehensive presentation that is accessible. As good as the previous releases were for their time, having every single cue available, and now different variations of them, is integral for preserving this important milestone of music.

If you have never purchased the music score to ‘Jurassic Park’ before, this release is a massive no-brainer. It is the definitive release, finally back in print and with some great new inclusions that bests every release that came before it. If you only have the 1993 Album or the digital 2013 release, I can promise you that this is still worth getting. It’s presented in a much better way, and with much better sound. For those that have the 2016 CD set paired with ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’… I can understand skipping this. There may not be enough to fully justify shelling out more money for it again, but that will just depend on who you are.

Since this is my favorite music score of all time, to my favorite film of all time… the choice was pretty easy. This new edition is a must-have. And who knows, perhaps ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ will be similarly visited down the line? Maybe even ‘Jurassic Park 3’? We can only hope!

But don’t just take my word for it. Listen to some of the clips for yourself below! Then, be sure to order your copy today from La-La Land Records!

TRACK LISTING (with select sound clips):

CD 1

SCORE PRESENTATION

1 Opening Titles :37

2 Incident at Isla Nublar (Film Version) 2:23

3 The Encased Mosquito 1:16

4 Entrance of Mr. Hammond 1:09

5 Journey to the Island (Film Version) 8:54

6 Hatching Baby Raptor (Film Version) 2:04

7 You Bred Raptors? :40

8 The History Lesson (Film Version) 1:33

9 Jurassic Park Gate 2:05

10 Goat Bait 2:26

11 The Saboteur :47

12 Ailing Triceratops 2:37

13 The Coming Storm (Film Version) 1:26

14 Dennis Steals the Embryo (Film Version) 5:04

15 Race to the Dock 1:18

16 The Falling Car and The T-Rex Chase 4:59

17 A Tree for My Bed 2:13

18 Remembering Petticoat Lane 2:49

19 My Friend, the Brachiosaurus(Film Version) 1:51

20 Life Finds a Way 1:27

21 System Ready :50

22 To the Maintenance Shed 4:13

23 High Wire Stunts 4:10

24 Hungry Raptor 2:10

25 The Raptor Attack 2:50

26 T-Rex Rescue and Finale 7:43

27 Welcome to Jurassic Park (Film Version) 7:58

Total Time Disc 1: 77:44

CD 2

1993 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

1 Opening Titles :36

2 Theme From Jurassic Park 3:27

3 Incident at Isla Nublar 5:22

4 Journey to the Island 8:55

5 The Raptor Attack 2:50

6 Hatching Baby Raptor 3:22

7 Welcome to Jurassic Park 7:57

8 My Friend, the Brachiosaurus 4:18

9 Dennis Steals the Embryo 5:03

10 A Tree for My Bed 2:13

11 High Wire Stunts 4:10

12 Remembering Petticoat Lane 2:49

13 Jurassic Park Gate 2:05

14 Eye to Eye 6:35

15 T-Rex Rescue and Finale 7:43

16 End Credits 3:27

BONUS

17 Stalling Around 2:41

Total Time Disc 2: 73:35

Are you going to get this new release? What’s your favorite cue from this soundtrack? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

San Diego Comic-Con 2022 – Everything Jurassic You Need to Know!

Posted on by Caleb Burnett

Jurassic Outpost is heading to San Diego Comic-Con 2022! We hope to see you there, but even if you’re enjoying the news and festivities from afar, we’ve got everything you need to know for everything Jurassic and dinosaur-related at this year’s con!

JURASSIC-RELATED:

‘Jurassic World: The Ultimate Pop-Up’ Author Matthew Reinhardt with Insight Editions

7/21/2022 | 2:00 PM | Booth #2135

Join Insight Editions on Thursday to meet authors including Ashley Eckstein, Matthew Reinhart, Jenn Fujikawa, and more. Insight Editions CEO Raoul Goff, VP of Licensing & Partnerships Vanessa Lopez, and VP & Editorial Director Vicki Jaeger will also be on hand and make themselves available to chat. There will also be sneak peeks of incredible new pop culture products from Matthew Reinhart’s new Insight Editions imprint Reinhart Pop-Up Studio!

Toys Find A Way: Behind the Scenes and Screams of Jurassic World Dinosaur Design

7/22/2022 | 11:00 AM-12:00 PM | Booth #3029

The Mattel Jurassic World Design Team will take fans behind the curtain of creating the toys based on dinosaurs from Jurassic World: Dominion. Designers Rafael Bencosme, Chandra Hicks, Greg Murphy, and Nikolai Dryuchin will be on hand for a Q&A, first-ever product reveals, trivia, and giveaways!

The Science of Jurassic World

7/22/2022 | 6:00-7:00 PM | Grand 12 & 13, Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

In the Jurassic World movies, the dinosaurs get from the island park to our cities and wilderness. Scientists who are fans of the franchise explore the real-world science of bringing dinosaurs back to life and letting them loose. What do the films get right and wrong about these extinct creatures? What are the technical challenges and ethical considerations of re-creating and genetically tinkering with different species? What is the impact of introducing megafauna into different environments? Once dinos are loose, what rights do they have to survive? Does life really find a way? This team of scientists includes paleontologist Stuart Sumida (technical consultant, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Camp Cretaceous), herpetologist Earyn McGee (Find That Lizard), conservation biologist Sam Wynns, cell and developmental biologist Claire Meaders, paleontologist Gabriel Santos, and geneticist, ecologist, and sci-fi author J. Dianne Dotson (Questrison Saga). Moderated by James Floyd (podcast host, Star Wars-ologies; regular freelance contributor, Star Wars Insider magazine).

Production Design: The Jurassic Park Saga: A Design 65 Million Years in the Making

7/23/2022 | 4:30-5:30 PM | Room 29CD

It’s the end of a Jurassic era. From the world it takes place in (the sets), to the creatures, vehicles, props and so much more, the production design is what makes the words on the page come to life on screen. The process begins with the vision of the production designer and continues with hours of research, and months of collaboration with the director, cinematographer, and an army of art department and visual effects artists. The Art Directors Guild brings you some of the foremost designers who have worked on the six-film Jurassic Park saga to share their processes, techniques, and experiences. Panelists include Doug Meerdink (Jurassic World, Jurassic Park 3), Stefan Dechant (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park), Ed Verreaux (Jurassic Park III, Jurassic World), John Bell (Jurassic Park), and Lauren Polizzi (The Lost World: Jurassic Park). Moderated by Michael Allen Glover (Station 11, The Alienist: Angel of Darkness).

Musical Anatomy of a Superhero: Film & TV Composer Panel hosted by Jurassic World franchise composer Michael Giacchino

7/21/2022 | 11:00 AM-12:00 PM | Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Composers Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Natalie Holt (Batgirl, Loki), Nami Melumad (Thor: Love and Thunder), Christophe Beck (Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania), Amie Doherty (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), and moderator Michael Giacchino (The Batman, Thor: Love and Thunder, Spiderman: No Way Home) discuss the challenges of creating the musical landscape of the superhero genre and explain the process through unreleased music and video clips from upcoming and recently released projects. Music has always played an important supporting character in films and TV. This is especially evident in the superhero genre, where the music clearly sets the tone that defines a character, an impending battle, or a triumphant moment. Introductions by Ray Costa (producer, Costa Communications).

DINOSAUR-RELATED OR NON-JURASSIC-RELATED:

Dinotopia: Reborn

7/21/2022 | 7:30-8:30 PM | Room 10

Dinotopia, the hugely popular, critically acclaimed series based on James Gurney’s bestselling books, is currently running on Crackle. While fans thought the show had gone extinct, a new series is in the works. Producer Jordan Kerner (Clifford the Big Red Dog, Smurfs) and Matt Loze (president of scripted entertainment & production at Halcyon Studios) offer sneak peeks and discuss the new adaptation of this beloved series. Moderated by Chris Woolsey (senior director of communications, Crackle Plus).

Stay tuned for more information, and follow Jurassic Outpost for all Jurassic updates from SDCC!

Jurassic World Dominion’s EPIC BATTLE PACK™ Set Launches on Beyond The Gates

Posted on by Jack

Jurassic World Dominion is here, and Mattel have flooded stores with many toys from the new Jurassic movie. Last month on the show we debuted a Legacy Collection favorite, but this month’s episode of Beyond The Gates mixes things up as we unveil the ultimate Dominion set: the EPIC BATTLE PACK!

In this episode of the show we are joined with Mattel’s mastermind and head legend Rafael Bencosme, who discusses the three dinosaurs development and how the designers worked with the team at Industrial Light & Magic to bring these toys to life!

Lead visual effects supervisor from ILM David Vickery walks us through the intricate process of designing Jurassic World dinosaurs – you won’t want to miss this!

This episode is full of behind the scenes from Dominion!

Be sure to take a deeper look at the making of this wonderful set by checking out the episode now, and if you haven’t already, head to Target.com to pre-order this exclusive set!

There’s more very exciting items coming to Beyond The Gates, stay tuned!

REVIEW: ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’

Posted on by Jurassic Outpost

The following is a guest article contributed by Ruann Jovinski of ‘Jurassic Park 4.4’ first published in Portuguese and now translated to English. The review is largely spoiler-free, however small spoilers to follow:

—

Last Friday myself and a bunch of fans were invited by Universal Pictures to a very special event in São Paulo, Brazil – a visit to the Iron Studio’s owned Jurassic Park Burger restaurant, a screening of ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ (we even got JP tattoos for free, but that’s another story).

Before the movie started, we got to see the trailer for ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’, which was then followed by a very short segment were two minions were confronted by their own version of Rexy.

From there is where the fun began.

Jurassic World Dominion opens with an exposition heavy “Now This” news montage that catches the audience up to speed on how dinosaurs are now free to roam the world and introduces the mega-corporation BioSyn. While one would expect it to be exciting and primarily set up BioSyn, it mostly serves as a Fallen Kingdom recap rather than a striking or needed introduction to the film. This segment feels odd, but thankfully the movie soon finds much sturdier footing:  from there we are introduced to two different storylines that have much more in common than we are initially led to believe.

This movie brings back the classic Jurassic Park characters in a huge way, driven by Ellie Sattler. Likewise, the Jurassic World characters are trying to make their peace with the world they helped create as well as take care of Maisie Lockwood – the clone girl who they essentially illegally “adopted “after the events of Fallen Kingdom. 

Dominion brings us to a whole new world with many different set pieces and concepts that have never before been seen in the Jurassic franchise. From the snowy mountains of Sierra Nevada to the populated streets of the island Malta and the dense BioSyn Valley in situated within the Dolomite Mountains of Italy.  Dinosaurs are free in our world, trying to survive, and humans are adapting to this ever changing set of circumstances. We see illegal trafficking of dinosaurs in black markets, and what happens when dinosaurs wreak havoc in city streets. This is a whole new Jurassic World.

The movie is far from perfect – the plot is bloated, the pacing is horribly rushed, and many of the characters feel slightly out of key – but at least in my humble opinion it is much better than the two previous entries. ‘Dominion’ revisits Jurassic Park’s Techno-Thriller roots diving into the power of genetics like we have never seen before and some of the plots points are for sure something we could easily have seen in Crichton’s work. 

I was thrilled and extremely happy to see Dr Alan Grant and Dr Ellie Sattler’s shenanigans throughout the film, interacting with another another, other characters, and of course dinosaurs. The chemistry between Sam Neill and Laura Dern is strong as ever. Jeff Goldblum as Dr Ian Malcolm is another great win – this movie really belongs to the classic Jurassic Park cast. 

Outside of the classic characters, the newcomers are also great: standouts would be DeWanda Wise’s “Kayla Watts”, Mamoudou Athie’s “Ramsay”, Campbell Scott’s “Lewis Dodgson”, Isabella Sermon’s “Maisie”. Of course, BD Wong’s Dr. Henry Wu is also back and he’s better than ever. Yes, Dr Wu does get a meatier role and a stronger arch this time – something much overdue. Bryce Dallas Howard gets to flex her muscles as Claire both physically and emotionally as we are presented with a more sentimental and even haunted version of the character. Chris Pratt brings nothing new to Owen – he’s pretty much the same as the last two films, however played a little more seriously and doesn’t lean into out of place levity during serious scenes like in Fallen Kingdom.

As for the dinosaurs, Dominion brings some incredibly new additions to the franchise in the form of the territorial Therizinosaurus, the menacing Giganotosaurus, the tiny Moros and the vicious Atrociraptors. We also get to see some old friends like the venom spitting Dilophosaurus – which feel like a throwback to 80’s films more than Jurassic Park. The Pyroraptor is another standout, though sadly virtually every moment of its scene is in the trailer – this one was criminally underused and it’s insane Dr. Alan Grant never meets it. That would have been a full circle moment to his Velociraptors are birds speech in Jurassic Park.

As I said before the movie is not without it’s flaws, which comes in form of some very odd creative decisions, the lack of crucial dialogue to better explain some of the plot points (this movie often feels like a sequel to a movie we never got) and what I thought were the worst offenders – The animatronics. Yes, there are many (many!) animatronics in this movie and they all ended up looking very rubbery and stiff, looking more like Dark Crystal or Star Wars creatures than the living breathing animals Stan Winston Studio created. Perhaps this is in part the fault of the way they were filmed – but I really thought most (if not all) should have been touched up with CGI, especially the Microceratus.

The soundtrack is quite fun and has its moments, but I also feel Giacchino could have used more of the original themes – after all this movie is the “epic conclusion” of the entire saga and the return of the original characters, which comes with certain thematic expectations.

In general I can say I really enjoyed ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ and I had a great time and I just can’t wait to see it again. It has the flaws of the first two Jurassic World films, but BioSyn driven plot line and return of the classic characters really elevates the fun. It’s hard not to have certain expectations – this was meant to be the close of a series of stories that began in 1993 but ultimately just feels like another sequel. I wish the movie was longer as it needed to flesh out the story and characters, be less choppy, and build more believable stakes. Likewise some of the effects, both practical and CGI, needed more work – it’s unfortunate that some of the CG is  weak considering how long they had to work on the film (Blue and Beta are a large offender here).

Ultimately this movie left me wanting more – both in good and bad ways –  but most of all good. And thankfully, Dominion is not the end, but a brand new beginning. More will come, and the movie makes that clear.

Stay tuned, as more of our team sees the movie and are allowed to publish reviews new review articles will be added!

The Lost World: Jurassic Park – 25th Anniversary!

Posted on by Caleb Burnett

Happy 25th Anniversary to Jurassic Park‘s first sequel: The Lost World: Jurassic Park! This film brought Dr. Ian Malcolm back to us and gave us some of the most beautiful and action-packed moments of the entire Jurassic franchise. From the mysterious Isla Sorna and its wild velociraptors to a rampaging T. rex in San Diego, The Lost World delivers so much incredible dinosaur action and Jurassic lore to viewers. Ian, Dr. Sarah Harding, Kelly Malcolm, Roland Tembo, Nick Van Owen, and so many others are characters that Jurassic fans will always know and love in a film that stands the test of time in so many ways. We at Jurassic Outpost could talk about this film for a very long time, but for now you can read the thoughts of a few of our staff and continue celebrating The Lost World with us below:

Josh Evans

I feel like I was born at one of the best times possible to be able to enjoy the Jurassic film franchise from the very beginning. At 8 years old in the Summer of 1993 I lived in the theaters seeing Jurassic Park over and over again. Imagine finding out shortly after that a sequel to the film I loved so much was going to be coming out. I was the dorky kid that cut out The Lost World logo from one of the Kenner toy boxes and taped it to my school daily calendar so I could count down the days. I will also never forgot my oldest brother taking me to the local Thursday midnight showing before release. While The Lost World is not my favorite of the sequels, it will always hold a special part in my memories as a child. The giant redwoods and the different look the filmmakers gave Isla Sorna is still one of the most beautiful visuals of the entire series. Also, who doesn’t love a T. rex family instead of just one!

Derrick Davis

Me and The Lost World: Jurassic Park have a weird relationship. As a fan of the original film, when I first saw this sequel in the theater I actually didn’t like it! I think kid-Derrick expected to go back to Isla Nublar, find out what happened to the dinosaurs there and see the ruins of the Visitor Center (something that would finally happen in Jurassic World). However, instead we went to some other island and saw ruins of things we had never seen before. I also was ready to finally see pteranodons, only to have one cameo at the very last moment of the film (luckily we would see a lot more of them in Jurassic Park 3). As a kid, not having these wishes fulfilled led to an utter disappointment of the entire film. But the merchandise was amazing… leading to a PC game tied to the film called Trespasser – The Lost World: Jurassic Park that explored Isla Sorna in great detail, aided with narration from John Hammond himself. Playing that game, and exploring Sorna on my own while hearing more about it from Hammond, led to a new appreciation for The Lost World. And ever since then, I’ve loved it. It’s a dark, intense thrill ride of a movie with incredible atmosphere and an amazing musical score by John Williams that is one of my favorites. It’s likely the darkest the franchise will ever be from the masterful filmmaker who began the franchise. And Kelly Malcolm literally kicks ass.

Jack De La Mare

I grew up loving The Lost World as much as Jurassic Park and that is still true today. To date, there is no greater sequel than The Lost World. How can you not love it? I’ve heard it’s actually Spielberg’s favorite movie. Who knows?

Caleb Burnett

Though one or two others may come close, The Lost World: Jurassic Park has always been my favorite sequel to Jurassic Park. Since I was very young I have always adored how it ups the ante of dinosaur action, brings new locations and dark moods to the table, and continues the story of Ian Malcolm and the Jurassic franchise in such a unique way. Not to mention the incredible and distinctly unique musical score that accompanies all of this. This film will always be my go-to for an escape from daily life. Steven Spielberg, John Williams, and every actor and crew member involved with this film created something eternally special to so many.

We couldn’t be happier to celebrate 25 years of The Lost World: Jurassic Park.

What do you think of this film? How are you celebrating its 25th anniversary? Let us know in the comments below!

New Hammond Collection Drops in Beyond The Gates Episode 5: Dr. Alan Grant, Ceratosaurus & Triceratops

Posted on by Jack

The Ceratosaurus from Jurassic Park 3 has made it to the Hammond Collection! Joining the two dinosaurs unveiled in the first episode of season 2, this Isla Sorna carnivore was designed by Mattel using concept art and references from artists such as Erich Rigling who brought this dinosaur to life back in 2001.

Last month we debuted the Dr. Sarah Harding & Stegosaurus Figure Pack which featured unique packaging and the first-ever baby Stegosaurus in toy form. Today, alongside the Ceratosaurus, the Triceratops and Dr. Alan Grant from Jurassic Park join this exciting Mattel toyline!

These items really shine in the Hammond Collection, and in this episode of Beyond the Gates we discuss the design of these toys with the mastermind himself, Gregory Murphy.

This episode is also joined by Stan Winston School’s Shannon Shea, who’s voice through archive material guides us through the original paint job featured on the Triceratops, which designer Gregory matched with the deco on the toy.

Be sure to take a deeper look at the making of this wonderful set by checking out the episode now, and if you haven’t already, head to Target.com to pre-order this exclusive set!

There’s more very exciting items coming to Beyond The Gates, stay tuned!

‘Jurassic Park’ Production Designer Rick Carter’s Immersive Art Exhibit Is Now Open!

Posted on by Derrick Davis

Rick Carter was the production designer of ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’, among many other classic films from the ‘Back To The Future’ sequels to ‘Avatar’. Now, immerse yourself in Rick’s visually-stunning mind with ESMoA’s new art exhibit: ‘TIME’.

“TIME, a project by artist and production designer Rick Carter, is an immersive collage that contemplates the concept of time. The exhibition features paintings, drawings, and collages by Carter along with photographs, movie memorabilia, and additional works by eight other artists who were invited to participate.”

Rick Carter further explains:

“Over the past five decades as an artist and film production designer, I am frequently immersed in the realizations of visual concepts. […] This experience at ESMoA provides the opportunity to explore with younger LA-based artists the legacy of my artistic career as both a painter and visual collaborator with movie directors.”

Last weekend I attended a special advance preview of the exhibit, and it was quite extraordinary to see it in person! After being a fan of his production design in films for so many years, it was unique and exhilarating to be in a representation of his vast mind. Below is a gallery that features just a taste of what this exhibit is like.

For fans of ‘Jurassic Park’, there are various interpretations by other artists that are beautiful and engaging. Such highlights include art by Jacori “Aiseborn” Perry that feature a raptor running towards the gates of ‘Jurassic Park’ and a Triceratops hatchling!

There is also a myriad of work by Rick Carter himself, of course; straight from his own production files. This includes a special area at one end of the exhibit where a portion of the wall features several key items that have never been seen before. Unique collages of Jurassic Park’s Visitor Center and pencil sketches done on napkins create an early look into what would eventually be realized on the screen. A glass case at the center of this section displays a miniature Velociraptor model created by Stan Winston’s team. This detailed creation is clearly a cherished item in Rick’s collection that everyone can appreciate.

Left Side, Top to Bottom: Rick Carter’s actual crew badge, a collage concept for the Visitor Center, and a series of sketches done with pen on napkins depicting early layouts of the Visitor Center (and Hammond perhaps?). Center: Stan Winston Studios Raptor model from Rick’s collection. Right Side, Top to Bottom: Another Visitor Center collage concept, café mural collage concept, and DNA collage concept.

One of the coolest things for a ‘Jurassic Park’ fan to see is the mural Rick created that is actually featured in the film’s cafe; most iconically during Richard Attenborough’s portrayal of John Hammond as he tells his ‘Petticoat Lane’ story to Laura Dern’s Ellie Sattler. It was inspired by Pablo Picasso’s Guernica!

Another neat treat is an illustration of a Tyrannosaurus Rex made in 1990 (the first year of pre-production for ‘Jurassic Park’). It is credited to both Rick Carter and his daughter Amee Carter.

However, ‘Jurassic Park’ is just one of many films that Rick Carter was part of that the exhibit showcases. Other artifacts and artistic depictions include ‘Avatar’, ‘The Polar Express’, the ‘Back To The Future’ sequels, ‘Cast Away’, ‘What Lies Beneath’, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, ‘Forrest Gump’, and a lot more. There are also more abstract and personal pieces not related to any film, including many stunning renderings of human faces.

Walking around this massive room, with art reaching all the way to its tall ceiling, you can’t help but be wonderfully overwhelmed with Rick’s vision and the representations of his entire career (so far). One of the most arresting visuals Rick himself produced for this exhibit are the faces of the four leading directors he has worked with through the years: Steven Spielberg (‘Jurassic Park’), Robert Zemeckis (‘Back To The Future’ trilogy), James Cameron (‘Avatar’), & J.J. Abrams (‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’). They almost appear to be looking down at the entire exhibit, seeing their entire worlds that Rick helped create with them.

One of the coolest features of this exhibit is the ability to have your own self-guided tour of sorts using ESMoA’s “Grid” feature! Using correlating numbers that are painted on the floor near the items they represent on the walls, you can look up each number on the Grid then select it to view a small cropped version of the artwork along with information about the specific artist and other details. There are even some fascinating sketchbooks that Rick created that you can digitally thumb through! These features are additionally informative if you somehow aren’t able to visit this exhibit in person, presenting a version of everyone’s work to be appreciated by virtually everyone. Or, as John Hammond would say, “Everyone in the world has the right to enjoy these illustrations.”

ESMoA’s “Grid” Feature
Access to Rick Carter’s personal sketchbooks.

Additional artists that illustrated Rick’s mind and career are: Alex Garcia, Luke Hayes, Muraji Khalil, ​Dalila Paola Méndez, ​​Helena Park, Jacori “Aiseborn” Perry, Ivan “Mr Mustart” Petrovsky, and Carlos “Kopyeson” Talavera. The creation of the exhibit itself was also a massive undertaking, as evidenced in a cool time lapse video that begins with its inception then leads up to the preview event. The exhibit was curated by Dr. Bernhard Zuenkeler.

Rick Carter & Select Illustrators: Bernhard Zünkeler, Carlos “Kopyeson” Talavera, Jacori “Aiseborn” Perry, Rick Carter, Ivan “Mr Mustart” Petrovsky, Muraji Khalil, Helena Park. Sitting on the ‘Forrest Gump’ bench.

While attending the preview event, I saw all of the talented artists and ran into some ‘Jurassic’ veterans, including: Rick Carter (of course), David Lowery (Storyboard Artist), John Bell (Art Director), & Seamus Blackley (creator of the ‘Lost World’ PC game ‘Trespasser’… and a little thing called the XBOX). Seeing this exhibit with so many of the creative leads that were involved with the extraordinary films represented will certainly be a night I will never forget!

Derrick Davis pictured above with Rick Carter and then Rick Carter & David Lowery

While ESMoA is applauded for having an online version of the exhibit accessible to everyone, I must stress just how much more incredible it is to see it all in-person! They really did “spare no expense“! This amazing free exhibit is open from May 5th to September 17th 2022 in El Segundo, CA, USA. Be sure to plan your trip in advance for the exact location and available hours and days it is open. Also check out their various upcoming programs that include opportunities to see Rick Carter in person!

For another Rick Carter-related experience that is connected to ‘Jurassic Park’, watch Jurassic Time’s illustrated audio drama of ‘Rick Carter’s Jurassic Park’; an adaptation of Rick’s script for the film, featuring thousands of production images from the film and interviews with Rick!

Note: Some images were obtained directly from ESMoA. Special thanks to Rick Carter & Eugenia Torre. ‘Rick Carter & Select Illustrators’ and ‘Installation Shots’ are credited to Mark Knight.

Do you plan to make a trip to this exhibit? And besides the ‘Jurassic’ films, what are Rick Carter’s other films that he worked on that you also love? Share your comments below, and as always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

‘Jurassic Time’ Interviews Production Designer Rick Carter With Its Updated Illustrated Audio Drama!

Posted on by Derrick Davis

Last year, Jurassic Time unveiled ‘Rick Carter’s Jurassic Park’: an illustrated audio drama that presented an early version of ‘Jurassic Park’ through production designer Rick Carter’s adaptation of Michael Crichton’s final draft screenplay. It featured the film’s original production artwork brought to life with fantastic music, sound effects, and the voice talents of enthusiastic fans.

Click Image For Full Playlist

While the production was released in February 2021, additional artwork was revealed from people who worked on the film through various outlets; including many in better quality than previously available. More would be uncovered throughout the year, thanks to a resurgence of interest in how the film was made. There was so much more material to work with that it became clear the video program had to be updated.

In February 2022, Derrick Davis (video editor & head of the project) began re-working the videos with the new materials. Such additions included Art Director John Bell‘s character designs of Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm that differed greatly in appearance compared to how they would look in the film. It should be noted that character appearances changed frequently during pre-production, creating unavoidable inconsistencies throughout the artwork. However, adding such imagery gave the videos even more authenticity and revealed more insight into the endless production ideas.

John Bell’s early art depictions of Ellie Sattler, Alan Grant, John Hammond, Ian Malcolm, Lex Murphy, & Tim Murphy.

During this process, an amazing opportunity took place. Derrick was able to reach out to Rick Carter himself, who had seen the 2021 version of the illustrated audio drama! Rick was delighted with the production, and never thought something like it would have been realized from his script. Their discussions led to a recorded conversation that was then edited into two separate videos: one focusing on his script, the other an hour-long look into his career that delves into ‘Jurassic Park’, ‘AI: Artificial Intelligence’, ‘Avatar’, and other productions. More importantly, Rick explores the core of what he brings to any project he works on with his inspirational wisdom.

Both conversations now appear at the end of the production as supplemental features, perfectly cementing the entire presentation. His wonderful insight into the film’s production, his career, and his life were an emotionally fulfilling highlight.

One of the many brand-new talking points from Rick Carter explains how he ended up revising Michael Crichton’s ‘Jurassic Park’ screenplay into his own draft, and the purpose it served in the production of the film.

“Steven and all of us were having such amazing conversations as we explored where the movie could go, based upon Michael’s book. And I knew Michael Crichton through my mother, so I already knew him as a person independent of all of this. So, I knew what he was writing from his book, and the conversations with Steven, and we were developing all sorts of ideas for scenes and context that it was fine for him to do his version.

When it went to the next step, there was Malia Scotch Marmo who was brought on; and I wasn’t part of those meetings. And I knew that many of the things that we were discussing were going through Steven to her and then he was wanting to see what she would bring. But it was making it a little bit hard, as I remember, to know what to coordinate for the art department to focus on. I mean, we knew the main road attack would be there, we had the design of the Spitter, the Spitter would be there, we knew there was a raptor pen; you know, we knew certain things. But there was a whole river extravaganza, there were a lot of things that were in the book that we were still playing out and exploring.

So, I wanted to get something in front of Steven that we could use as our working document. And I started to write sort of memos that would outline scenes and I’d throw images with them, and that kind of thing. But it got to be where it almost was easier to do it as a screenplay form. And then, of course, once I entered into that I started just putting in dialogue and, you know, whatever. Or whatever I took from the book that I thought was still really good.”

-Rick Carter

Rick Carter during his conversation with Derrick Davis.

Now, the final version of the program is completed. The end result is a one-of-a-kind experience that was an ultimate labor of love from everyone involved. While the debate can rage forever if this early version of the film would have been better than what we got, it is still fascinating to see it performed in such a dramatic way. It is also great to finally have an engaging way of presenting the art from those who worked on the film, instead of having it locked away or forgotten forever.

Derrick Davis & Bernard A. Kyer (the project’s sound designer & music composer) would like to thank Rick Carter and everyone in the production for bringing this dream to life and realizing the imaginations of those who worked so hard to create our cherished, classic film: ‘JURASSIC PARK’.

Be sure to check out the entire updated video series now! And if you’d like to learn more, read the ‘Behind The Scenes’ article to delve into the entire history of the project.

How exciting was it to hear brand-new conversations with the production designer of ‘Jurassic Park’? What were details that he shared that you enjoyed the most? Share your comments below, and as always stick around with Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

New ‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ Featurette Presents The Legacy of Jurassic Park!

Posted on by Caleb Burnett

“Life breaks free.“

Jurassic World: Dominion – The Legacy Featurette has been released by Universal Pictures! This brand new video contains interviews with the returning Jurassic Park cast members, the core cast of Jurassic World, and even Colin Trevorrow, all sharing the impact that the Jurassic franchise has had on cinema as a whole and how it all continues in Jurassic World: Dominion. Watch the full featurette below!

“It expands to new territories, and crashes through barriers… painfully, maybe even dangerously…”

The featurette begins with Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant), Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler), and Jeff Goldblum (Dr. Ian Malcolm) sharing pieces of their experiences making Jurassic Park alongside incredible behind-the-scenes footage from the set of that film. Dern speaks of the “energy on set that it was the first time you’d ever seen anything like this,” and Goldblum speaks to how he was “excited for everything that it could be.” The legacy of these actors, their characters, and the incredible film that is Jurassic Park is clear here, and the featurette begins to demonstrate their connection to Jurassic World: Dominion as it transitions to the characters of the Jurassic World films.

“Well, there it is.”

Continuing with the core Jurassic World cast, Chris Pratt (Owen Grady) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire Dearing) share the impact that Jurassic Park and seeing real dinosaurs on-screen had on them as well as cinema as a whole. “Suddenly that which had never seemed real before was totally real, and I realized at that moment that cinema forever had changed,” Howard says. Director Colin Trevorrow joins to share that “Jurassic World: Dominion is the culmination of the franchise. It concludes the story that Steven Spielberg started telling in 1993.” Pratt and Howard go on to share how great and surreal it was to work with the legacy cast member of Jurassic Park, and Laura Dern shares that Dominion was a “fantastic idea to bring these two worlds together.” Trevorrow and Howard go on to explain that with all of the characters returning, it is truly the intersection and convergence of the entire storyline and franchise.

“Life, uh… finds a way.”

There are also some very interesting new visuals and moments of dialogue in this featurette. Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong) appears briefly to say “We need to fix a terrible mistake,” which could have massive implications for the storyline and the Jurassic franchise. We see fiery, action-packed moments featuring the entire cast, as well as new shots of the legacy and modern casts mixing together in interesting ways: a tense moment between Owen Grady and Dr. Malcolm, and Maisie, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Sattler running in lab coats through what looks like Biosyn’s headquarters. The featurette culminates in wild shots of the chaos to come in Malta, Owen and Kayla meeting the Pyroraptor, and the entire cast facing off with the massive Giganotosaurus, seen for the first time in glorious, full animatronic form!

Needless to say, this new Jurassic World: Dominion featurette is fantastic, and showcases multiple new moments and pieces of information that demonstrate the deep connection this film will have to the original: Jurassic Park. It also showcases how definitive the franchise has been for generations of people, and how fortunate we are to be witnessing the continuation of incredible stories 30 years in the making. Be sure and take this featurette in, share your thoughts with us below, and join us in the exciting run up to the sixth Jurassic film, in theaters June 10th!