‘Dinosaur Crossing’ Jurassic World Motion Comic Drops – Featuring A Triceratops vs Ankylosaurus Battle

Jurassic News seems to be dropping thick and fast for fans of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World – with the second instalment of the Jurassic World motion comic series already dropping on the official Jurassic World YouTube Channel! This entry, titled ‘Dinosaur Crossing’,  continues the idea of giving us a bite-size look at a post-Fallen Kingdom world with some interesting tidbits thrown in which perhaps hint at the direction which we will see the story take in 2021’s Jurassic World 3.

Before we dive into our own thoughts, you can check out the second episode, ‘Dinosaur Crossing’ below.

The focus of the second short is two Herbivores – the Ankylosaurus and the Triceratops – locked in an all-out dual on a busy road somewhere in America. The main character of the short, who is an employee for the Department of Wildlife (and also the husband of Rebecca, whom we are introduced to in the first short), heads out to a job in the middle of nowhere when he stumbles upon the two animals brawling. Thrust into a dangerous situation, he has to quickly get his vehicle out of a sticky situation so that he can drive away and escape the potential threat which the herbivores may pose.

I have to admit – it is incredibly fun getting to see two Herbivores ‘butting heads’ in a literal manner. Frequently within the films, we will see fight sequences which Carnivores are particularly prominent within, since they tend to have more appeal for wider movie-going audiences. With this in mind, it is nice seeing the creative team behind the motion comic experiment with bringing different creatures to the forefront. Whilst both the Ankylosaurus and the Triceratops have appeared in the films, they only have a handful of memorable moments – so seeing them going toe to toe is pretty awesome. However, the short brings much more to the forefront than just the two animals fighting.

Dinosaur Crossing - National Emergency Screenshot

As the above image shows, this particular short also looks at the wider impact which the dinosaurs being lose in the public is having – with a state of National Emergency declared. We also see several other sequences with different dinosaurs causing injury to members of the public – building upon the short pieces of footage which we saw at the end of Battle at Big Rock. Clearly, this is becoming an issue a lot quicker than we would have predicted after Fallen Kingdom – so perhaps more dinosaurs have escaped from other InGen facilities, like those hinted at within the Live Show. It is apparent that something will need to be done within the third film to round these creatures up – and the way in which they do this will be interesting. Perhaps Sanctuary Island does exist?

Returning to the short, however, it is a fun dive into a world which is being ravaged by dinosaurs. Whilst I am not a massive fan of the art-style which Universal have chosen for the Motion Comic, I am incredibly grateful to see more Jurassic material being pumped out in a non-movie year. This shows that Universal are willing to invest in the franchise year-round now, and also has me hopeful for what else we may say in 2020 and throughout the buildup to the third entry in the Jurassic World series.

What did you all think of ‘Dinosaur Crossing’? Were you happy to see Herbivores getting to come to the forefront for a change? And what do you think about the Jurassic universe currently being in a state of emergency? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned for more on the Motion Comic as soon as it releases!

Watch the Brand New Jurassic World ‘Motion Comic’ that Explores the Events After Fallen Kingdom!

Get ready to journey back into the growing Jurassic World, this time in ‘motion comic’ form. In a surprise release, Universal Pictures unleashed the first episode of an ongoing motion comic series titled ‘A Rising Tide’, following the events at the end of Fallen Kingdom. Much like ‘Battle at Big Rock’, this canon entry explores new content not tied to the core characters of the films, however directly tied to the events they partook in.

Check out the first episode of the series below, and read on for our thoughts!

It’s a new world as humans and dinosaurs are forced to coexist. An unwelcome contestant enters a surf competition in Hawaii.

About Jurassic World:
From Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, Jurassic World immerses audiences of all ages in a new era of wonder and thrills where dinosaurs and humankind must learn to coexist. Jurassic World is set against a global backdrop of diverse locations, with a sprawling story grounded in believable science and populated by distinctive dinosaurs, heroic humans, and cunning villains at both ends of the evolutionary spectrum.

Cinema’s only dinosaur-driven live action franchise, Jurassic World has earned three Academy Awards® and over $3.6 billion worldwide across four films. Its cross- generational appeal can be attributed to audiences’ enduring fascination with dinosaurs and boundless imagination, both nurtured by each new installment. Jurassic World is more than a film franchise. It is a larger-than-life destination for exploration, discovery, and epic adventure. Dinosaurs live again, and they live in Jurassic World.

In the first episode, we’re introduced to who appears to be the core character of this mini-series: Rebecca Ryan. Rebecca is a TV reporter who gives a report on what was ultimately the scene we saw at the end of Fallen Kingdom: the escaped Jurassic World Mosasaurus eating someone during a surf competition in Oahu Hawaii. After we see some first hand accounts of the events, and the report wraps up, Rebecca’s character is seen driving home and making a call to her family.

During the aforementioned call some ominous music plays: the InGen/Mercenary theme from the World films. Is this a hint at her having more ties to Jurassic World beyond simply reporting on the events? O is that music an anthem to her new call to action, unlocking the secrets behind the prehistoric residents of Isla Nublar no longer being contained to the island. Three more episodes will follow today’s installment, and we expect her character to remain an important player throughout (although the series promises unique points of view each episode).

The other obvious question is what does this motion-comic series mean for Jurassic World 3? Could Rebecca in fact be a character from the sequel, which is due to begin filming in a few short months, or could her character stumble upon some larger plot elements (beyond the dinosaurs on mainland) that will come into play? This story already feels like setup for something larger, and we’re excited to see how everything unravels, expands, and connects.

It’s great to see the Jurassic World universe grow, and we’re hopeful more content like this, as well as traditional comics and books will become a regular thing. Truth be told, we’re really keeping our fingers crossed for another live-action short film, and this series certainly has the potential to lead right into one – and of course pave the way to Jurassic World 3.

Let us know what you hope to see from this series as it moves forward and evolves in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for all the latest news!


Jurassic World Evolution ‘Raptor Squad’ DLC Coming Tomorrow!

If you’re dying for some new Jurassic World Evolution content prior to the December 10th ‘Return to Jurassic Park’ DLC, Frontier has you covered. Coming tomorrow, a new DLC pack will be available for purchase at $1.99 adding the Jurassic World ‘Raptor Squad’ – Blue, Charlie, Delta, and Echo!

Become the Alpha with the brand new Jurassic World Evolution: Raptor Squad Skin Collection, the complete skin set of the original Jurassic World Velociraptors! With this pack you’ll gain access to new, unlockable genes which will allow you to incubate Velociraptors with these fantastic new skins.

The Jurassic World Evolution: Raptor Squad Skin Collection is coming 26 November on Steam, Xbox One and Playstation for £1.49/€1.99/$1.99 (prices may vary depending on your region and platform).

The iconic pack of Velociraptors have been long requested since the launch of the game, with fans eager to add the squad to their park since before release. This perhaps is a point worth mentioning – this pack only adds new skins for existing dinosaurs, which felt missing from the core release, and probably should be free. With so much paid DLC already released for the game, and even more on its way, this feels like a bit of a grift instead of a gift. But I digress.

The skins themselves are fantastic, clearly built directly from ILM’s files, and offer the best look at these fan favorite dinosaurs since the 2015 film. As a huge fan of Delta myself, I cannot wait to see her up close, in all her glory.

Will you be purchasing the DLC pack, or would you rather wait to see if this release is ever given for free or bundled with larger DLC packs? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned for the latest news!


Daniella Pineda and Justice Smith to Reprise Fallen Kingdom Roles in Jurassic World 3!

The cast of the third Jurassic World film continues to amass its star-studded cast of new and returning actors, adding two familiar names to its roster. Revealed first by Collider, Daniella Pineda and Justice Smith have joined the upcoming Jurassic sequel due to begin filming early 2020.

Daniella Pineda (Zia Rodriguez) and Justice Smith (Franklin Webb) first appeared in 2018’s ‘Fallen Kingdom’, as key members of the Dinosaur Protection Group, run by Bryce Dallas Howard’s character Claire Dearing. While we’re uncertain where the plot of the sixth Jurassic Park sequel will go, the recent short film ‘Battle at Big Rock’ show’s us that dinosaurs are becoming commonplace and a nuisance in some locations. The return of the DPG members signals the likely continued venture of that groups dinosaur rights and conservation lobbying, all while dealing with a rapidly evolving world where dinosaurs are free on US soil.

Justice Smith most recently starred in the live-action Pokemon movie ‘Detective Pikachu’, while Daniella Pineda is part of Netflix’s upcoming live-action ‘Cowboy Bebop’ series due to resume filming next year. They’re joining Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, Mamoudou Athie, DeWanda Wise, BD Wong, Isabella Sermon, and Chris Pratt in what promises to be the largest Jurassic ensemble yet, uniting characters from across the eras all while introducing new faces.

Jurassic World 3 is well into pre-production at London’s Pinewood Studios, with a script written by Colin Trevorrow and Emily Carmichael, with Trevorrow directing. Much like the cast, the behind the scenes teams compromise of old and new players: ILM will be returning to bring the dinosaurs to life, collaborating with an all-new animatronics team headed by John Nolan.

Jurassic World 3 will release June 11th, 2021.

Are you excited for the growing cast? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned for the latest news!

Source: Collider


Jurassic World and Soft-Canon: a Counteractive and Convoluted Conundrum

This article is a guest contribution by Thomas Fishenden.

When it comes to the Jurassic Park franchise, it is safe to say that there has been a lot of world building over the duration of the five installments which Universal Studios have produced. It is certainly safe to say that a lot has been added to the franchise over the years. The films have added new locations and new animals and characters, whilst the secondary materials – such as the viral marketing – have aimed to add in more continuity between the sequel installments. Canon, however, has not always been maintained – and there have always been issues which have plagued the Jurassic franchise and the continuity it shares between its various outings. We have seen Universal and Colin Trevorrow take steps towards addressing these issues in recent years – but unfortunately, a recent announcement during the press for Jurassic World: The Live Tour has us concerned about the future canonical consistencies within the franchise.

In the past, Colin Trevorrow has stated that he is the overseer of the franchise – and would oversee issues, such as Canon, moving forwards to ensure better continuity and cohesion across the property in the future. This had many of us excited, as it seemed to indicate that both Colin and the studio behind him were willing to take meaningful steps towards building a much more coherent cinematic universe. Indeed, it appeared that the Jurassic franchise would take a similar approach to other great franchises like Star Wars and Marvel, building outwards with meaningful connections to the very core pillars which first established the franchise. For a while, this seemed to hold true – with inconsistencies around the geography of the Isla Nublar report in both Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom openly addressed by the director, who proceeded to work with the team behind the viral marketing and surrounding canonical materials (Chaos Theorem) to build a meaningful explanation which alleviated the canon-breaking implications that the change in island geography had. Furthermore, the team working behind the scenes had the opportunity to build upon the background of the franchise – adding in new implications for the canon which alleviated some of the strained connections that the narratives of the more recent films had. It is safe to say that the Dinosaur Protection Group website, and other subsequent ventures, did a lot to build upon the canon in meaningful ways – addressing the concerns of long term fans and creating much more of a cinematic ‘universe’ than we had ever seen for the franchise before.

Whilst the Dinosaur Protection Group faded into obscurity after the cinematic debut of Fallen Kingdom, it appeared canon would continue to grow and expand within the franchise. This brings us to Jurassic World: The Live Tour. Press Events for the tour (see Chris’s coverage from an event in April of this year) got fans excited – with a clear focus on developing a story which could fit within the confines of a pre-established Jurassic World narrative. Indeed, whilst some of the live show would build upon the back of the blockbuster film, showcasing the Indominus rampage on Isla Nublar, the clear majority was stated to be a brand-new story exploring a top-secret InGen Facility in Chile. The story follows Doctor Kate Walker, who was working with dinosaurs in a similar behavioral capacity to Owen Grady, and has essentially been pitched as the other half of the IBRIS project which we see on screen within Jurassic World. This, again, is a project which has always been relatively secretive on-screen, so fans were excited to be able to learn even more about this new piece of lore which was sure to build upon the fundamental ideals explored within the first Jurassic World film. Anticipation was high – and this was only exasperated further by the debut of Battle at Big Rock, which explored more new characters within the same universe, after the events of Fallen Kingdom.

Unfortunately, however, it seems that the story continuity will not last.

Fast forward to the start of November, when the Live Tour is kicking off with its worldwide premiere. Colin was interviewed by the Social Media team working on behalf of Feld Entertainment., and in an Instagram story on the official tour account, Colin was asked where the events of the show fit within the timeline of Jurassic World. His response was as follows:

“We have something we call soft canon – which is that it happens, but it also exists within its own space. You know, Feld’s writers and creators made a new and original story which exists within the context of Jurassic World and I think people are really going to love it.”

This statement is great when we consider how passionate Colin is for the franchise, and it is nice to see how excited he is about the live show – but it also poses a very real problem for the franchise moving forwards. That statement of ‘soft-canon’, and the careful phrasing of this show ‘existing within the context of Jurassic World’, has set alarm bells ringing for many fans – suggesting that the show may not be a meaningful fit within the pre-determined canon of the franchise, as was previously implied. Soft-canon itself is an alarming phrase, considering its what ‘Jurassic World Evolution’ is described as — something that is not canon at all, but adheres to the rules of the universal while carving out its alternate reality.

This becomes problematic as a universe which is built without canon in mind can very quickly crumble and implode if not handle with a degree of oversight and brand management. Disney know this all too well – and it is the reason why the Star Wars Expanded Universe is now referred to as ‘Legends’. Here, Disney told too many stories which conflicted with one another and posed potential problems for the canons of the franchise so they had to restart this from the ground up and discount any of their old stories as being non-canon unless reintroduced into modern films or properties. Whilst this soured many Star Wars fans, Disney could get away with this because of the sheer scale and scope of Star Wars and its fan-base, with many more pre-established stories already under the franchise’s belt. Jurassic, in contrast, is a relatively new and expanding franchise with a smaller fan base, and so the movements made to grow the brand really need to be considered and thoughtful to connect with audiences and build a meaningful and consistent fan base. Therefore, the term ‘soft canon’ being thrown out so early in the growth of the franchise has both I and many other Jurassic fans concerned about the future direction of the franchise.

It should also be noted that Star War’s non-canon ‘legends’ media only consists of expanded fiction that came out prior to The Force Awakens. Everything since then has been carefully cultivated to fit within the ever expanding galaxy, working with their brand team, writers, and directors as to not contradict the films, but add to them all while telling their own stories. Why Jurassic cannot do this, especially given their stable creative team, and smaller universe size, is a frustrating mystery.

Whilst I appreciate that it is hard to canonise a Live Tour (other properties like ‘Marvel Universe Live’ opted to tell entirely separate stories), I think straddling the line between canon and ‘soft canon’ is an attempt for Jurassic to have its cake and eat it too. Whilst it’s a humble attempt at developing upon the IP, I feel that it misses the mark and misses what fans have truly been clamoring for – which are stories which will have larger impacts on the overall franchise whilst enabling them to connect with these characters and these stories in much more meaningful ways. The attitude of utilizing ‘soft canon’ poses a worry for fans, as it brings into question upcoming properties like Camp Cretaceous, and where they will stand in terms of both canon and impact on the other properties within the franchise. Whilst there is certainly an argument for these being more children’s tailored properties, it is important to note that even in that regard a canonical middle ground is achievable. Take, for example, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. This property found a way to tell stories within a pre-existing universe whilst not damaging canon. In fact, Clone Wars could build upon the pre-established in interesting and meaningful ways – connecting with both older and younger fans alike. This was due not only to the creative vision of Dave Filoni, but also due to the creative oversight and brand consistency which Disney and the Star Wars team had in place – and something which Jurassic seems to be sorely missing at this moment in time.

For the Jurassic World Live Tour, the format itself doesn’t entirely mesh with real world antics – so we understand that the action and context that which the story plays out may not be 1:1 to canon. But there is no reasons the overarching story itself of Dr. Kate Walker, InGens facility in Chile, and the events that subsequently played out cannot be canon. A simple “The story is canon, the action within and execution of it is soft canon” would be far more understandable. It was stated numerous times that Colin Trevorrow was involved from the start to make sure the story is hard canon. So what happened?

Make no mistake – I, and many others, are excited for new stories to be explored within the Jurassic universe. Many of us have clamoured for more from this brand for years, so the fact that we are finally getting this is exciting, and is a true testament to the creative passion of individuals like Colin Trevorrow. But, with that said, oversight is important too – and it’s important that this is built into a brand with solid foundations so that these stories can continue to be told for years to come. With that in mind, an organisation like Chaos Theorem or someone else altogether really need to be empowered to get more involved in the day-to-day canon of this universe, so that we can finally have something which feels cohesive. Continuity has always been a matter of discussion for Jurassic – and in some ways, poor continuity adds to the charm of these films. But, if Jurassic is to ever grow into a franchise with the power to do more than beat back other big names at the box office, then it is crucial that canon is considered, and that the time is taken to build a rich universe for these stories to take place within.

What do you all think? Where do you stand on canon in cinema, and is it important to you that these side projects tie in? Sound of in the comments below!


Uniting the Franchise: How Jurassic World 3 Should Incorporate Dinosaur Designs from ‘Park’ Films

Art by Neemz.

2021 is swiftly approaching. Jurassic World 3 is already shaping up to be an event unlike anything we have seen since the original Jurassic Park. With Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum all returning for major roles in the upcoming film, it is easy to see that we are in store for a movie with some serious callbacks to the film that started it all. With the return of old human characters, Jurassic World 3 is posed in the perfect position to be a film that showcases the original aspects of Jurassic Park side by side with the new ideas put forth in the Jurassic World movies. We can talk about the human characters until the sun goes down, but at the end of the day, the highlight of Jurassic has always been the dinosaurs.

One complaint that we see time and time again is how different some of the dinosaurs look in the newer films. While some fans view these differences as a major drawback, it’s time to take a hard look at how these perceived differences actually present a unique opportunity to showcase exactly what these dinosaurs are: genetically engineered, theme park…creatures. In other words, these dinosaurs are simply lab-created animals melding natural science and science fiction.

So today, let’s take a look at some specific examples of these differences. Let’s start with a classic: the mighty Stegosaurus. We first got a glimpse at the creature on Isla Sorna in The Lost World Jurassic Park. This Jurassic Park era Stego was on the more athletic side. As you can see below, it featured a straight tail and narrow head, which featured a beak of some sort. Its athleticism was put on full display when it sensed a threat in Sarah Harding approaching its infant.

Now, let us compare that to the Jurassic World era Stegosaurus. The new creation featured a heavier retro build, with a drooping tail and a wider head (with lips instead of a beak). Their coloration is slightly different, and their skin texture is entirely different than their park counterparts. We’re first introduced to them roaming Nublar’s Gyrosphere Valley in Jurassic World, presumably engineered under Masrani’s supervision to achieve certain goals.

In a universe where scientists have been cloning and creating new dinosaurs for over twenty five years, these differences can be explained by genetic manipulation. Perhaps the old Stegosauruses were just too agile and destructive with their more athletic build and size. Maybe the Jurassic World scientists realized a beefier build appealed to the parks older demographs who imagine dinosaurs with more outdated views. Questions like these are exactly the kind of lore I believe are ripe for answering in Jurassic World 3. Before we move on to how exactly the movie can present those answers in a natural way, let’s take a look at another dinosaur example.

The Ankylosaurus is well-known for the armor plating all along its back, but the different eras of Jurassic took the animal in otherwise different directions. We first see the Jurassic Park era Anyklosaur in Jurassic Park 3 as it lumbers underneath the tree some of our characters are hiding out in. It touts rougher scale-based armor with a smaller, colorful head. It has a narrow and angular build overall and is not overtly large.

Once again, let’s look at the Jurassic World edition Ankylosaurus that we see duke it out with the Indominous Rex. Not only is the Jurassic World era animal bigger, it has defined armor plating and a larger, uniform-color head. Just like the Stegosaurus, it sports a bulkier, stockier build overall. It’s been theorized that ‘World’s’ Anylosaurs are female counterparts to ‘Park’s’ males.

Ankylosaurs and Stegosaurs are only scratching the surface. Numerous other species have distinct sub-species within the Jurassic films, with 3 different Pteranodon breeds, over 3 different breeds of Velociraptors, plus a variety of sexual dimorphism seen within Parasaurs, Brachiosaurs, and more.

The best step for Jurassic to take is to embrace the differences and use them as a tool to enrich the deep mythology the universe has already given to us. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see the Jurassic Park 3 raptors running around Blue? That sort of variety in appearance is a treasure trove of rich story that has largely only been explored by the DPG marketing campaign for Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom. It’s important to not stifle that variety, but embrace it fully, and bring all these elements from various films together.

However, not every difference is a canonical variation – the T. rex of Jurassic World being a prime example. Many fans have complained she looks off from her Jurassic Park appearance – and it’s true – the design has changed in more ways than just aging. This love for Jurassic Park’s iconic designs is another prime reason to bring them back. Not just nostalgia – they’re some of the most iconic creature designs in cinema. Embrace the masterclass work of Stan Winston Studios, Crash McCreery and ILM that laid the foundation for Jurassic World.

We know that Jurassic World 3 director Colin Trevorrow plans to expand the universe even more and deal with these creatures on a much larger scale now that they’re part of our world. One of the best ways to explore this evolution naturally, while keeping it tied to the past films is to simply go back to the older, forgotten dinosaurs. Likewise, we can finally explore how these various subspecies may interact – what would a crossbreed of a Jurassic Park female raptor and JP3 male raptor look like? Or would they never have the chance, fighting for territory instead?

What makes the Jurassic Park novel so great is that it tackles the science aspect of the story head on – the novel version of Wu has candid conversations with Hammond about manipulating the DNA of the dinosaurs to alter their physical characteristics and change the way they behave. If we’re trying to find inspiration, that’s where to start the search. Having a character in the movie, like Wu, explain the differences between all the animals on screen only serves to deepen the canon in a positive way. Not only that, it serves as a natural explanation for why Project IBRIS with the raptors at Jurassic World was (eventually) successful compared to the more aggressive raptors from the previous movies.

What are your thoughts on the dinosaur differences? Is this a purposeful creation from Jurassic Park scientists, or do you think the filmmakers were just looking to switch up the styles? If you believe the science backs it up, would you like to see it explained on screen? Sound off in the comments below and tell us how you would explain the uniqueness of the dinosaurs!

ILM Shares Dino-Filled Jurassic World Battle at Big Rock Making-Of!

Jurassic World’s live action short film ‘Battle at Big Rock’ released over one month ago, but has continued to earn the interest of Jurassic fans online. Perhaps one of the largest points of discussion have been among those trying to discern the designs of the all-new dinosaurs, which were obscured in chaos and darkness in the short film. Thankfully, ILM has just released a ‘Behind the Magic’ making of for Battle at Big Rock, which show off the new dinosaurs in all their glory!

Check it out below:

The video shows the exciting process the short Jurassic film underwent while being brought to life: from shooting the previs in VR, to bringing the ILM model department into the mix with practical dinosaur reference models. Further, they’ve confirmed what fans have suspected: the differences in design between the male and female Nasutoceratops (revealing the Mattel toy is in fact based on the male), and of course, revealing the final design of the adult Allosaurus!

The male Nasutoceratops is in the back, with longer horns, and harsher more defined angles, while the female is softer with more rounded features. Both sport similar color schemes, though the male favors reds for his patterns while the female seems to favor oranges. While it’s hard to say, it seems to be safe to assume the baby is a male based upon its colors.

The Allosaurus (below) went through numerous design changes, and the final ILM model is different than that seen in the previs, or animatronic pictures released by Colin Trevorrow. The toys released are all based upon the older non-final design, which was more monstrous and not very recognizable as its namesake – however the final design looks appropriately Allosaurid and Jurassic!

There are a ton of great details in the video, mostly the dinosaur designs shown in their full glory, so be sure to watch it and take it all in!

What are your thoughts on the dinosaur designs in Battle at Big Rock? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned for the latest news!

Behind the Scenes Look at Designing Jurassic World Dinosaur Toys with Mattel’s Kristen Sanzari

Since their release in 2018 alongside Fallen Kingdom, Mattel’s Jurassic World line have taken over the toy aisle, and captured the attention of fans and collectors alike. Recently, we spoke to Kristen Sanzari – one of the designers on the Jurassic World toy line – about her work, and how she came to design dinosaurs for this continuously evolving range of action figures.

Kristen provided numerous design sheet images, that document part of the process that designing these toys undergo. In the images you can see reference photos, design change notes, and how things like action features are created.

Read on to learn about Kristen’s work directly from her, and of course, check out the images!

“I have been designing Jurassic World toys at Mattel for almost 3 years now, and people often ask how I got into toy design. So, I will give you a little background. I grew up with a love of drawing animals and my favorite animation characters. I loved my toys and loved animation. When it came time to go to college, I went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where I studied graphic design and ran on the track team. I loved graphic design but knew I still wanted to study animation, so after graduating from Cal Poly, I moved to San Francisco, where I attended the Academy of Art University to get my master’s in visual development for animation.

After graduating, I got a job as a graphic designer/illustrator at a toy and publishing company called Artistic Studios (now Bendon Publishing). I worked on licensed craft sets and toys and loved it, but I was still mostly doing graphic design and package design, with only a little bit of illustration here and there. Wanting to do more concept art, I began applying to jobs at animation studios and toy companies in LA. I interviewed with Mattel for the Jurassic World product design position with a portfolio full of concept art for animation. Although similar in a lot of ways, I had no toy designs to show. So, after the interview I drew up some toy concepts focused on Jurassic, and luckily my now boss had faith I could design toys and I got the job.

Was I a dinosaur expert or a Jurassic park fanatic prior to getting the job? No, but I liked dinosaurs, I had seen some of the movies, and most of all I loved drawing and learning about animals. So, I made it my mission to learn as much as I could about dinosaurs and the Jurassic Park franchise when I began working on the brand. I watched all the movies a bunch of times, took several paleontology courses online, listened to the Jurassic Outpost Podcast, bought and read multiple dinosaur books and made it a point to learn about and know every dinosaur we designed.

When designing our toys, we begin by brainstorming about what we want that toy to do. Is it a T. Rex that roars and has a massive chomp? Or is it a Pachycephalosaurus that rams its head? There are usually so many great and crazy ideas that come up in brainstorms, but we always do our best to make sure the function of our toys are realistic, on brand, and accentuate what the dinosaur would have done in real life. Something we also focus on is our scale, we do our best to make all our dinosaurs in scale to a 3¾” human action figure, which really allows you to imagine how massive some of these dinosaurs were in real life.

As you can see from many of these design sheets, we start off with an initial drawing of the dinosaur concept and what the feature will be. Sometimes these are based on assets from Universal, for dinosaurs from the films, and sometimes we are able to create the dinosaur designs ourselves. We spend a lot of time creating the patterns and textures, picking the colors of the dinos, and making sure they fit into the look and feel of the dinosaurs in Jurassic World. In the Carnotaurus example you can see that the drawing and the original sculpt are different from the final sculpt and product. This is because we often know what dinosaurs are going to be in the film before knowing exactly what the dinosaurs are going to look like in the film. The toy production timeline is longer than the time it takes to make a film and so often we need to begin our design process before we have all the information. We frequently have to figure out the feature of the toy prior to knowing exactly what the dinosaur will look like, and we just have to be nimble and adjust our designs to fit the look of the movie as soon as we do get the actual assets. Our partners at Universal always do their best to get us the assets and information we need as soon as they can.

Once we have a sculpt we are happy with, and the mechanism is figured out, we can make our first model. The first model is never perfect, but we use it to see if we need to change anything about the sculpt and details, the mechanism function, the articulation, and the color choices. We then take notes on any revisions and make adjustments to improve this model. After all the changes have been accounted for we make a new and improved model. During the entire process there are multiple check points with Universal to make sure they approve the look and function of the dinosaurs.

When the final model is approved we move on to make a “first shot,” which is the first run of the product in plastic. First shots are made in the factories with any leftover or extra plastic they have, so they usually are really crazy colors. For example, we could get a raptor first shot with a pink body, black left leg, blue right leg, green head, and neon yellow arms. We make comments on the first shot and make sure the toy can stand and that the detents and articulations function properly. Next we get our first painted plastic toy sample. At this point the toy is almost complete, but we make sure the plastic and paint colors match, we make sure the mechanism and any electronic features are functioning the way they should, and make sure all the packaging information is aligned with the product. After all these comments are captured we pass them along to make sure our final product is the best it can be. Then, finally we receive the final product!

As a whole the toy design process takes an entire team and I have to say that team Jurassic is made up of some of the most passionate and hard-working people I know. Our design team couldn’t make the toys we do without the enormous help of our awesome marketing team, packaging team, and engineering team. It is truly a team effort and an awesome brand to be a part of.”

Thanks so much to Kristen for taking the time out to speak with us, and to share many of these images! For more from Kristen, you can check out her website here and her Instagram here. With the 2020 Primal Attack line coming soon (which the Sarcosuchus belongs to) , there will surely be more toys to learn about in the future!

What toy do you like the most from Mattel’s line, and what would you like to see more of? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost!


First Look at Mattel’s Jurassic World Amber Collection Packaging and Velociraptor Charlie Figure!

This week will be an exciting one for fans of Mattel’s Jurassic World toy line – we and our friends at Collect Jurassic have a whole suite of reveals planned that revolve around the upcoming range. Today’s focus is on the Jurassic World Amber Collection, the upcoming 6 inch scale collectibles line that will be debuting exclusively at Gamestop. While San Diego Comic Con saw the toys official revealed and placed on pre-order on their site, the packaging design was withheld – today that changes!

Take a look at the new reveals below!

Jurassic Park Velociraptor (Female)

Relive the exciting big-screen action with the Jurassic World Amber Collection! This collection spans the film franchise and features highly collectible and extremely posable action figures with authentic decoration and deluxe detail. The Velociraptor dinosaur action figure is inspired by the original Jurassic Park film and captures not only her aggression but her intelligence traits as well. Action figure is approximately 6.5-inches and includes a stand for display. Take home the excitement of Jurassic Park with this exciting Velociraptor dinosaur action figure! Collect other action figures in the Amber Collection! Each figure sold separately, subject to availability. Colors and decorations may vary. For ages 4 and up.

Pre-order now!

Jurassic World Owen Grady

Relive the exciting big-screen action with the Jurassic World Amber Collection! This collection spans the film franchise and features highly collectible and extremely posable action figures with authentic decoration and deluxe detail. The Owen Grady action figure is inspired by the first Jurassic World film. The action figure is approximately 6.5-inches and includes a stand for display, an extra pair of hands for enhanced play-action plus knife accessorie. Take home the excitement of Jurassic World with this exciting Owen Grady action figure! Collect other action figures in the Amber Collection! Each figure sold separately, subject to availability. Colors and decorations may vary. For ages 4 and up.

(Expected to release early 2020)

Jurassic World Velociraptor Charlie

Relive the exciting big-screen action with the Jurassic World Amber Collection! This collection spans the film franchise and features highly collectible and extremely posable action figures with authentic decoration and deluxe detail. The Velociraptor Charlie dinosaur action figure is inspired by the first Jurassic World and captures not only her aggression but her intelligence traits as well. Action figure is approximately 6.5-inches and includes a stand for display plus tactical head gear for expanded play. Take home the excitement of Jurassic World with this exciting Velociraptor Charlie dinosaur action figure! Collect other action figures in the Amber Collection! Each figure sold separately, subject to availability. Colors and decorations may vary. For ages 4 and up.

(Expected to release early 2020)

Jurassic Park Ian Malcolm

Relive the exciting big-screen action with the Jurassic World Amber Collection! This collection spans the film franchise and features highly collectible and extremely posable action figures with authentic decoration and deluxe detail. The Dr. Ian Malcolm action figure is inspired by the original Jurassic Park film and captures not only his wit and sarcasm but his deep respect for the power of nature. The action figure is approximately 6.5-inches and includes a stand for display, an extra pair of hands for enhanced play-action plus flare and water cup accessories. Take home the excitement of Jurassic Park with this exciting Dr. Ian Malcolm action figure! Collect other action figures in the Amber Collection! Each figure sold separately, subject to availability. Colors and decorations may vary. For ages 4 and up.

Pre-order now!

Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom Velociraptor Blue

Relive the exciting big-screen action with the Jurassic World Amber Collection! This collection spans the film franchise and features highly collectible and extremely posable action figures with authentic decoration and deluxe detail. The Velociraptor Blue dinosaur action figure is inspired by Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom and captures not only her intelligence but her aggressive traits as well. Action figure is approximately 6.5-inches and includes a stand for display. Take home the excitement of Jurassic World with this exciting Velociraptor Blue dinosaur action figure! Collect other action figures in the Amber Collection! Each figure sold separately, subject to availability. Colors and decorations may vary. For ages 4 and up.

(Expected to release early 2020)

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Perhaps the most exciting parts of the reveals above is the look at the Amber Collection box art, which takes a more minimalistic and streamlined approach to packaging design, though is more complex in texture detail when compared to the Star Wars Black Series from Hasbro. One of the choices I like the most is rather than using the complex full film logo, it’s simply the round Rex logo with amber inspired styling, giving the overall presentation a much more refined look.

Velociraptor Charlie is the other big reveal, as she was not announced by Mattel at SDCC, and seems to be planned for release alongside Owen and Blue. While the core 3 3/4″ line didn’t handle the Raptor Squad very well, messing up both Delta’s and Charlie’s colors, the Amber Collection has absolutely nailed it. Her color scheme is complex, accurate, and striking looking.

It’s clear the Amber Collection is shaping up to be a collectors series worthy of Jurassic Park, and we cannot wait to go hands on when the first toys release later this year!

What are your thoughts on the new reveals, and what characters do you hope make it to the Amber Collection in the future? Sound off in the comments below, and stay tuned – we have many more Mattel reveals, including a look at new Primal Attack toys coming later this week!


Mattel’s Jurassic World Comic Con Panel Unveils Huge Assortment of New Toys Coming in 2020!

The dinosaurs of Jurassic World continue to run loose in San Diego, taking over Comic Con, and roaring to life in fantastic new ways. Mattel hosted a Jurassic themed panel today titled “How a Dinosaur was Made”, focusing on the behind the scenes design process before turning the spotlight onto the future toys. Wasting no time, they revealed the theme and title of next years assortment: Primal Attack!

They key art is bold and colorful, with a toxic haziness that screams beautiful but deadly. In true Jurassic fashion, it seems to revolve around the park on Isla Nublar, with fencing not yet destroyed, hinting at the open park era. We’re not sure what this means for potential line lore, but we’re excited by it all the same.

Jurassic World Primal Attack’s play theme is about bringing the dinosaurs to life in their most raw authenticity, giving them fluid and realistic movements, attacks, and roars. This was showcased with their new electronic roaring Carnotaurus, which features a thrashing and biting attack, with a full range of body motion. Check it out in action!


They then moved on to reveal and tease many new dinosaur species, promising a total of 17 entirely new species, with many more brand new toys. In this first image, you can see the three new species they revealed: Edmontosaurus, Alioramus, and Cryolophosaurus (left to right) surrounded by many more dinosaur silhouettes. Within those silhouettes we see what looks to be Sinoceratops, Teratophoneus, Manjungasaurus or Rugops, Sarchosuchus, Callovosaurus, Irritator or Ichthyovenator, Postosuchus, Scutosaurus, what may be a Carcharodontosaurus, and a few more species too hidden to make proper guesses on (could that be a Moschops bottom right?).

They then revealed another image with even more silhouettes, many of which are returning species, though some may be new sculpts. We notice a few obvious species like Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tapejara, Dimemorphodon, Minmi, Baryonyx, Styracosaurus, a handful of raptors, and quite a few others, most of which are obscured by one another. Check out the picture below and see what you can spot!

While many of these species are designed just as toys, Mattel did confirm that quite a few will be based upon the upcoming Netflix animated series Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous, and even went as far as showing the previously revealed trailer during the panel. We’re not sure what species are from the new series, but we’re quite excited at the prospect of some brand new canon designs being introduced to the lineup. Outside of the dinosaurs, you may notice a lack of human figures, which Mattel sadly has confirmed that there are no news humans planned for 2020 at this time (outside of potential Amber Collection expansions).

As for other reveals, Mattel gave away a few new toys not yet in stores at the end of the panel: the Battle Damage Spinosaurus, and the Ultimate Battle Damage Baryonyx Breakout set! Check out the pictures below – we’re particularly big fans of the Barynoyx set!

Image via nostalgicadam on Instagram!

While that’s it for new toy reveals, the panel itself kicked off with the making of process for some of the existing toys, as the designers took turns explaining the process. The design portion is a must watch, and we will be sure to highlight it once we have the panel available online, which will also provide more insight into the upcoming Primal Attack toys as Mattel explains the reveals seen in the images!

Personally, I think many of the new species revealed and hinted at are incredibly exciting, and feels like Jurassic Park at its most raw, with many exotic and primal lesser known species taking the stage. The upcoming paint jobs feel more alive, natural, and complex than the past ranges, while remaining exciting and eye grabbing. The only species I’m currently not feeling is the Cryolophosaurus, which is a long necked and agile animal, where as the toy feels stumpier with a less distinguishable shape – however, as it’s only concept art, I’m sure the final design will see some evolution and refinement. I can’t wait to see more, and I’m particularly ecstatic about the endless potential Camp Cretaceous crossovers will offer.

Let’s just all keep our fingers crossed Mattel decides to introduce some new human characters and vehicles into the core line in 2020, as they’re an essential part of what makes Jurassic toys truly come to life.

Are you excited by the new reveals, what species do you think are pictured, and what are you looking forward to the most? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for all the latest news!