This Fan Art Brings the ‘Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom’ Allosaurus and Baryonyx to Life!

The ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ trailer roared online in December of last year, introducing fans to a plethora of new characters and dinosaurs. For those in need of a refresher, check it out below:

As fans dissected the trailers frame by frame to get a good look at the new species in an attempt to identify them, some artists began to try to recreate them. Two of those dinosaurs, the Baryonyx and Allosaurus, have been brought to life by artist and Jurassic Park fan Tuna Kaan Koç, and his work might be our best look at these dinosaurs yet!

First up, is his Baryonyx:

Since the trailer made its debut, I’ve wanted a close up profile view of this dinosaur to really take in its design. While this art is not official, so the real design my vary, it really scratches that itch. As far as I can tell this is one fantastic and accurate rendition!

His Allosaurus rendition is no different, capturing the look of the dinosaur in a way that screencaps from the trailer could not:

Studying the dinosaur of the trailer reveals a lot of subtle coloration, from cream and yellow stripes, to the faded red on the crest near the eye – and this artwork fully realizes that complexity in detail! I didn’t fall in love with Allosaurus design in the trailer, but this artwork has sold me on it completely.

Check out the evolution of his Allosaurus artwork in this fun progession gif:

You can follow Tuna on his Instagram and Artstation accounts – so be sure to give him a follow, and check out the rest of his portfolio!

Is there fan art you’d like to see featured on Jurassic Outpost? Sound off in the comments below, and of course stay tuned for the latest news for everything Jurassic!

First Look at Packaging Art for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Merch!

Our first look at packaging art for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom products is here!

Several listings for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom products showed up in a recent PEZ sales brochure, including several listings of dinosaur-shaped PEZ dispensers featuring the likenesses of Tyrannosauruses and raptors, as well as the dilophosaurus and mosasaurus.

However, the stand out of these listings is that of the packaging’s key art, which features a profile image of Blue, along with the grittier Fallen Kingdom version of the Jurassic World logo and a background image of an erupting volcano.

This design seems to be the general format for other products – such as those being released by LEGO and Mattel – with Blue being the centerpiece for all of the packaging.

And, since that is the case, this marks the first time that a Tyrannosaurus or other large, headlining dino (like the spinosaurus from Jurassic Park III) has not been the focus of packaging art for the franchise. The art for Jurassic World (pictured below) featured a head-on image of the Tyrannosaurus, as well as the sleeker, blue and silver version of the JW logo.

What this means for the franchise and products yet to come, we have yet to find out, but a different turn is always exciting.

Let us know your thoughts on the packaging in the comments below and on our forums!

Source: PEZ 2018 Catalog

First Look at Mattel’s Owen and Claire Barbie Dolls For Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom!

Exciting news everyone! We finally have our first look at the long awaited Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Owen and Claire Barbie dolls from Mattel, via the following image posted by [removed]. This image also indicates that these dolls will be available starting on April 15th.

Image removed at the request of NBC Universal

Jurassic World 2 Claire Barbie Doll 2018 – FJH70
UPC Code: 887961-53700-0

 

Jurassic World 2 Owen Barbie Doll 2018 – FJH57
UPC Code: 887961-53700-7
 

Cheryl’s Dolls & Collectibles also has some additional information available on their site about the Barbie dolls and the pre-order price is listed as $34.95.

Get ready for dino-mite action and adventure when all-new Jurassic Park 2 roars into theaters on June 22, 2018. The collectible dolls in this assortment are based on the two key characters, Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Owen (Chris Pratt). Each doll is sculpted to the likeness of the actor and is fully articulated.

 

While these sculpts depicted here are likely placeholder, and not the finalized product, they give us a good idea of what to expect. This marks the first time the Jurassic franchise has been represented in Barbie form, and we’re excited to see more. Let us know your thoughts on this first look at the Owen and Claire Barbie dolls in the comment section below and on our forums!

Source: Cheryl’s Dolls & Collectibles

Full Expanded Descriptions of Every LEGO ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ Set! (Potential Spoilers)

In 2015, LEGO released a range of sets for Jurassic World which quickly became fan favorites due to their variety and creativity. While the builds weren’t very accurate to the film itself, they were fun, and captured the Jurassic play factor and identity fairly well. Due to their roaring success, fans have been eagerly looking forward to how LEGO would step up the game with their Fallen Kingdom range – it was widely assumed the new range would be more involved, and accurate to what was on screen in the movie.

Thanks to LEGO fan site [Redacted] fans questions have been answered, and we have detailed descriptions of the sets! Check out their video below, and read on for our write-up based on their information and more(warning – potential spoilers):

video removed

*Removed at the request of NBC Universal*

LEGO toys are always fun, and these are no different, but after the success of Jurassic World, plus the solid sales of the merchandise, we were left hoping for more. LEGO usually does a great job with licensed properties (look no further than Star Wars or Harry Potter), so by comparison, these look particularly simplistic. It would be easier to be less judgmental if LEGO prices were not so steep, but considering their profit margin, it’s hard not to want a little more.

Perhaps there is yet another set yet to be discovered, exclusive to a specific retailer, which will help further flesh out the line with new content. With any luck, LEGO will continue to support the Jurassic brand after these sets, and not wait for the next film, offering more variety in time.

Again, thanks to [redacted] for first reporting on these LEGO sets. The sets are expected to release some time after April 16th, 2018. Sound off in the comments below to let us know what set you’re looking forward to the most, and stay tuned for all the latest news!

Source: [Redacted]

The Next ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ Trailer Should Allude to More yet Show Less

Forward:

Before we dive in, I want to give some perspective and context to my mindset while writing this article. I worry that perhaps the intent may be lost due to a lack of eloquence of writing on my part while crafting this, so this forward of sorts felt necessary. While this article will surely be interlaced with personal opinion and critique, it’s not a sanctimonious attempt to make a statement of authoritative opinion. Rather, it’s meant as an explanation for my and so many others reactions to the Fallen Kingdom trailer, and most of all, to pose my worries that the followup will try to answer these concerns by showing far too much of the film, rather than addressing these concerns in a more graceful fashion.

I do not think a poor trailer equates a poor film, and am not judging the film off of the trailer itself. But promising words from filmmakers can only go so far, especially when you’re shown the exact opposite in execution. That is why this trailer failed to resonate with me – but make no mistake, I’m still looking forward to the upcoming sequel, and cannot wait to see JA Bayona’s vision put on screen.

Now, let’s get to the point. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve no doubt seen the Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom Trailer which released online early this month, making waves across the internet. For posterity’s sake, we’ve got you covered:

After viewing this trailer, I’ve come to the conclusion whomever cut it loves Jurassic Park for very different reasons than most others – this trailer was all the most controversial parts of Jurassic World, multiplied with far too common elements of modern Hollywood blockbusters; the hybrid nobody asked for. Now one can argue that it’s a matter of taste and personal opinion, but there is no getting around that it so strongly conflicts with the messaging the filmmakers pushed prior to its release.

So why didn’t that trailer work for me?

What Was Promised:

Well, for starters the entire awareness lead-up to the trailer was virtually nonexistent, seemingly cornering Universal into a position where they felt forced to show too much from the film (I’m looking at you, stampede setup and payoff, plus the Carnotaurus and T. rex showdown). In what appeared to be a further reaction to the lack of longterm lead-up, they also released almost everything from the trailer in a week-long awareness campaign. While it was certainly fun during, it took the wind out of the trailer, showing most of its bigger moments prior to release. However, the real issue as stated prior, was it completely went against everything the filmmakers promised with this film.

Colin Trevorrow and director JA Bayona have promised numerous times that Fallen Kingdom would be a return to Jurassic Park form, delivering on more intimate thrills and character drama. Rewinding back, Colin Trevorrow shared this about the Jurassic World sequel a little over a year ago in our interview with him (paraphrasing):

‘This movie doesn’t need to be ‘bigger’. It’s not about ‘bigger better dinosaurs’ or ‘bigger action sequences’. Colin brought up Raptors in the Kitchen scene vs Indominus Rex Helicopter explosion, and how the simplicity of the former is just as effective – if not more.’

Colin went on to say:

It will be more suspenseful and scary. It’s just the way it’s designed; it’s the way the story plays out. I knew I wanted Bayona to direct it long before anyone ever heard that was a possibility, so the whole thing was just built around his skill set.”

Speaking to El Mundo, Colin had this to say:

“The dinosaurs will be a parable of the treatment animals receive today: the abuse, medical experimentation, pets, having wild animals in zoos like prisons, the use the military has made of them, animals as weapons. [Fallen Kingdom] will be a very different, more complex movie that will explore new paths. For that reason, it was clear that it needed to be Bayona who would direct it, in order to have it grow and evolve with his very personal vision.”

“You need to be faithful to the legacy, while bringing new exciting [things]” – JA Bayona:

‘Will Fallen Kingdom be more Jurassic World 2, or Jurassic Park 5’?

JA Bayona:

“That’s a good question! I think somehow it’s both. It’s a very good question, and what we’re doing is a sequel to Jurassic World, but it’s definitely the fifth chapter of a longer saga. It’s very interesting. It’s always tricky, but you need to find a balance in what people expect to find, and the new stuff you’re bringing to the story. And I think the story is looking for a connection between Jurassic World and Jurassic Park — more than what Jurassic World did.”

Finally, Colin Trevorrow set the groundwork of our expectations in 2015, while speaking to JurassicCast Podcast:

“It will get to be a different kind of film. The audience has given us permission to a certain extent to take this to the next level, and I don’t necessarily mean in scale, I feel very strongly that it’s not about more dinosaurs or bigger and better dinosaurs, it’s about using this as a starting point for a much larger story about our relationship with these animals and about animals in general and the dynamic created by bringing them back to life.”

“We’ve seen a lot of ‘dinosaurs chasing people around on an island’ movies. I think you guys and also the general audience is going to be down to explore where else we can go.”

“[Owen and Claire] opened Pandora’s Box in Jurassic World, and each of them are responsible for different elements of it in different ways, and I think the way that these characters are connected to the circumstances of what’s happening it’s different than the previous films. It’s not ‘Let’s manufacture a way to get them somewhere.”

There are plenty of other quotes out there pushing similar messaging, but that should suffice as a crash course for everything Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom prior to the trailer drop. Full stop – it’s intermission time. As a palate cleanser, check out the behind the scenes piece, which does a far better job selling the movie and its themes:

Where Things Stand:

Movie trailers are more than a marketing tool, they’re an art form, and they’re very easy to get wrong. Movie trailers in themselves should serve as a thematic short story, leaving you both satisfied, yet wanting more. The first, and arguably most important element is how to open it, and grab the audience; the hook. For reasons I’m unsure of, the hook for this trailer is not the status of the dinosaurs, Jurassic World, or the impact the events of 2015’s film had on the world… but rather Owen and Claire, particularly their hamfisted and less than nuanced romantic issues.

“Do you remember the first time you saw a dinosaur?”

The behind the scenes trailer companion piece opens on an entirely different hook (above), and arguably one infinitely more successful. Mystery, intrigue, wonder, and nostalgia interlaced with a tone both fresh, yet familiar to fans of the franchise dictates the flow of that piece. It opens on new a locale, recognizable music, and catches the attention of the audience with a pertinent question invoking familiarity, while promising the unknown off the cusp.

Movie trailers, once they catch your attention, should begin to ramp up in the scale of events – and there is no denying the trailer does that, as things become rather explosive and bombastic. However, they should also expand in themes and story elements, and despite the disembodied voice asking if dinosaurs deserve the same rights as animals, we’re treated to a visual spectical meant to look cool, rather than tragic or terrifying. For a movie about animal rights, it sure shows a lot of them die terrible deaths, and nothing about the execution implies the heavier themes promised on the surface level.

The way the trailer frames the movie implies a simple point a to point b plot: recruit for a rescue mission, debate the ethics of saving the dinosaurs, arrive on the island and begin capturing dinosaurs, and the volcano erupts during the climax putting our heroes in peril. So many people took to social media to complain not only about the simplicity of the plot, but the fact that they felt whole thing was spoiled that Colin Trevorrow shared this tweet to ease minds:

I land in the ‘less is more’ camp for trailers, but this trailer didn’t show less, it just showed a whole lot more about one particular element of the film, and did a poor job selling the vision and story the filmmakers wish to take us on. Strangely, the easy to miss synopsis of the film handled the themes at play in a much better way, promising more to the story with the final sentence:

It’s been four years since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles.

When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times.

Conspiracy that pits the themes of conservation and empathy against greed and exploitation? Now you’re speaking my Michael Crichton infused language. The best part is, the synopsis doesn’t spoil who or how that conspiracy plays out, we simply know that not everybody plans to save the dinosaurs for the right reasons. Is every character who they say they are – and just what is that conspiracy – and what happens if those less than savory sorts succeed? That is what the trailer should be hinting at.

The next trailer has its work cut out for it: it needs to show the grander themes at play, without spoiling the finer details of it. It needs to deliver on the promises of a more intimate and suspenseful film akin to Jurassic Park. It needs to excite, and show something new, without giving away the plot elements. Most of all, it needs to wash that generic big budget CG flick vibe away, and not show anymore spoilers like the Carnotaurus scene. (Seriously, way to make the most anticipated dinosaur by fans since 1996 feel pointless now that we know how its big scene plays out.)

“What we tried to do was find the animal in the dinosaur, as opposed to the monster in the dinosaur. The idea was not to make them any less threatening, but rather to keep them from doing as much monster ‘schtick’. For our human characters, we wanted their situation to be more like they were being stalked by an animal that is a carnivore, as opposed to something that is psychopathic and just out to get them.” – Production Designer Rick Carter in ‘The Making of Jurassic Park’

Ultimately, for me dinosaurs are animals, not monsters. That was the defining element of Jurassic Park, and was no accident, as every behind the scenes interview or feature from that film will assert. The movie executed the concept beautifully, from the design to the behavior. One of my holdups, and this is something that some others share, is that Jurassic World depicted most of the dinosaurs as heroes, villains, or set pieces. Pets, or monsters. I had hoped Fallen Kingdom would perhaps handle those concepts in a more subtle way, and while it is certainly too soon to judge, scenes like ‘Deus Rex Machina’ didn’t quite bring me where I hoped to be.

We know the next trailer is coming during the Super Bowl, and we know those trailers are usually quite bombastic, so this message is to the marketing team: please do not spoil the movie. We’ve already seen too much, yet not what I wanted. I know I’m personally excited for the film, and can’t wait to see more – but that first trailer was like jumping into ice cold water, it was not what I expected or hoped for, and I needed time to adjust.

While many members of the Jurassic Outpost team share these opinions, it’s worth noting we’re a diverse site with differing opinions – and I am not asserting every opinion of mine reflects that of the entire site. Nor am I asserting it reflects that of the readers – so sound off, join the discussion, and let us know what you think!

JA Bayona Teases ‘Bond-like’ Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Opening plus Terrifying Second Half Featuring a Secret Dinosaur!

Today the latest issue of Empire hits stands and included is a brand new article about Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom featuring this new exclusive still from the film.

In the above new still we see the Carnotaurus looking into the Gryosphere where characters Claire Dearing and Franklin Webb, played by newcomer Justice Smith, are taking cover. The Carnotaurus has long been a dinosaur that Jurassic fans have wanted in the Jurassic films, especially after it having a role in Michael Crichton’s The Lost World novel. In the novel, the Carnotaurus has the camouflage abilities of a chameleon and as Twitter user jaros428 mentions in the tweet below, the Fallen Kingdom Carnotaurus appears to have the eyes of a chameleon.


Now this doesn’t mean we will see the Fallen Kingdom Carnotaurus with the ability to camouflage as that trait from the novel was given to Jurassic World’s hybrid, the Indominus Rex. However the chameleon eye appears to be a nice homage to the novel Carnotaurus by the filmmakers.

Of course, the article contains more than just the new still, including some great new quotes from director J.A. Bayona about the direction of the film. Where Jurassic World was lacking an inciting incident akin to those seen in past films, it sounds like Fallen Kingdom will bring it to a new level:

“We are starting with a massive action piece that feels like a James Bond prologue”, teases Bayona. “And in the center there is the biggest set-piece ever done for a Jurassic movie”

The article continues to say that after the ‘big set-piece’, which is clearly the volcanic eruption on Isla Nublar, the story will head back to the mainland for the second half of the film. The second half of the movie will receive Bayona’s horror style will make the film feel more claustrophobic. The article asserts that Bayona’s experience with ghost stories will pay off with a mysterious new dinosaur (Indoraptor?), but he’s mum on details:

“You will see,” the director laughs. “Every movie has its star dinosaur, and this is the one people will remember.”

Be sure to pick up a copy of the latest Empire issue today to read more from them! What do you think of the new official Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom still and information? Let us know in the comments below and on our forums!

Special thanks to “Red” for sending us the link to Empire.

Source: Empire

Check Out This Jurassic World Evolution Footage Loaded With New Dinosaurs!

Did the Fallen Kingdom trailer leave you hungry for more? Coming just two weeks off of the Jurassic World sequels bombastic, if not divisive trailer reveal, comes a new footage tease for Jurassic World Evolution. Part of the ‘IGN First‘ debut program, they let the footage speak for itself – check it out below, and read on for our species breakdown!

Did you spot all the new dinosaurs?

First up, we have the Edmontosaurus, who was on the list of dinosaurs in Jurassic World, but never made an appearance in the film. Edmontosaurus is an herbibore part of the Hadrosaur family, and related to Parasaurolophus. Intriguingly, the design is based on the artwork done for the Jurassic World website (albeit with a crest added), by artist Julius Csotonyi, which was never meant to be canon and was not based on designs by the filmmakers. However, in this case it makes a great dinosaur design, so no complaints here!

The other new dinosaur species is instantly recognizable from the films – the carnivorous Ceratosaurus. While it only made a small cameo appearance in Jurassic Park 3, it instantly became a fan favorite design. While it has not made an appearance since the third Jurassic, a toy based on it was released alongside Jurassic World.

The final dinosaur is perhaps the most interesting, as it seems to evade identification – could this be a custom hybrid created in game? The dinosaur itself seems to share many traits with Velociraptor, though its snout is taller, with a defined ridge angling downward – but the biggest deviation in the design is the crest atop its head. That hearkens to species like Monolophosaurus and Guanlong, particularly Guanlong as its crest does not run all the way to its snout, like Monolophosaurus’ should. However, the skull shape does not match either one of those dinosaurs, giving a more monstrous and robust look to this mystery dino.

Update:

It turns out the mystery Theropod was a Deinonychus – we didn’t see that one coming! Early information suggested you can customize the appearance of dinosaurs in Jurassic World Evolution, so perhaps this is not the basic Deinonychus (which would not have a crest), but a further evolved and modified variation.

About Jurassic World Evolution:

Based on Universal Pictures’ iconic film franchise and created in collaboration with Universal Brand Development, the game expands on the official Jurassic World mythology and puts players in charge of cinema’s greatest tourist destination – where they will have the opportunity to create and manage their own Jurassic World. Launching in summer 2018, Jurassic World Evolution will be coming to PC, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and the Xbox One all-in-one games and entertainment system.

“As long-time fans of the entire Jurassic series we’re thrilled to be putting players in charge of their own Jurassic World,” said Frontier’s Chief Creative Officer, Jonny Watts. “We’re excited to bring over fifteen years of management, simulation, and creature development expertise to a destination and franchise that remains an inspiration to us.”

Jurassic World Evolution evolves players’ relationship with the Jurassic World film franchise, placing them in control of operations on the legendary island of Isla Nublar and the surrounding islands of the Muertes Archipelago. Players will build their own Jurassic World as they bioengineer new dinosaur breeds and construct attractions, containment and research facilities. Every choice leads to a different path and spectacular challenges arise when ‘life finds a way.’

The game is scheduled to release next summer and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom will be in theatres June 2018.

Do you think the Deinonychus is part of the DNA tampering aspect of the game, or could it perhaps just be a more fantastical and angry looking Deinonychus than expected? Sound off in the comments below, and stay tuned for the latest news!

Source: IGN

Michael Giacchino has seen a cut of Fallen Kingdom and is excited to work with Bayona

Almost one year ago exactly is when we first learned that Academy Award winning composer Michael Giacchino would be returning to work on the score for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Giacchino previously wrote the score on 2015’s Jurassic World and is one of the busiest composers currently in Hollywood. Just in 2017 Giacchino worked on The Book of Henry, Spider-Man: Homecoming, War for the Planet of the Apes and Coco. In 2018 besides Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom he is set to compose the score for Incredibles 2.

In an exclusive interview with Collider, Giacchino briefly touched on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, sharing how excited he is to work with his good friend J.A. Bayona and that he actually has already seen a cut of the film.

COLLIDER: And as for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, I mean we got the idea through the hiring of J. A. Bayona that it’d be a bit of a darker film and they said that as well, but it very much looks like it might have this kind of thriller/horror aspect. Is that something that’s kind of reflected in the score?

GIACCHINO: Well, again, haven’t even written a note of music for that one yet either (laughs).

COLLIDER: Fair, totally fair.

GIACCHINO: But I have seen it, and yes. I love J. A., he and I have known each other for many years, we’ve been friends and we’ve been hoping to work on something together so this, I think, is gonna be a really fun project to do with him. I love his storytelling sensibility and I’m excited to take the storytelling and the franchise somewhere new and different and perhaps that is darker and more moody and more suspenseful. But again, I gotta wait and see where it takes me, but looking forward to that one too.

Michael Giacchino with J.A. Bayona in 2013

What do you think of Giacchino’s comments on working with J.A. Bayona on Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom? Let us know in the comments below and on our forums!

Special thanks to Fede and Matt on Twitter for the heads up on the interview.

Source: Collider

Jurassic World to Get Expanded Universe with Upcoming Prequel Novel!

It’s finally happening. The Jurassic Park universe is canonically expanding beyond the films. One of the most requested things from fans has continuously been an expansion of the fiction, whether it be via an animated series, comics, novels, or more. It now seems Universal has listened, and the first expansion will be coming May 2018 in the form of a Young Adult novel by Random House Books.

The novel, seemingly awaiting a more formal title, is currently titled ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Hardcover Young Adult Novel’. While the title isn’t much to go off of, Random House has also provided an exciting synopsis on what readers can expect:

Discover the beginnings of one of Jurassic World‘s most beloved characters–Claire Dearing–in this original action-packed young adult novel.

During the events of Jurassic World, Claire Dearing faced the savage fury of dinosaurs unleashed . . . but it wasn’t the first time. In this entirely new coming-of-age story, Claire lands an elite internship working for Simon Masrani and soon discovers his plans to build an all-new theme park–Jurassic World! Along the way, Claire establishes valuable relationships with both her peers and the prehistoric creatures she studies, but when the situation turns dangerous, she begins to see the dinosaurs in a different light. Fans of Jurassic World will delight in filling in the gaps of Claire’s past, all while gaining insights into the experiences that transformed her into the strong woman we know today.

May 08, 2018 | 304 Pages | Young Adult

The Young Adult fiction genre is typically considered to be written for ages 12-20’s, though the exact age range isn’t particularly defined, nor does it dictate who can enjoy the writings. This isn’t the first time the franchise had side stories via books, as the Jurassic Park Adventures series based on Eric Kirby’s adventures existed, but those targeted younger ages and were widely considered non-canon by fans.

The timeframe for this prequel novel is interesting, as it seems to begin before Jurassic World was event built, and will likely dive deep into the backstory of how Masrani Global handled InGen assets, and became the corporation we saw in the 2015 film. While it follows Claire’s perspective, the novel will quite possibly cross paths with individuals like Dr. Henry Wu, Vic Hoskisn, and other players, like the already confirmed Simon Masrani.

Will we see the cleanup of Nublar, the construction of Jurassic World, and inception of of ideas like the Indominus Rex in this novel? Time will tell – and hopefully it may even clarify longstanding question like the fate of Isla Nublar, why Hammond endorsed Jurassic World after his character motivation shift in The Lost World, and perhaps dig deep into pieces of the fiction the films have never touched upon.

But most off all, the novel will take us through the character evolution, motivation, and growth of Claire Dearing (played by Bryce Dallas Howard in the films), who Colin Trevorrow has previously stated is main character of the Jurassic World trilogy. It’s especially great to see a leading women take the spotlight and kick off the official Jurassic expanded universe, where as the easy and expected route would be putting someone like Owen Grady in the spotlight.

We’re excited, and hope this is only the first book of an exciting Jurassic World EU – the opportunities are endless, and we can’t wait to read the novel! If this is only the tip of the spear, perhaps in time a Dr. Henry Wu book series will come as well, detailing the timeline between Jurassic Park and Jurassic World, explaining how and why he comes off so cold in World, and dive deep into science of InGen not seen since Michael Crichton created the franchise.

Finally, dinosaur enthusiasts also have a publication to look forward to, which also seems to dive into the expanded fiction of Jurassic World – the ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Dinosaur Survival Guide’:

Relive the excitement of the blockbuster film Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom–which opens to US audiences on June 22, 2018–with this must-have survival guide!

Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom releases in theaters on June 22, 2018, bringing with it all the wonder, adventure, and thrills of one of the most popular and successful franchises in cinema history. This all-new motion picture event sees the return of favorite characters and dinosaurs, including Blue, the Velociraptor; Tyrannosaurus rex; and Mosasaurus–along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before!

This indispensable full-color survival guide features all the facts about the Jurassic World dinosaurs that you need to know to survive on the island–as well as the top-secret history of how it all began.

May 08, 2018 | 80 Pages | 6-9 years

Top secret history of how it all began? Say no more. Perhaps this visual guide will finally give a defined canonical explanation of the dinosaur variations seen throughout the franchise!

Let us know if you will be picking up the Claire prequel novel, and what stories you hope the expanded universe digs into! And as always, stay tuned for the latest news.

Source: Random House Books

Check Out Every New Dinosaur in the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Trailer!

You’ve no doubt seen the trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – but just what dinosaurs were on display, and what can we glean from their visual depictions? First, let’s watch the trailer again:

Things move pretty fast, but we’ve poured through the trailer frame by frame. Take a walk through the park and learn all about the dinosaurs in the upcoming Jurassic Park sequel – did you spot them all?

Baryonyx

First referenced on the park map in Jurassic Park, this bipedal carnivorous dinosaur has never appeared in a Jurassic film prior. The Baryonyx is a cousin species to the Spinosaurus, and stood about 10 feet tall and 30 feet long – the real prehistoric animal likely lived off of a diet of fish, but still would have been deadly to cross paths with. InGen’s creation seems bulkier, with a shorter neck and smaller arms, but makes up for it in pure, mean, crocodilian attitude.

Brachiosaurus

The iconic gentle giant of Jurassic Park returns in all her original glory. The most recognizable Sauropod of the franchise towers over the other animals of park, reaching heights of well over 30 feet. Brachiosaurus was absent in the fourth Jurassic film, and while it made an appearance in Jurassic Park 3, it looked quite different.

Strangely it was not part of the species list in Jurassic World, though we know previous populations existed on Isla Nublar.

Styracosaurus/Sinoceratops/?

 

Blink and you’ll miss it! Did you catch the second ceratopsian to appear in a Jurassic film? It remains unclear what species this actually is, but Styracosaurus and Sinoceratops are the two most likely candidates. Unlike Triceratops, neither Styracosaurus nor Sinoceratops have been featured in a Jurassic Park film prior, nor have they ever been mentioned as a species in previous films (though Styrcaosaurus made an appearance in a early JP3 script). The real versions of these herbivores could grow up to 18-22 feet long, but were gentle giants, using their strong, sturdy cheek teeth to assist with grinding up fibrous plants.

It’s worth noting we initially heard rumors the iconic and beloved Pachyrhinosaurus was in this movie – but it is clearly not the dinosaur on display here. Don’t take our word for it, just asking any dinosaur loving three year old. Perhaps the species changed to what is likely the Sinoceratops later on – we’re eager to discover what species this is either way!

Carnotaurus

The Carnotaurus has long been a fan favorite of Jurassic Park fans dating back to its appearance in Michael Crichton’s ‘The Lost World’ novel. Smaller than a T-Rex, this carnivore is well known for having horns atop its head, a long lean neck, and incredibly tiny arms. Much like many of the other new dinosaurs, Carnotaurus was never known to be on Isla Nublar.

In ‘The Lost World’ novel, the Carnotaurus had camouflage abilities, which were eventually used as a trait of the Indominus Rex in Jurassic World. Ironically the Carnotaurus is actually one of the DNA components of the Indominus Rex, giving the animal its horns. There has been talk that Jurassic film makers have held back incorporating this animal in past films because of Disney’s use of of it in the film ‘Dinosaur’ and as the main antagonist in its Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom, however it seems Jurassic has come to reclaim its namesake.

Allosaurus

The dinosaur on display above is another mystery, but we’re favoring members of Allosauridae due its long three fingered hands, even if its head resembles members of the Tyrannosauridae family, such as Megaraptor. For the time being, we’ll assume it’s an Allosaurus.

The Allosaurus was featured briefly as promotional material in Jurassic World, appearing briefly in an image of the Holoscape interface at the Innovation Center, but failed to appear in the flesh. However, it was never a species on Isla Nublar in Jurassic Park nor Jurassic World.

The carnivorous “different lizard” averaged 28 feet in length, though evidence suggests they could have reached lengths of over 38 feet. Experts report that Allosaurs lived in dangerous lives – many remains displayed in museums include smashed shoulder blades and broken ribs, suggesting that their interactions with others of their own species were largely aggressive. Will we see that aggression in Fallen Kingdom? It seems so.

Baby Blue

While not entirely a new dinosaur, this depiction is brand new – we see Blue as an adorable baby Raptor. This is only the second time we have seen a juvenile Velociraptor, and baby Blue is clearly older than the hatchling in Jurassic Park. At this point its unclear how these ‘flashbacks’ fit into the movie, but we’re interested!

Compsognathus

Last but not least, we have the return of the Compys – first introduced in The Lost World, these small green opportunistic scavengers have been a longtime fan favorite (Just don’t tell Dieter Stark, who was eaten alive by them after falling down a hill). While Compsognathus have never been referenced as a species on Isla Nublar in any of the films, they were present in the original novel, bred to eat the dung of the many large dinosaurs around the island.

Considering the ruined state of Isla Nublar in Fallen Kingdom, these scavengers are perfect fit for the film, and we’re thrilled they’re back.

What do you think of the new dinosaurs in Fallen Kingdom, and their designs? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to stay tuned for all the latest Fallen Kingdom news!

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About Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom:

It’s been four years since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles.

When the island’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times.

With all of the wonder, adventure and thrills synonymous with one of the most popular and successful series in cinema history, this all-new motion-picture event sees the return of favorite characters and dinosaurs—along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before. Welcome to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Stars Pratt and Howard return alongside executive producers Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. They are joined by co-stars James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Daniella Pineda, Toby Jones, Rafe Spall and Isabella Sermon, while BD Wong and Jeff Goldblum reprise their roles.

Directed by J.A. Bayona (The Impossible), the epic action-adventure is written by Jurassic World’s director, Trevorrow, and its co-writer, Derek Connolly. Producers Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley once again partner with Spielberg and Trevorrow in leading the filmmakers for this stunning installment. Belén Atienza joins the team as a producer.