Category: Jurassic World 2

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

Posted on by Corey Anderson

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!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

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

Posted on by Chris Pugh

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!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

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)

—–

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!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

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!


‘Jurassic World Amber Collection’ by Mattel Revealed at SDCC – GameStop Exclusive – Available for Pre-order Now!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

Preview night roared into action yesterday at the San Diego Convention Center for San Diego Comic Con 2019, and with it many new Jurassic World reveals occurred! Perhaps most notably is the official unveiling of Mattel’s 6 inch scale Jurassic World collectors series – the Amber Collection:

To bring the Amber Collection line to life, Mattel has partnered up with GameStop as the exclusive retailer for the exciting lineup. With GameStop comes a great but simple opportunity for collectors – the ability to pre-order the items, guaranteeing you the toy upon its release date. GameStop is no stranger to pre-orders, and offers this for all their upcoming products such as videogames and consoles, which meant they were a perfect fit for high demand collectors items such as these!

The initial wave of items in the Amber Collection are a Dr. Ian Malcolm figure from Jurassic Park, and a Jurassic Park female Velociraptor – and they are available for pre-order now! Dr Malcolm is available here, the Velociraptor is available here, and a online exclusive bundle pack is available here! We strongly reccomend you pre-order ASAP (whether online or at your local GameStop store), as with any exclusive item and collectors lineup, the availability will be more limited than the other toys with the potential of selling out.

The pictures show just how detailed each of these items are, and gives a great look at their amber themed display stands. Malcolm and the female classic Velociraptor are expected to ship this October, so be sure to pre-order now. No word yet on when Owen and Blue will be available, nor what the packaging will look like, but we expect those reveals to happen soon!

We’re on the floor at San Diego Comic Con, so stay tuned for more coverage and pictures on our website and social media channels. We had the chance to talk to GameStops James Parker about the Jurassic World Amber Collection, so keep your eyes peeled on our site for the full interview soon!

What are your thoughts on the Jurassic World Amber Collection, and what other dinosaurs and humans would you like to see? As always, let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for all the latest news!


‘Jurassic World the Ride’ Officially Opens at Universal Studios Hollywood!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

It’s official – the Jurassic World ride at Universal Studios Hollywood has opened its gates! While the park has been letting guests ride the new attraction recently as part of technical rehearsals, it was not formally open. However, Universal surprised everyone today with the official announcement!

Universal City, CA, July 12, 2019 – It’s official: Universal Studios Hollywood’s mega attraction “Jurassic World—The Ride” opens and It Just Got Real.

Inspired by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s JURASSIC WORLD blockbuster films, this spectacular new thrill ride features the film’s stars, Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and BD Wong, who reprise their roles as Owen Grady, Claire Dearing and Dr. Henry Wu, and soars to new heights with the addition of iconic dinosaurs from the movie, including the colossal Indominus rex and the magnificent aquatic Mosasaurus.

“Jurassic World—The Ride” captures the essence of the blockbuster movies and comes to life in collaboration with the award-winning and inspired minds at Universal Creative, the Academy Award®-winning special-effects visionaries at Industrial Light & Magic, a division of Lucasfilm, Ltd., Universal Pictures and acclaimed filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Colin Trevorrow and Frank Marshall.

The elaborately themed all-new “Raptor Encounter” where Blue, the beloved Velociraptor from the JURASSIC WORLD movies, engages with guests in daring face-to-face encounters, along with the addition of two new dinosaurs – a Baby Raptor with her Raptor Handler and a life-size Triceratops who greet guests outside the “Jurassic World—The Ride” entrance, further enhance the entire experience. Plus, a new interactive “Dino Play” area is designed to inspire children of all ages to explore and excavate giant dinosaur fossils.

Costa Rican-inspired cuisine and flavorful Tiki cocktails served at Jurassic Café and all-new tropical Isla Nu-bar add to the dynamic guest experience while an array of souvenir collectible, limited edition and one-of-a-kind dimensional dinosaur sculptures from the Jurassic Outfitters store invite guests to savor a piece of this exciting thrill ride even after they have gone home.

With so much to see and do at Universal Studios Hollywood, the California Neighbor Pass invites guests to experience 175 days of fun for $149 when purchased online. Visit www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com for more details. Blackout dates and restrictions apply.

Numerous POV videos are available online from the new Jurassic World ride, so if you’re eager to experience it online prior to visiting the parks, just check out YouTube – or stay tuned, as we’re visiting the park later this month and will provide our own coverage! The ride itself opens with a innovative screen based Mosasaurus encounter, which is adaptive to time of day and weather according to Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow. However, in the videos online, the time of day effect has yet to be seen, so perhaps todays opening will mark its debut. Likewise, the Indominus Rex in videos online is reportedly not at 100% animation, and will likely be even more interactive soon!

Be sure to stay tuned for our full review of the Jurassic World makeover coming later this month after we visit! Will you be visiting the park, or have you already rode the ride? Sound off in the comments below and let us know what you think!

‘Jurassic World: Amber Collection’ – Mattel’s 6 Inch Scale Collectors Line Revealed!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

Since the release of the Mattel Jurassic World lineup in 2018, dinosaurs have truly ruled the toy shelves, calling attention from fans and collectors alike. Last year during San Diego Comic Con 2018, Mattel promised a new format for the Jurassic World line: a 6 inch collectors series. Since that reveal, which included Owen Grady, Malcolm, and Velociraptor Blue, it’s been radio silence – however, prior to SDCC 2019 we finally have new pictures and details!

Releasing under the title of the ‘Jurassic World Amber Collection’, this line is aimed at collectors and is sculpted in a 6 inch scale (the core line is a smaller 3 3/4 inch scale). The range will launch with 2 figures based upon the original Jurassic Park: Dr Ian Malcolm, and a classic female Velociraptor. Read their descriptions below for all the details!

Dr 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. 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.

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.

The Velociraptor and Malcolm both have seen quite a few revisions and improvements since their 2018 reveals. Most obviously, the Velociraptor is no longer based upon Jurassic World’s Blue, while Malcolm himself looks more proportionate, and less ‘Jeff Swoleblum’ as some had dubbed him. Take a look at their prior reveals below to compare:

At this point there is no word on availability or pricing, though the current buzz is these items will be retailer exclusive. With San Diego Comic Con 2019 opening its doors in less than 10 days, we wouldn’t be surprise to see and learn more soon – though it remains unconfirmed that the toys will be on display at the show. Further, while Owen is currently not available with the latest batch of information, we suspect he will make it to store shelves at some point (although we would welcome a Jurassic Park focus, with Grant and Sattler first).

Be sure to stay tuned, as more images and information are sure to roar online soon! Until then, sound off in the comments below and let us know what you think of the Amber Collection toys!


Official Images of the Mattel Jurassic World Legacy Collection Brachiosaurus Have Stomped Online!

Posted on by Chris Pugh

This has been an exciting week to be a Jurassic Park fan, with news roaring online in abundance, Camp Cretaceous (an upcoming Jurassic World animated series) as the star attraction. While the week is coming to an end, that doesn’t mean the fun is quite over – at least not for fans of the Mattel toy line!

Straight from the official Mattel website, we have our first real look at the Legacy Collection Brachiosaurus!

Measuring upwards of 36 inches tall, and roughly 28 – 42+ inches long, this toy is a behemoth! With articulation on each leg, tail, and neck, it has a wide range of motion allowing for lots of fun play opportunities. In the US it is releasing under the Jurassic World Legacy Collection label later this Fall for $49.99, exclusively at Target. International market availability will vary, but mainline releases in some markets will exist to help get this item to as many fans as possible!

At this time, its exact release date is unknown, as is its release pattern. With any luck, it will not follow the lead of Targets bizarre strategy for the Legacy Collection Spinosaurus (releasing the bulk at around 3am EST without warning, and selling out by morning). While the Spinosaurus was an online exclusive in the US, we’re hoping the Legacy Collection Brachiosaurus will be carried in stores for better availability options.

For those who want all the information possible, the Mattel item number for the Brachiosaurus is GFH12.

Will you be picking up the Legacy Collection Brachiosaurus, and do you think Target will do a better job with distribution this time around? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost!


Jurassic World Evolution Announces All-New ‘Fallen Kingdom’ Inspired Story Expansion | Claire’s Sanctuary

Posted on by Chris Pugh

Prepare to return to Isla Nublar this June, and save the dinosaurs from extinction. Frontier Developments have announced an all new DLC expansion for Jurassic World Evolution titled Claire’s Sanctuary. The ‘Sanctuary’ story expansion is inspired by the events of Fallen Kingdom, and focuses on saving the dinosaurs from the imminent Mount Sibo induced extinction, relocating them to Sanctuary Island.

Watch the trailer below, and read on for all the details!

The Jurassic World Evolution experience just got bigger and the stakes are higher than ever.

With Jurassic World Evolution: Claire’s Sanctuary, you’ll embark on an exciting campaign with a thrilling storyline never before explored! This expansion pack features a whole host of new missions, dinosaurs, locations and loads more waiting to be unlocked by you on the islands.

Time is running out as the once dormant Mt. Sibo is expected to erupt at any minute and is threatening to send the dinosaurs of Isla Nublar back to extinction. Leap into action with Claire Dearing, voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard, as you work together on this rescue mission to save these magnificent creatures.

In addition to the exciting new narrative in Jurassic World Evolution, you’ll also gain access to three incredible new dinosaurs:

  • Albertosaurus – a large tyrannosaur with distinctive short, bony crests above the eyes and two extremely powerful legs
  • Euplocephalus – meaning “well-armoured head”, referring to its wide skull and toothless beak
  • Ouranosaurus – a powerfully built herbivore with a flat, duck-billed snout. This dinosaur had a thick muscular sail on its back going from the base of its neck to the very tip of its tail.

Dinosaurs aren’t the only addition though. Now, there are brand new Paleobotany mechanics that allow you to research and grow new plants using the new Greenhouse building. You’ll be able to serve your dinosaurs their favourite meals to increase their lifespan and prestige while making them feel more at home in the environment.

With an all new Isla Nublar play space, the addition of Sanctuary Island, Paleobotany, new dinosaurs, and more, this expansion promises to add fun for players of all interests! You may recognize the new off-road vehicle ride as the Gallimimus Valley tour vehicle, as seen in Jurassic World, which is quite a fun new addition. I’m particularly excited to visit Sanctuary Island, and learn more about this elusive island, as the film never explored it due to Mill’s dino-auction betrayal.

Alongside ‘Claire’s Sanctuary’, Jurassic World Evolution will be releasing a free update with many exciting, fan requested features as well.

  • Terrain and Scenery Items – Place new rocks, trees and shrubs in your dinosaur habitats or change the terrain from grass to dirt on some islands!
  • Spinosaurid Care – Spinosaurids are receiving some care refinement with the addition of wetlands to represent their swamp and coastal environments, plus new fish feeders!
  • Gyrosphere Improvements – We’ve made some changes to allow gyrospheres to pass through enclosure fences by adding automatic gates, so now you can wow your guests with a park-wide tour of all of your exhibits!
  • And more!

Jurassic World Evolution: Claire’s Sanctuary will launch alongside our free update 1.8 on 18 June 2019 and will be available to download from Steam, PlayStation or the Xbox Store for £12.99/$14.99 (price may vary per platform and region). This pack is entirely optional for you to purchase, as update 1.8 will include these new features and will launch for free for all players. Please note you will need to own the base game in order to play.

What are you looking forward to the most in these upcoming Jurassic World Evolution expansions, and what changes or additions do you want to see come to Jurassic World Evolution in the future? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for everything Jurassic!