Nearly one year after the film’s announcement, we are finally hearing from Jurassic World: Rebirth writer and Jurassic veteran David Koepp. He joined host Mike DeAngelo on The Discourse Podcast and had great things to say about his return to the dinosaur franchise he helped start.
David Koepp stopped by The Discourse recently to talk about his latest career developments, like working with Steven Soderbergh on “Presence.” But Koepp also teased his return to a major franchise he once helped make a classic: “Jurassic Park.” He writes Gareth Edwards‘ upcoming “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” his first film in the franchise since “The Lost World: Jurassic Park.” So what brought Koepp back to pen a new dinosaur actioner after 25 years?
In Koepp’s words , it was the chance to write a streamlined script in a familiar world. “That was a ball. I had such a nice time on it,” said about writing “Rebirth.” I hope people like the movie because the series tended to change after three, and it felt like, ‘Okay, so let’s change our tone.” Steven [Spielberg] and I were interested in a tone that was maybe more akin to the very first movie. I saw it early on as a mission movie. I like things that are driven by bottles, by containment, you know?”
“And so, developing a limited team and a thing that they have to accomplish – that was all really fun,” Koepp continued. “And it was just fun to return to that world of great adventure backed by real science and write some cool new characters. You don’t often get a chance to have a blank slate and say, ‘What do you want to do?’ There were no franchise expectations other than dinosaurs.”
Koepp even went so far as to create a list of rules the franchise needs to abide by moving forward, which was inspired by the most unlikely of sources. “I actually wrote a list of our nine commandments, which was inspired by Chuck Jones, who had written nine commandments for the Roadrunner cartoons – like all adventures must take place in the American Southwest, gravity is always the coyote’s worst enemy, all products must come from the Acme corporation,” Koepp said. “And so I made a list of things that we had to abide by – one was the events of the previous six movies that cannot be contradicted or denied because I don’t like a retcon. Those are no fun. Two, Humor is oxygen. Science must be real. You know, all the things that we wanted our movie to be. And I just had a great fun doing it with Steven and then with Gareth [Edwards].”
Reflecting on the experience, Koepp described the surreal nature of returning to a franchise 30 years later. “It was trippy to go back to a London soundstage 30 years after I walked onto a Los Angeles soundstage and see the jungle and the people in their jungle gear,” he said. “And it was just all back. It even smelled the same.” But the cast of “Rebirth” are all newcomers to “Jurassic Park” this time around. Edwards’ new film stars Scarlett Johannson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahersala Ali, and hits theaters on July 2, 2025.
And while the new “Jurassic Park” movie isn’t an official reunion between Koepp and Spielberg, Spielberg’s upcoming UFO blockbuster certainly is. Koepp also had enough time on the podcast to confirm that his upcoming collaboration withthe director is a sci-fi adventure reminiscent of Spielberg’s earlier works. “Yes, it is like a sci-fi… Well, I don’t know. I’m not supposed to say. But, yes, it is,” Koepp confirmed. “It does harken back to maybe a different tone than [what he’s done lately]. Something he used to do that he hasn’t done for a little bit.”
In other words, everything old is new again when it comes to Koepp’s recent scriptwriting. Spielberg’s next picture hits theaters on May 15, 2026. – Additional reporting by Mike DeAngelo.
David Koepp wrote Jurassic Park (1993) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), adapting from Michael Crichton’s novels, and he has been involved in small capacities for ideas, writing, and revisions on multiple films in the franchise since then. He is undoubtably one of the foremost voices on the Jurassic franchise story and certainly has a fantastic resumé within the series.
It is truly great to hear him talk about Jurassic in such detail again after all this time, and to hear about the ease and enjoyment in his return to collaboration with Steven Spielberg. His passion for the franchise is still clear, as he even introduced his own new “franchise commandments”! I can’t think of too many names who would be a better choice to create a set of Jurassic commandments.
1. The events of the previous 6 movies cannot be contradicted or denied
2. Humor is oxygen
3. Science must be real
Great adventure and real science. Very sound guidelines for a franchise like Jurassic. What are the other six? I love his words about returning to a Jurassic set after all this time, and being a part of developing a new story from a blank slate. What he had to say about the other trilogies is also generally on point:
“…the series tended to change after three, and it felt like, ‘Okay, so let’s change our tone.”
I can’t wait to see what “tone” Koepp has helped create for Rebirth, and how those Jurassic commandments play out. What would your commandments be?
You can read the full extent of Koepp’s Jurassic comments and listen to the full episode of The Discourse Podcasthere. He also spoke about the upcoming UFO event film he is writing for Steven Spielberg, set to release Summer 2026, plus his work and friendship with Steven Soderbergh and Kevin Bacon.
As the Wicked press tour and other promotional events continue, Jurassic World: Rebirthstars Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson have shared more details and personal feelings about their time filming this summer, their experiences with the Jurassic franchise, and the run-up to the seventh film next year.
Scarlett Johansson joined NBC’s TODAY for her “milestone birthday” recently to discuss her career, upcoming projects, and her experience directing for the first time:
When asked about Jurassic and the upcoming film, Johansson shared:
“Jurassic World: Rebirth, we just finished it. I feel like we’re still shooting it. We shot it in Thailand, Malta, and the UK, and it was a whirlwind. We shot for the last five months or something like that. My life-long dream has always been to participate in Jurassic in any way – I’ll do your craft service, your dinosaur motion-capture, I was like, put the dots all over me I’ll be that person. It was… It was a crazy ride, and it’s coming out, like, tomorrow basically.”
Her excitement and passion for the Jurassic franchise have been evident in every interview since she was announced as cast, and it’s great to hear about her experience during production. She certainly had nice things to say about her future Jurassic co-star and current Wicked star Jonathan Bailey as well. Water finds a way.
Jonathan Bailey spoke to Who What Wear about his career, fashion, Wicked, and upcoming performances:
From Who What Wear, Bailey on joining the Jurassic franchise in Rebirth:
Following Richard II, Bailey will return to the big screen with Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali in Jurassic World: Rebirth, playing paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis. A passing of the torch from Wicked co-star Jeff Goldblum, perhaps? We’ll have to wait and see, but Bailey does call Goldblum’s Jurassic Park character Dr. Malcolm the “rizz king” and credits the actor’s performances for keeping him “enthralled and titillated.” “If I can achieve half of what he did in the original Jurassic, I’ll be very happy,” he adds.
What Bailey can say about his own experience at this time is how excited he is to be joining the major franchise given how deeply nostalgic it is for him. Jurassic Park was the first film Bailey saw in the cinema with his family. He gets goosebumps thinking back on that time. “I just remember feeling so alive,” he says. “It’s a bit like Wicked [and] going back to singing and dancing. [I’m] now going back to one of these iconic experiences that I found so inspiring then, to be able to infiltrate that world.” To say Bailey is excited about this movie would be an understatement. “The idea of the John Williams theme playing under trotting through some grass fields chasing a dinosaur, you can’t get more mind-blowing and eye-popping than that,” he says.
Needless to say, Scarlett Johansson is a massive star, and Jonathan Bailey is becoming one before our eyes. The Jurassic franchise has impacted so many artists and filmmakers, and it’s apt that the franchise’s next big names have such deep connections to the films. Both have incredible acting skills and have built quite the portfolio for themselves. Jurassic World: Rebirthboasts one of the best casts of any 2025 film, which should help it attract audiences across the globe.
La-La Land Records has been hitting a homerun with ‘Jurassic Park’ fans over the years. In 2016, they released a double CD set of expanded and remastered soundtracks for the classic John Williams scores ‘Jurassic Park’ & ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park,’ with both getting sperate releases (and even more material) in 2022 & 2023 respectively. This year, they have a new soundtrack release for the franchise’s third film, ‘Jurassic Park 3,’ composed by Don Davis! But what sets it apart from previous releases, and is it a definitive presentation of the score? Let’s take a walk in the park and find out!
In 2001, the soundtrack was released on CD in the form of a 54-minute album via Decca records. Composer Don Davis (‘The Matrix Trilogy’) assembled this 1-CD release himself, combining some cues together to form certain tracks, and arranging it all in his own personal sequence. Unlike the John Williams scores for the prior films, this one is nearly wall-to-wall action (just like the film). While it runs through every scene, it also expertly weaves themes established by Williams in very fun and clever ways. Also included on the album was the 1999 Randy Newman song “Big Hat, No Cattle,” which puzzled fans since it is only briefly heard in the film during an early bar scene in the background. While this album featured a decent amount of the score (about 50 minutes of Davis’s material), it did leave off several noteworthy cues that were heard in the film. Some of these were favorites of those who had seen the film, such as the climactic showdown with the Spinosaurus, expecting to find them on the album but ending up disappointed.
Interesting to note is that this album was an “Enhanced CD.” If put into a computer’s CD or DVD ROM drive, it would open a program with access to special features, including: the film’s trailer, a dinosaur size chart, photos, website access, a text conversation with Don Davis, and a trailer for the unreleased PlayStation game ‘Jurassic Park: Survival.’(It should be noted that the new 2024 soundtrack release does NOT include any of this content.) While this 2001 CD Album is now out of print, it can at least be bought for relatively cheap prices in the secondary market and is also easily available for digital purchase.
It’s been theorized that because the album’s CD needed extra space for the enhanced content (along with the Randy Newman song), it forced Don Davis to make his arrangement of the cues shorter than perhaps he wanted. This explains why the score’s runtime on the album is about 20 minutes shorter than the albums were for ‘Jurassic Park’ & ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park.’ In fact, it could have otherwise included even more additional music, given the format’s size limits of about 80 minutes.
Curiously, about a year after the album was released, an “Academy Promo” CD was sent out for Oscar consideration that found its way online (perhaps by Dennis Nedry?). This longer, unofficial version of the soundtrack contained several additional tracks not included on the commercial Decca release, including many extended film versions of existing tracks. (However, it did not include the Randy Newman song nor any of the “Enhanced CD” content.) Some of the additional highlights include music for when the raptor eggs are discovered in the jungle, the Spinosaurus chasing the group toward the aviary’s entrance, and the film’s entire climax tracks (albeit with a fuller mix and additional orchestrations). Since this wasn’t an official release that one could find in stores, these unique tracks were shared with many fans through internet piracy. Over the past two decades, this was unfortunately the only way for anyone to hear the extended version of the soundtrack apart from watching the film itself.
La-La Land Records, Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Decca Records present JURASSIC PARK III, a limited edition 2-CD remastered and expanded presentation of acclaimed composer Don Davis’ (THE MATRIX, THE MATRIX RELOADED, BOUND) original motion picture score to the blockbuster second sequel in the legendary JURASSIC PARK franchise, starring Sam Neill, William H. Macy and Tea Leoni, and directed by Joe Johnston. Expertly interpolating, and building on, maestro John Williams’ iconic JURASSIC themes, composer Davis propels the film’s excitement even further with his own powerhouse, original orchestral material. Expanded and sounding better than ever, JURASSIC PARK III shines brilliantly – it’s robust, thematic high-octane film scoring that finally gets to shine in full within this deluxe release. Produced by Mike Matessino and Neil S. Bulk, newly edited by Bulk and mixed and mastered by Matessino from the original 24 bit film mixes, this 2-CD presentation showcases the original 2001 soundtrack release remastered on Disc 1, with the expanded film score spread across both discs, concluding with additional tracks on Disc 2. The exclusive, in-depth liner notes are by John Takis, including new comments from the composer, while the sharp art design is by Jim Titus, continuing the eye-catching style he employed for our JURASSIC PARK and THE LOST WORLD re-issues. This is a limited edition of 3000 Units.
The presentation of this edition of the score is the opposite of how their 2022 ‘Jurassic Park’ release was done: the original album is on the first CD, followed by the first section of the expanded score, with the rest of it and some additional alternates on the second CD. The release was presented this way due to space limitations on the CD format and their own personal preferences. The original album was included due to unique edits & takes that several of the tracks had and, of course, the Randy Newman song. For those already familiar with the original album, or want to skip to the expanded presentation, you’ll want to begin with track 17 on CD 1.
Right away, we hear something new: the film version of ‘Isla Sorna Sailing Situation.’ The only real addition to this cue is a sustained note near the beginning (as the film’s title cards are appearing on screen, and the water ripples). Other film versions as heard on the Academy promo are present, such as ‘Bone Man Ben,’ ‘Raptor Repartee,’ and ‘Cooper’s Last Stand.’ But what will be exciting for fans of the score are a few other film versions heard for the first time, such as ‘Dinosaur Man,’ ‘The Dinosaur Fly-By,’ and most notably ‘The Raptor Room’ (which includes an alternate segment and a longer moment with the choir). Additional alternates include an alternate opening to ‘Clash Of Extinction’ (a cue not heard in the film in any form), an alternate ending for ‘Raptor In The Cabin,’ and an alternate ending for ‘River Reminiscence.’ A major highlight, presented in extended form, is ‘The Hat Returns / End Credits,’ which showcases the full version of the end credits for the first time (longer, and arranged differently, than what is heard in the film).
However, despite having all of the Academy promo tracks (making those bootlegs of it finally obsolete), and a few other film versions of cues; there are still several missing, without any explanation. Most notably not on this release are film versions (or, what could be vastly different ‘film mixes’ that remove some of the brass and other instruments from their original compositions) of ‘Frenzy Fuselage,’ ‘River Rampage,’ and ‘Paul Makes A Leap.’ What’s interesting is that some of these tracks do have supposed “extended” versions on this release, but when hearing them there are no discernable differences. Listening closely, there are only either very minor performance differences or a sustained note with a longer fadeout at the end. The cues ‘Party Crasher,’ ‘Brachiosaurs On The Bank,’ and ‘Pteranodon Habitat’ have different openings or endings entirely in the film as well, and are also not present here. ‘Pteranodon Habitat’ has a timpani-heavy ending in the film, and while it is not certain if this piece was even composed by Don Davis, it would have been nice to have gleamed some explanation. Unfortunately, the liner notes (while detailed on the film’s history and the making of the score) don’t give us any intel on this topic.
Do these omissions taint the release of this soundtrack? That may depend on how much you were hoping to have those versions of the tracks. Neither me nor Bernard A. Kyer (who provided some details mentioned in this review) were asked to participate in this release like we did for ‘Jurassic Park’ in 2022 and ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ in 2023, so we can’t explain the absence of these film versions. There is a chance that the elements used in the film could not be found, or some strange rights issues, but without any information given we can only speculate. In my personal opinion, I do prefer the fuller orchestrated versions of these tracks that are included rather than what can be heard in the film.
Omissions aside, this is still the best release the ‘Jurassic Park 3’ soundtrack has ever had. The clever cover artwork that matches the prior two releases is fantastic, the sound quality is great, we finally have an official release of the Academy promo’s tracks, and it provides several film versions of cues people have wanted to hear outside of the film ever since it came out. With the original album also included at the beginning, there really is no need to own the previous release unless you want to hang onto the “Enhanced CD” content (if it even works on your computer anymore).
DISC 1 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK ALBUM (54:28) 1 Isla Sorna Sailing Situation 4:21 2 The Dinosaur Fly-By 2:13 3 Cooper’s Last Stand 1:59 4 The Raptor Room 2:35 5 Raptor Repartee 3:04 6 Tree People 2:00 7 Pteranodon Habitat 3:01 8 Tiny Pecking Pteranodons 3:34 9 Billy Oblivion 2:49 10 Brachiosaurus On The Bank 2:05 11 Nash Calling 3:36 12 Bone Man Ben 7:18 13 Frenzy Fuselage 3:58 14 Clash Of Extinction 1:39 15 The Hat Returns / End Credits 5:07 16 Big Hat, No Cattle 4:24 Performed by Randy Newman
SCORE PRESENTATION (85:07) 17 Isla Sorna Sailing Situation (Film Version) 4:26 18 Dinosaur Man 1:43 19 Udesky, Nash And Cooper 2:29 20 The Raptor Bone 1:18 21 Raptor In The Cabin 1:52 22 The Dinosaur Fly-By (Film Version) 2:28 23 Cooper’s Last Stand (Extended Version) 2:52 24 Frenzy Fuselage (Extended Version) 4:08 25 Clash Of Extinction 1:40 DISC 1 TOTAL TIME: 77:40
ADDITIONAL MUSIC (13:14) 20 Dinosaur Man (Alternate) 1:43 21 Raptor In The Cabin (Alternate) 1:52 22 Cooper’s Last Stand (Alternate) 2:38 23 Clash Of Extinction (Alternate Opening) 1:46 24 River Rampage (Alternate Ending) 2:11 25 River Reminiscence (Alternate Ending) 1:08 26 Dinosaur Man (With Choir) 1:44 DISC 2 TOTAL TIME: 75:18 TOTAL 2-DISC TIME: 2:32:58
Still available from La-La Land Records are their 2-CD remastered/expanded reissues of ‘Jurassic Park’ & ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park!’ Don’t miss your chance to own the ultimate versions of those scores as well!
Note: Additional images of physical product provided by Matthieu Munoz.
Are you going to get this new release of the ‘Jurassic Park 3’ soundtrack? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and as always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!
Season 2 of Jurassic World’s animated show Chaos Theory premieres on Netflix October 17th! We were fortunate to be able to view it ahead of time, and we’re excited to share our review and reactions to the upcoming season!
Chaos Theory debuted in May 2024 and was a follow-up to Camp Cretaceous, a five-season show which saw six teenage campers become stranded on the island of Isla Nublar after the Jurassic World disaster.
Chaos Theory picked things up six years after the campers were finally rescued and brought us into a world where dinosaurs now roam alongside humans on the mainland after escaping from Lockwood Manor, the Arcadia transport ship, and proliferating via the spread of genetic technology.
The first season was a master class in both storytelling and its ability to tie its animated world to that of the live-action Jurassic World films.
We met the more mature versions of the survivors from Camp Cretaceous – dubbed the Nublar Six – as they dealt with a whole new conspiracy that links back to the disappearance of one of their own – Brooklynn.
The question is, will the second season continue the same feeling of thrills, wonder, adventure, and terror as the first? Will we get answers about Brooklynn’s disappearance, and where is the cargo ship heading?
Read on for our review of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Season Two!
When we last saw the Nublar Five they were boarding a dinosaur-filled cargo ship, destination unknown. The first season unraveled the beginning of the conspiracy – the group discovered that agents within the DPW, a Government organization tasked with ensuring dinosaurs and humans can co-exist, were also facilitating part of the dinosaur black-market trade. Brooklynn herself had been investigating dinosaur trading by DPW agents since the events at Lockwood Manor, and was believed to have been killed by a rogue Allosaurus at one of these dino-drops.
The season showed us the Nublar Five reuniting in the wake of Brooklynn’s death, and trying to find answers to exactly what happened to her. This led them to many places across the USA, and introduced them to a handful of new characters – the mysterious raptor handler, DPW regional manager Dudley Cabrera, Bobby Nublar, and Mateo, the DPW worker who was driving the truck containing the Allosaurus, and witnessed Brooklynn’s supposed death. These characters all help piece together the puzzle of what exactly happened that fateful night and established that a much larger conspiracy is at play.
It is revealed to us at the very end of the season that Brooklynn survived the attack and has been monitoring both her friends and the DPW’s dinosaur trading in hiding, using the website DarkJurassic and a “new working relationship” with Daniel Kon to collect data and communicate with whistleblowers.
The first season did a wonderful job of showing us a world post-Fallen Kingdom, where dinosaurs now roam free across many states in America. We saw both the havoc they can cause, whether intentionally or not, and the many ways in which humans capitalized on the de-extinct animal’s arrival.
Given how high the stakes were following the end of the first season, has Season Two managed to capture the same success, and also expand on it?
In short: yes, it absolutely has.
Season 2 picks up exactly where we left off – the group are holed up in an empty dinosaur container awaiting the ship to reach its destination, and we get a sense they’ve been traveling for quite some time now. This season continues to expand on our titular characters, and focuses in on their internal struggles.
A highlight of the first season was the PTSD the characters faced after their time on the islands – specifically Yaz, who was dealing with some serious trauma. This season continues this thread, but focuses more on Kenji, who – while stoic and acting strong in front of his friends – is struggling immensely with the death of Brooklynn and his father.
The characters pick up on this, and we’re treated to some rather tender moments between members of the group – a credit to the writers’ work managing to intertwine these characters internal struggles with the dangers that surround them. It continues to be refreshing having a show aimed at a younger audience that is willing to mature with its characters and its audience, and not pull away from portraying complex human emotions.
While all the characters get their screen time, a large focus is put on Darius and his own memories with and feelings for Brooklynn – something that caused conflict between he and Kenji in the first season, and continues to be something the three of them contend with.
The first episode truly throws us right into the adventure. After a storm knocks out power on the ship, some of the dinosaurs escape their containment – including the new, big bad dinosaur, the Majungasaurus. This menacing dinosaur and the escape of others on-board are shown to us in a brilliant, tension-building way– mostly through strikes of lightning that show the chaos of panicked dinosaurs and their predatory drive in flashes of light, chasing and hunting the humans on the ship.
It poses a serious threat to the characters aboard the ship, which is something Chaos Theory season 2 continues to do so well: showing us the true terror that can come from these de-extinct beasts, but also the relationships that can form between humans and calmer species. And we must say, especially in the first episode, Chaos Theory season 2 builds excellent, suspenseful atmospheres for our characters to interact with these creatures in.
After a turbulent first episode, the group manage to escape the ship and eventually make it to land. The first season did a great job of showing us dinosaurs across America and what the reality of that means, and this season is no different. It takes a big swing taking us to environments entirely new to the franchise, outside of the USA, but it’s handled perfectly.
The introductions of a new location and two new characters (a mother and daughter native to the region) all feels natural, and is a welcome change. The inclusion of this new culture, language, and environment are presented flawlessly and are exciting to have joining the Jurassic franchise. Many of this season’s main dinosaur species being native to the continent or area of the world is a great real-world paleontology nod as well.
As many have guessed, we are taken to a country in Western Africa and introduced to Zayna and Aminata who have found ways to co-exist with the dinosaurs that recently arrived. A small herd of Stegosaurs live nearby to their home, and a particular Gallimimus becomes somewhat of a Bumpy-like figure to Zayna.
We learn through dialogue that the dinosaurs aren’t supposed to be here – and that Darius didn’t think other continents even had dinosaurs. This all ties into the larger conspiracy at play, which leads the group to travel up-river to find answers about where the dinosaurs are comingfrom – and who is behind it. New dinosaurs and some familiar favorites fill out this season, with a particular spotlight given to the Suchomimus– a semi-aquatic dinosaur that becomes quite a concern for the group. As the group continues to explore this new location and find answers, we are finally re-introduced to Brooklynn, and find out exactly what happened on that dreaded night.
Her character is handled carefully and her own storyline is expanded, providing evidence and much-needed context for her actions following that attack. Like the other characters, she’s dealing with her own post-traumatic stress coupled with the high-stakes nature of her investigation activities, and this is something navigated expertly as we move through the story.
However, she’s on a mission and will seemingly stop at nothing to get it done – even at times putting herself in more danger. She’s following leads and not letting her newfound disability hold her back. Season 2 tackles the two storylines at once, jumping between Brooklynn’s own globe-trotting adventure and the Nublar Five’s survival and simultaneous investigation in Western Africa.
We are also shown further examples of how the world post-Fallen Kingdom dinosaur escape is dealing with these creatures. After a few years attempting to co-exist, you get a sense that people are beginning take matters into their own hands. A particular vigilante group emerges, Dinosaur Liberation Now, showing that people are growing tired of the dinosaurs being there, and are also not happy with the captivity that many of them involuntarily find themselves in.
Many are curious about the identity of The Broker. The character was teased in the first season, and is unveiled in the new season. We can’t say anything about that yet – but it’s worth the wait and something you will want to uncover for yourself. The character will be a big surprise to many.
The writers of Camp Cretaceous and Chaos Theory successfully tied some of the show’s elements to the live-action movies and the second season expands on this – we learn more about the state of the world between Fallen Kingdom and Dominion, and certain plot elements tie the show even closer to the third Jurassic World movie.
As the show continues it could tie even closer to the movies, perhaps aligning directly with Dominion or even filling in more gaps in the Jurassic timeline after the events of Dominion. Regardless of where we’re headed, season 2 certainly progresses and modernizes the Jurassic franchise in great ways.
This season continues to deliver on the gorgeous settings and animation. The locations are diverse and intriguing, with the lighting and composition aiding in the storytelling and providing some very Jurassic visuals. It all comes together to deliver on a truly great looking show, with fantastic dinosaur textures and character animation throughout.
Leo Birenberg delivers on the score yet again, providing a terror-inducing soundtrack that is clearly inspired by the films and music of Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann. It is concurrently mysterious, intense, moving, and perfectly synthesized to match this modern Jurassic thriller.
Season two is full of terror, adventure, and well-written characters, with plenty of mysteries to explore. It also has enough connective tissue to the Jurassic Park franchise as a whole to satisfy any fan. It takes the Jurassic story to quite unexpected places, and certainly ups the stakes toprogress even further in the animated Jurassic World.
As a whole season 2 delivers on the premise established in the first, and continues to expand the stories and mysteries that this animated show has crafted. It might not be quite as hard-hitting as the first season, but following that fantastic debut was always going to be tough, and nothing really holds this back.
This season quickly advances the Chaos Theory adventure into its next phase, and brings the story to places never before seen in the Jurassic franchise, all while providing just as much intrigue and suspense. It features some nice ties back to season one of the show as well as some great references to multiple films in the Jurassic franchise. Importantly, season two also does a great job building on the themes of disability and inclusion with another diverse roster of characters and creatures.
But that’s just our opinion! And when the season drops, we’d love to hear yours down below in the comments!
Chaos Theory’s second season arrives on Netflix October 17th, and if you enjoyed the first season, get ready to continue this thrilling adventure! Check out our full video review below!
BBC’s 1999 TV mini-series ‘Walking With Dinosaurs’ is one of my favorite dinosaur media productions that has ever been made. It became “the most-watched factual science programme on British TV of the 20th century,” spawning an entire genre of dinosaur documentaries where we truly felt like we were part of their world. I remember watching its broadcast on the Discovery Channel and being absolutely blown away. Despite its outdated science, the original ‘Walking With Dinosaurs’ remains the pinnacle of how to tell these stories in a way that is completely alluring, realistic, and genuinely moving. It’s a cinematic classic that is personally unrivaled, although next year a new series with the same name will be released.
To celebrate the original program’s 25th anniversary, composer Ben Bartlett is reissuing his majestic and memorable score on digital platforms! Performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, this score was the winner of the BAFTA for “Best Original Television Music” in 2000, and its legacy has been lovingly endured by its fans ever since.
Composer Ben Bartlett says:
“I am super excited to be re-releasing my music for Walking With Dinosaurs after 25 years, and to revisit my musical roots in orchestral music. Listening to these tracks again I am struck with how fresh they sound. I feel I am coming full circle after living a quarter of a century in TV and Film music production, and liberating a musical spirit from its amber mould.”
“Over the years I have received heartwarming messages from both aspiring composers and paleontologists. Some now mature scientists have expressed gratitude for the music for the iconic show Walking With Dinosaurs, as during their childhood it tapped into emotions beyond the reach of pure science, and driving a passion for paleontology. I am incredibly touched that over the years Composers have frequently got in touch to connect about how the music led them to pursue careers in music for picture, and the score has been used at music colleges around the world.”
This new soundtrack release appears to be remastered and is a tad louder than before. In terms of music that was previously unreleased, there are really only two tracks.
The opening track “Walking With Dinosaurs” omits the Kenneth Branagh dialogue that played over the original CD version from 1999 (he was the narrator on the original program) in favor of simply the music. While some may miss that edit, I personally am happy to finally have this piece of music without it. Interestingly, the opening brass statement (and perhaps the rest) sounds like a different performance as well.
The second track with unreleased music comes near the 2:50 mark of the aptly renamed “Torosaurs Lock Horns Plus,” providing about a minute of new material.
A few tracks from the score actually appear to have slightly less music compared to the original CD release, but in minor ways that may not be detected by most in the form of micro-edits. The biggest example of this is “Cruel Sea,” which is over 40 seconds shorter than its CD counterpart. It seems to mostly remove some of the track’s repetition in parts, but it is curious such an edit was made for a digital release when length is not relevant. I can only assume this was done by Ben Bartlett for his own personal preferences, but completists may want to hang onto their CDs to retain the minor omissions. Because of this, and other music from the show that is still missing from this release, I hesitate to refer to this as a “complete” release myself.
After the “End Credits” track, there are three additional tracks from the ‘Walking With Dinosaurs’ special ‘The Ballad Of Big Al’ (aka ‘Allosaurus’). These were previously on the CD album for the ‘Walking With Dinosaurs’ sequel production from 2001, ‘Walking With Beasts.’ It’s more appropriate to now have them included on this release, featuring some of the most rousing action music of the entire saga in “Battle Of The Salt Plains.”
The ‘Walking With Beasts’ soundtrack also has a new digital release of its equally fantastic score. It includes several never-before-heard tracks from the program, performed by the BBC Singers, and is available at the same Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, & Qobuz (high resolution audio) links.
While the ‘Beasts’ soundtrack release is also not “complete,” it does feature about 18 minutes of previously unreleased music; covering episodes of the program that weren’t represented before. This will be a godsend for fans, since the original soundtrack CD album was apparently fast-tracked for release before the final two episodes were even scored. This is something Ben Bartlett has wanted to rectify ever since, making this new release an important milestone.
For fans of ‘Walking With Dinosaurs’ who have never heard the ‘Beasts’ score, it features much more percussive elements throughout and a darker overall tone (ala ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’). Several tracks also feature very effective choir, usually in the form of chants, that give it a striking identity not present in the previous score. Definitely worth a listen, especially in this extended release.
Previously, AI artwork was used for both digital album covers but was quickly changed to instead feature the composer among museum displays. A forthcoming vinyl release of both scores will apparently feature original paleo artwork for their covers. No ETA on those releases just yet, or if the digital versions will have their album artwork updated to match. Sadly, CD collectors, like me, appear to be omitted from all releases (the format isn’t dead yet!).
Despite the mentioned issues of both score releases, it is still great to have them widely available again for everyone to hear. I think every ‘Jurassic Park’ fan should give them a listen (and perhaps throw Bartlett’s name in the ring to score ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth?’). Hopefully Blu-Ray releases of the original programs themselves will also be on the way to celebrate the anniversary!
Do you remember the original ‘Walking With Dinosaurs’ mini-series from 1999 and its sequels/spinoffs (including ‘Prehistoric Park‘ starring Nigel Marvin)? Reminisce in the comments below, and stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!
NOTE: This article was updated on 10/22/2024 to reflect album cover updates & more information on the ‘Walking With Beasts’ soundtrack.
Frontier Developments released their latest portfolio strategy and financial reports, which included information about the ongoing development of their third Jurassic World game.
The report states:
‘Development is on track for a third Jurassic World game coming in FY26, in collaboration with Universal Products & Experiences, alongside the promotional support of Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s all-new film, Jurassic World Rebirth, currently scheduled for release on 2 July 2025.’
News broke back in June of Frontier developing a third Jurassic Park Evolution game. The news was met with mixed reactions. While it is exciting to see Frontier continuing to delve into the world of Jurassic, the question of “is another Evolution needed?” hovers.
The announcement of the third game came only weeks after the Park Manager’s DLC Pack release for Jurassic World Evolution 2. So, with JWE2 still getting new content, what is the need for a whole new game? Furthermore, the overall release of JWE2 felt muddled. The game’s initial release felt incomplete and was rife with bugs. Then DLCs and content that felt like it should’ve been included to begin with were sold separately over months at varying prices. While a beautiful and masterful game, it’s been hard to not feel the constant twist of the capitalistic knife during the entirety of JWE2’s existence. And, if I’m being honest, that’s exactly what a Jurassic World Evolution 3 feels like.
While JWE2 certainly expanded (and in some cases perfected) what JWE1 started, it perhaps doesn’t feel as if there has been enough growth or change to warrant yet another entry in the series. In fact, some gamers and Jurassic fans have pointed to that being a reason why they weren’t interested in JWE2 even.
So, what are some things that Frontier could change or include that would turn Jurassic World Evolution 3 into an instant MUST? We have some thoughts.
1.) More “Scientifically Accurate” skins (ala Rex 65 MYA, Utahraptor, Deinocheirus,) and skins we don’t have yet
On top of expecting every species of animal and their skins that we’ve had thus far in the JWE canon, we’d LOVE to see skins that we haven’t had yet for certain animals (*cough* TLW Ptera *cough*).
We would also love if a lot more of them got the “realistic” makeover. Come on, gimme a small feathered Velociraptor. A fluffy compy. A seven-meter-long Dilophosaurus.
2.) Dinosaurs from the Universe and Juveniles
While there are a great many species included in JWE, there are still several dinosaurs from the Jurassic canon missing. Fans love to try and recreate scenes from the books, games, and more- we want to see some of our favorite dinosaurs from different parts of the series brought to life. Psittacosaur. Coelurus. Mussaurus. Ornitholestes. We can go on. Call us Frontier, we got a list on standby.
Also, it would be amazing if we could finally get juveniles, or even eggs and nests. Juveniles alone would be a great addition, for being able to make a Gentle Giants Petting Zoo, a proper Tyrant family on Isla Sorna, or hidden raptor tribes in the jungles of your park. The Jurassic franchise shows off so many amazing juvenile dinosaurs, yet we’ve never had a Jurassic game that lets us have them in our park. It’s a shame.
3.) Create your own hybrid
Enough said. I want to just have a high-quality version of the splicing machine in my Jurassic Park 3 Dino Dex. Is that too much to ask for?
4.) Rides/Coasters/Attraction creation
River Adventure/Kayak Ride is a must, first off. We’ve been begging for it forever.
On top of that, it would just be wonderful to actually build other attractions. We’ve seen the Jurassic franchise utilize “rides” in the stories for their theme parks, and in expanded material like Camp Cretaceous, Jurassic Park The Game, and more. Rides are undeniably an important part of any theme park, and there’s a severe lack of rides in the JWE games. Let us build our own VelociCoaster.
5.) More “Non-Dinosaurs”
Deinosuchus, Sarcosuchus, Megalania, Beelzebufu, Postosuchus, maybe even large arthropods? And, come on, it’s time for some mammals.
6.) ADS System
A key plot element in Jurassic World: Dominion, BioSyn’s ADS system helps keep the pterosaurs in their vally corraled and under a certain height, outside of “aviary” like enclosures.
It’d be great if this was added to the game so that we could have pterosaurs flying around in paddocks with other animals, but not necessarily able to fly around our parks doing damage and killing guests.
7.) More Decorations, Building Modification Options, and “Stops” for Guests
More signage, rest areas, smoking areas, smaller vending decorations, TLW double trailers, building ruins, the list is honestly endless.
8.) More ranger missions.
Where JW2 really shines is on the missions during the various modes. Frontier took the idea of small missions that goes back to Jurassic Park Operation Genesis and made them so immersive that you truly get wrapped up in the beauty, the chase, or the tension sometimes during these tasks. They are the best moments of the game, and we desperately want more of them.
So, tell us, what do you want from Jurassic World Evolution 3?
BBC Studios recently announced that they are co-producing an all-new Walking with Dinosaurs series with ZDF and France Télévisions, for the BBC and PBS stations.
‘In an exciting reimagining of one of the BBC’s best loved factual shows, each episode of Walking with Dinosaurs will tell the dramatic story of an individual dinosaur whose remains are currently being unearthed by the world’s leading dinosaur hunters. Thanks to cutting-edge science, experts can reveal how these prehistoric creatures lived, hunted, fought and died more accurately than ever before. As the dinosaur’s bones emerge from the ground, the series will bring these prehistoric stories to life with state-of-the-art visual effects – making each episode a gripping dinosaur drama based on the very latest evidence.‘
The original Walking with Dinosaurs series, which debuted in 1999, mixed digital and practical effects to showcase dinosaurs (and other animals that lived during the Mesozoic) in natural environments and with [at the time] up-to-date scientific knowledge. The six-part series was record-breaking, and due to its popularity, it spawned several spin-off series and specials, such as Allosaurus: A Walking with Dinosaurs Special,Walking with Beasts and Sea Monsters. There was also a very successful Walking With Dinosaurs arena show (produced by Creature Technology Company, who are also responsible for the animatronics used for a plethora of Jurassic projects such as Jurassic World Live Tour!, Jurassic World The Exhibition, and Jurassic World Adventure at Universal Bejing,) and one unfortunately unsuccessful movie attempt in 2013.
The new Walking with series will span six episodes and audiences can expect to meet many different prehistoric species in an array of Mesozoic landscapes. These include a Spinosaurus roaming the rivers of ancient Morocco; Cretaceous favorites of North America; and a lonely Lusotitan risking it all for a chance at love in Portugal. Scientific consultants, such as Dr. Thomas Holtz, have also given hints as to how the series will be structured:
Watch the teaser for the all-new series, and let us know in the comments if you’re excited about the new series and what you hope to see!
We’ve been lucky enough to catch Jurassic World’s new animated show Chaos Theory ahead of its debut on Netflix on May 24th!
The show is a follow-up to Camp Cretaceous, an animated series that saw six campers become stranded on the island of Jurassic World after the Indominus Rex disaster. Chaos Theory picks up a number of years after their eventual rescue, and follows these familiar faces as they tackle various dangers and threats in the new modern world.
We’re going to give you our thoughts on season one of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory! As always with these reviews – if you want to remain completely spoiler free then maybe best to avoid this one, but either way we won’t be spoiling any major plot points here!
Read on for our review of Season ONE of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory…
Chaos Theory is a thrill ride from start to finish – one would honestly expect nothing less from the follow-up series to Camp Cretaceous. While Jurassic’s first animated outing secluded the stories to the dinosaur-riddled islands of the pacific, Chaos Theory firmly places us in the present day, or near enough anyway, in a Jurassic world where dinosaurs now roam.
The Nublar Six are now famous – or perhaps infamous – for their ties to the Jurassic World disaster and the dinosaurs that it has ultimately unleashed upon the world. Very early on in the story Chaos Theory perfectly demonstrates the concept that was set up and teased to the audience in Fallen Kingdom: dinosaurs in our world. Arguably this concept is still a desired one, having not been a very large feature in the final World movie, but Chaos Theory showcases it really well, throughout the story, in ways that are natural, engaging, and realistic.
The very first episode, “Aftershock,” teases this concept with radio commentary from disgruntled civilians; the realityof dinosaurs in our world isn’t a dinotopia. The writers have carefully crafted the world that we enter to show us these realities in ways the movies haven’t, and sometimes a single shot tells you everything you need to know. Chaos Theory continues to show us that these dinosaurs are not monsters, but animals living in an unfamiliar world. And don’t forget, this is the first time we are truly seeing an expansive, detailed look at dinosaurs being out on the mainland, a very important and world-changing period of time in the Jurassic story.
The first season of Chaos Theory is an unravelling mystery that takes – with confidence – a darker, shadier, and more mature tone than its predecessor. Our campers have grown, and with that, so too has the storytelling. Many elements of the campers’ search for the truth while evading dinosaur and human danger harken back to the Nublar Six’s experiences doing the very same things on Isla Nublar. But in some ways, this feels like a whole new BEAST.
Writer & showrunner Scott Kreamer and his team have shown here that they understand this franchise. Chaos Theory seems to perfectly represent a crossing of the two Jurassic eras, each with their own distinct tones. Both fans of the Jurassic Park trilogy AND fans of the Jurassic World trilogy will feel like there is something for them here.
The show is filled with references and callbacks to the early movies, and seemingly a number directly to The Lost World. Chaos Theory brings back the RAPTORS, those gloriously cunning and violent beasts. They are here, and while not Velociraptors, the Atrociraptors from Dominion are absolutely vicious in this show and if you’ve been longing for some raptor action – then Chaos Theory delivers.
None of the characters feel out of place and they all feel like grown, developed versions of their former selves, characters who have reacted and adapted to the new world they live in. All the minute observations, the micro behaviors that make these characters themselves – they’re all on display here. The personal relationships and the intricacies of these characters continue to be the strongest element of this series.
One of our favourite elements in this first season is Yasmina’s personal struggle with what happened to them on the islands. The dream sequence that we saw in Camp Cretaceous showed us how the experience was already tormenting her, and this show continues to explore that narrative with her character’s growth.
And maybe we should address the elephantin the room: Brooklynn. We won’t be spoiling anything, as this show deserves YOUR viewing experience. You will like where this goes, and how it unravels. It’s emotional, it’s nerve-wracking, it’s a new Jurassic world.
The additional characters in this show, while not main features, all hold their own well. There is one who will likely become the most memorable, and the humor he brings is the perfect comedic timing required in this… pretty intense show.
Visually, this show delivers! Diverse locations, great lighting and composition – it all comes together here to provide some fantastic visuals. The animation and lighting in many environments is simply gorgeous. From dazzling sunsets to moonlit horrors, the understanding of Jurassic’s color pallet is on display here. The dinosaurs themselves appear to have had some polish too, looking even closer to their movie counterparts than the already impressive Camp Cretaceous. There are some moments in this season that look near photo-realistic, adding to the beauty and mystique of the series.
Of course, there are new dinosaurs which deliver on the chills and thrills you would expect from a Jurassic World. But we also get incredibly touching moments between man and dinosaur which continue to prove that these dinosaurs (most of them anyway) are animals – animals that deserve our respect. Chaos Theory simultaneously dials up the intensity and terror of dinosaur encounters. It doesn’t shy away from the reality of it, and we love that.
While some encounters might leave you thinking of Maisie’s superhuman escape abilities in Fallen Kingdom, overall this series is an improvement on an already great premise that fans of the Jurassic story want to see. Camp Cretaceous fans will be happy with the show’s new direction and the quality time spent with beloved characters. Wecan’t help but be excited for what might come next!
The overall story doesn’t shy away from its conspiratorial inspiration: the ever-growing distrust of establishment, corporations, and the media. It’s all quite present as this story evolves. This show is off to an excellent start at building a mysterious, dramatic new world for our characters to navigate with its dark, engaging visuals, striking musical score, and excellent voice performances.
The show, the ending, all of it will all leave you wanting more, not just for what happens but for the fact that this first season flies by. It’s tight, contained, and near perfect in its execution. Another big credit to executive producers Scott Kreamer and Aaron Hammersley, who have created Jurassic’s animated world and made it something worth returning to.
Chaos Theory solidly and progressively fills the space in this franchise that was first opened by Camp Cretaceous, and while the fourth and fifth seasons of that show may have been divisive, Chaos Theory moves forward in the right direction.
We’ve never been in the habit of giving actual ratings in our reviews but what we will say is that JurassicWorld:ChaosTheory might be one of the best things to happen in the Jurassic World era.
But that’s just our opinion!
It arrives on Netflix May 24th – and trust us, this one’s worth the watch.
On this the day of our lord Ryan Gosling (and the release day of his new film The Fall Guy) director David Leitch has addressed his involvement in and departure from the upcoming Jurassic World 4. On the latest episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Leitch and his producing partner Kelly McCormick discussed filmmaking in general as well as their conversations towards being attached to the 2025 dinosaur movie. You can listen to the full episode below:
Contrary to priorreporting, Leitch described their side of the situation as ultimately lacking the creative control he and his partner feel they have earned, saying:
“To be asked to be in those worlds, you want to always take the conversation seriously. And I think, you know, we are creative and can find our ways into a lot of things. So it was a really great conversation to have, and like, to be in talks with Steven (Spielberg) and Frank (Marshall) about that franchise that’s so dear to us. It was really a beautiful time.
Ultimately, you have to do what’s best for the movie at hand and do what’s best for you as an artist to make sure that you could make the same movie and you could do it with the parameters that you needed to do. And at some point, we just said, you know… We wanted to give that answer quickly because they have to go make this movie that everyone’s excited to see.
I believe we’ve earned this position… We’re able to choose the movies we want to make and we want to make sure we can have the creative freedom to make those movies the way we need to make them.”
The pair also said that they felt they were “finally acknowledged in the business” when Spielberg approached them and feel “so fortunate” to have spent time with the director of Jurassic Park, who is producing the upcoming film.
Leitch also expressed admiration for Jurassic World 4’s new director Gareth Edwards, saying he had “love and respect” for the “brilliant” filmmaker.
It’s certainly interesting that further comments have even arisen on this situation. All press is good press? Have we dodged a bullet train? What would the David Leitch-directed Jurassic World 4 have been like?
What do you think? Let us know below, and stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost.
While we all wait for the next official installment of the Jurassic franchise, fans are hard at work, bringing their own stories to life. With dinosaurs roaming rampant across the globe by the end of ‘Jurassic World: Dominion,’ there are endless possibilities and stories to tell of chance encounters with these wonderful, yet dangerous, animals. One such fan, Muzzammil Shaik, released his newest fan-film this morning.
‘AMBUSH’ follows an individual listening to a podcast that reports on incidents and news revolving around the prehistoric creatures now cohabiting on our planet. A few surprises lie in store for viewers as a few characters and creatures from Jurassic stories past make appearances. And be sure to stay during the credits!
“They have set up a Jurassic “World” of opportunities,” Muzzammil said when asked what prompted the short. With projects like ‘AMBUSH,’ he hopes to encourage fans of all kinds to tell their own stories. “I plan to write down whatever comes to me. This one was big for me because it’s an idea I had since ‘Battle at Big Rock.’ Also, anyone who’s seen the ‘Jurassic World’ Resort TV segments, I do plan to make more in the future especially to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 2015 film coming up. Ultimately, I encourage [other] fans to continue to share stories in any format you see fit. It’s inspiring and fun to see what you all come up with!”
