Roaring out of 2017’s San Diego Comic Con comes a new officially licensed Jurassic Park collectible… John Hammond’s Amber Cane!
Chronicle Collectibles have partnered with Paradise Collect, a new online store dedicated to movie and entertainment memorabilia such as action figures, statues, props, posters and more! The website has launched with a number of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World products from Chronicle Collectibles, as well as Paradise Collectibles’ first exclusive product:
Chronicle Collectibles and Paradise Collect began collaborating on this iconic prop replica in 2015 and has been working tirelessly to ensure it is as accurate as can be to the cane seen in Jurassic Park and briefly in The Lost World.
Celebrate the legacy of Jurassic Park by bringing home a piece of history with this exclusive limited edition 1:1 prop replica of John Hammond’s Amber Cane, cast from an original film prop with an expertly crafted finish. Special Jurassic Park logo plague, hanger clip, and wall mount hardware included.
Fans, collectors, and movie goers alike will instantly recognize this piece of luxurious pre-historic deco as there are none others line it! This walking stick is constructed of a cast resin shaft in the form of thirteen tapering sections of dinosaur bone crowned by an egg-shaped multifaceted top gem of amber, with a large prehistoric, fossilized mosquito suspended inside. The cane ends with a screen accurate footer tip and is sure to amaze and inspire pop culture enthusiasts around the globe!
The cane is an officially licensed product and the delivery is expected to be in the fourth quarter of 2017. The full price is $249.99, but much like Chronicle, Paradise Collect offers payment plans. The 6 month plan brings the cane down to $42 a month!
Only 1000 canes will be produced, so be sure to secure a copy before the opportunity goes extinct! Pre-order now!
Paradise Collectibles Group is proud to announce the official release of the Jurassic Park John Hammond Cane by Chronicle Collectibles, LLC. This product is a high-end collectible prop replica and is a global exclusive to Paradise Collectibles Group and its website paradisecollect.com. Paradise Collectibles Group is retailer of officially licensed pop culture collectibles based around your favorite movie & entertainment properties.
The year is 1993 – Kenner releases the Jurassic Park toy line which shaped many of our childhoods. From there on, Kenner (and eventually Hasbro when they entirely overtook Kenner and their products) made Jurassic Park toy lines. Whether it was a spin-off like ‘Chaos Effect’, ‘Jurassic Park: Dinosaurs’ or ‘Camo-X-Treme’ or a film line, the franchise was handled by the same company.
Most recently, Hasbro released the ‘Jurassic World’ toy line in 2015 – and to be blunt, the toys were not good. Velociraptors were missing their sickle claws, toys were poorly sculpted, poorly and cheaply painted, prone to breaking, and riddled with gaping screw holes. Not to mention, there was no sense of size consistency in the line, and it did not feature traditional human action figures. Fans were bummed.
Apparently, so was Universal Pictures – while Hasbro began to improve the quality with much better paint application on 2016’s ‘Dino Hybrid’ line, they lost the license that summer to Mattel. This is now uncharted territory – and truth be told, when I first heard the news I wasn’t excited. Mattel has no current lineups that prove they could do the classic Jurassic style of lineup (which is quite similar to current Star Wars offerings from Hasbro), and Hasbro had just put out some of the best Jurassic Park toys ever a few years back (see: Jurassic Park 2009/2011).
Art by James Flames, click for full
Let me just jump to the point: I was wrong to doubt Mattel. While the final quality of the toys remains to be seen, the lineup style is what fans have wanted and true to the legacy of Jurassic Park.
Recently, Mattel held a showcase for vendors, licencors, and more where they showed off their in-development and upcoming lines. As you can imagine, Jurassic World was there – and from what we have heard, it was easily the biggest highlight of any Mattel offering. We’re going to avoid going into too deep into specifics, as certain items will spoil future surprises, including things about the new film.
However, this is the lay of the land for the upcoming Jurassic World toys from Mattel (the images used below are from past Jurassic Park offerings, and used for demonstrative purposes only):
3 3/4″ Human Action Figures ($10)
Yes, human action figures are back – they will be roughly 3 3/4″ tall, and in scale with past Hasbro offerings. They will follow the Kenner styling of including a small or hatchling dinosaur, and some gear/weapons. However, from our understanding the gear skews more towards collectors than play factor (as in Dr. Ian Malcolm includes a film accurate flare – not a net launcher) – and the toys have articulation that will surely please.
Basic Dinosaur Figures ($10)
The bread and butter of the line – the dinosaurs are back! Roughly 6″ long, these are comparable to the basic non-electronic dinosaurs of the Kenner toy lines (or the Bash & Bites from Jurassic World). Much like classic Kenner, these dinosaurs are not dressed with permanent mortal wounds, and have simple articulation tied to a basic action feature. One of my favorite bits of news: size of the dinosaurs are considered when choosing what type of toy to make. There will be no miniature adult Tyrannosaurs – it will focus on smaller species like Velociraptor, and Gallimimus.
ROARIVORES (Electronic Dinosaur Figures) ($15)
Slightly larger than the basic dinosaur figures, these toys focus on electronic roars tied to a biting mechanism. They again do not have open wounds, and while they are not posed as neutrally as classic Kenner toys, they are less awkard than the Jurassic Park 3 offerings. Again, the size of the dinosaurs were considered when developing these toys – so at this time, there are no electronic Velociraptors, but rather species of a larger size will be focused on.
SUPER STRIKE DINOS (Deluxe Dinosaur Figures) ($20)
Slightly larger than the electronic figures, these hearken back to the classic non electronic Kenner dinosaurs of the medium size. An example that was described to use was a Stegosaurus with a tail swinging action that was very Kenner in looks. However, it was apparently closer in size to the JP 2013 Dino Showdows Pachyrhinosaurs.
Large Dinosaur Figures (prices vary)
Yes, they have a Tyrannosaurus Rex (two in fact!) and we have heard both steal the show. We’re going to avoid describing them anymore, as they’re worth waiting for the official reveal to be surprised! But it’s worth noting that there are more than Tyrannosaurs in the large scale, and some figures use a “Real feel” latex/rubber, have action features, and electronic roars.
Vehicles (prices vary)
Not much to say other than they’re film accurate, look awesome, and are scaled to the human figures. Everything in this line is sized correctly, much like the classic Kenner toys. The classic Jurassic Park Jeep has a few details super fans are sure to LOVE!
Matchbox (prices vary)
Gone are the fictional vehicles – they’re being replaced with small film accurate vehicles from all five films! Some include small dinosaurs, and the entire lineup was described as similar to the Micro Machines (but bigger) sold alongside The Lost World. This includes some very cool playsets based upon movie moments!
Games (prices vary)
There will be games – including something tied to pivotal plot elements of Jurassic World 2!
Various ‘smart’/electronic toys (prices vary)
Drones, remote control vehicles, and more! While a lot of these won’t be cheap, they do offer great modern play functionality.
Some key notes: Mattel’s first Jurassic World lineup will be called something similar to ‘Jurassic World: The Classic Collection’. This lineup is scheduled to hit stores late this year or early next year, and is mainly based upon the first Jurassic Park. While they boast film accuracy for all their items, it does seem to also borrow from Kenner by featuring dinosaurs never seen in the films.
Sometime early spring (mid April) in 2018 the Jurassic World 2 toys will begin to arrive in stores. Much like the classic Jurassic line, it boasts film accuracy and a multitude of figures and offerings. From there, the line should continue to populate shelves with new waves featuring figures from the latest sequel, or past films. There are apparently quite a few more classes/skus of toys from Mattel than those listed above, so there are plenty of surprises in store!
It’s worth noting that some of the basic dinosaur figures were described as slightly exaggerated looking, with proportions and poses that were more cartoony than realistic. Our hope is that between now and release, those items will be refined and perfected to better match their film counterparts (and proper realistic anatomical poses). Otherwise, we’re thrilled by what the line is slated to offer, and cannot wait to see photo’s from it – there are quite a few more surprises Mattel has up their sleeves, so stay tuned!
As always, sound off in the comments and let us know what dinosaurs, characters, and vehicles you want toys for. Happy #JurassicJune, everyone!
Everybody’s favourite sequel to Jurassic Park has turned twenty! 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park was released in theaters exactly twenty years ago today, four years after Jurassic Park. The sequel was directed by Steven Spielberg and penned by David Koepp, and was loosely based on Michael Crichton’s novel of the same name.
Over the years the sequel has gained some critical reviews, mainly focusing on how different it is to the book and due to the final scene, which brought the Tyrannosaurus Rex to the mainland. However, there is also a lot of love for it. For me it’s as enjoyable and thrilling as Jurassic Park; I love how distinctively different the aesthetic is to the first film, how gritty, dirty and dark the cinematography is compared to Dean Cundey’s, but how the film managed to retain the same themes and values from the first.
In a way, it’s a perfect sequel – it holds the beliefs of the original and maintains a familiar setting, but builds a darker and scarier tone.
The animatronics, the visual effects, the characters, the vehicles, the Goldblum, the lighting… everything about this movie is Jurassic Park.
What will you be doing to celebrate The Lost World’s 20th anniversary? If you’re in the UK and near to London, the Prince Charles Cinema is showing the first two films back to back in a 35mm print – this is worth checking out! There is also a screening of the first three films at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, animation director Randal M. Dutra recently spoke with vfxblog about his work on the film, and reflected on the early days of visual effects within the film industry.
Randal worked for Tippett Studio on Jurassic Park and was heavily involved in the stop-motion technology that Phil Tippett pioneered. After the success of Jurassic Park he moved to ILM as an Animation Director, and discusses his work on the film in detail. Worth the read! Thanks to Ian for sending this our way.
Let us know if and why you love this sequel in the comments section below – just follow the screams.
With the recent announcement that Jeff Goldblum will be reprising his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm in the upcoming sequel to Jurassic World, what better way to celebrate than to watch Jurassic Park and The Lost World back to back?
The Prince Charles Cinema in London agrees and will be hosting a Double Feature screening of both movies, back to back, in 35mm!
The screening takes place on Saturday 17th June and opens at 8:45pm, with tickets costing £15 for non-members and £12.50 for members. You can purchase your tickets here!
The Prince Charles Cinema is known for screening original 35mm (or 70mm!) prints of movies and bringing back classics and cult films. They host marathons of popular franchises and also host movie premieres. The first time I went to the Prince Charles was for the premiere of a movie I had worked on. Another experience (and I really mean experience) was when they screened The Room and had Tommy Wiseau there, signing Blu-Rays. What a guy.
It’s a great cinema and is located right next to Leicester Square, so grab some food in Chinatown then head down to the Prince Charles! I’ll be there, will you?
At long last, we’re happy to exclusively present the entire story arc of the first season of Jurassic Park the animated series – straight from the story treatment created in the 90’s. ‘Escape from Jurassic Park’ was meant to be a prime-time television series, utilizing state-of-the-art animation to directly followup the events of the first film – however it was cancelled before fully going into production. Unlike other animated series, this was not meant to be a cartoon aimed at younger audiences, but rather targeted at the audience of the Jurassic Park film, which it would be tonally consistent with.
Sadly, the animated series was eventually cancelled before completion, and was seemingly lost to time. But much like the study of dinosaurs themselves, we did some intensive digging and uncovered the remains of something long thought extinct. This story outline was created at the now defunct Universal Cartoon Studios in 1993 – prior to the theatrical release of the film. Development lasted for some time, before the project abandoned in 1994.
Scans for authenticity – full transcript of the script below.
This (non final) story outline was used as the basis for the script and series development, and was only seen by key individuals, such as Steven Spielberg. It’s currently unknown if more detailed scripts existed for the episodes within, or if an outline for Season 2 was ever explored. Every day new discoveries from the Jurassic past are revealed, so if you have anything to share please do not hesitate to get in touch! Until more information is uncovered, enjoy the first ever, and quite possibly the only reveal of ‘Escape From Jurassic Park’!
After digging in, be sure to read our breakdown below, and view the art gallery from the series:
What a wild ride that story is – and a cliffhanger ending at that! It’s not entirely clear why the series was abandoned – some reports say Steven Spielberg pulled the plug after getting frustrated with all the merchandising for Jurassic Park while working on Schindler’s List. However, while there may be some truth to that fact, I have also heard he may have pulled the plug to avoid overlap, or canonical inconsistencies with the planned theatrical sequel (something I have heard happened again with a Jurassic World animated series).
The story shares many similarities with Michael Crichton’s ‘The Lost World’ – which was released in 1995. These include Lewis Dodgson, and a BioSyn team stealing eggs from nests to build their own park elsewhere, all while animals show up on South American mainland leading to a government coverup (due to fears of it hurting tourism). Of course, there are many differences as well – the animated series takes place on Isla Nublar, the home of Jurassic Park, while The Lost World takes place on Sorna, Site B. Further, the outbreak of dinosaurs on mainland is due to BioSyn, who purchase 100 square miles in The Amazon to build ‘DinoWorld’ – a fully fledged Dinosaur safari park with hotels, monorails, and more (much like the park in Jurassic World, ‘DinoWorld’ is inspired by Disney World.)
The story featured many brand new concepts and dinosaurs – some even got Kenner tie-in toys in 1994, including the “Dino Wranglers”, and the fanged Lycaenops, or the Komodo Dragon-like Ornithosuchus. I think perhaps the most intriguing part is Season 1 ends with Jurassic Park finally opening to the public (much to the dismay of Malcolm, Grant, and Sattler) . You could easily imagine the second season following a similiar arc of the story presented in Jurassic World, only with BioSyn shenanigans, the threat of animals on the mainland, and 100% less militarized hybrids.
I’m certainly bummed that the series was never developed – although, it would admittedly have greatly impacted the stories of future films. In a lot of ways, this is the sequel fans have imagined for years, yet never got, loaded with healthy doses of childhood imagination interjected with Michael Crichton’s themes and story development. Before we close off, I want to present a gallery of the stunning artwork created by William Stout, a key mind behind the ill-fated series:
What do you think of the story of ‘Escape from Jurassic Park’? Be sure to sound off in the comments below – it’s hard to believe we can finally learn about this series after nearly 25 years! And again, if you have more to share please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we hear an animation demo for this series still exists somewhere, waiting to be found.
As always, stay tuned for the latest news, features, and exclusives!
This morning La-La Land Records made an exciting announcement as they, along with Universal Studios, Universal Music Special Markets and Amblin Entertainment will be releasing The John Williams Jurassic Park Collection – Limited Edition.
The 4-CD set will contain score tracks from the the hit original 1993 film Jurassic Park and the 1997 sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park. There will only be a limited edition amount of 5,000 units with a retail price of $59.98.
“La-La Land Records, Universal Studios, Universal Music Special Markets and Amblin Entertainment present THE JOHN WILLIAMS JURASSIC PARK COLLECTION, a special limited edition 4-CD set featuring newly remastered and expanded reissues of maestro John Williams’ (JAWS, STAR WARS, SCHINDLER’S LIST) original motion picture scores to the 1993 blockbuster JURASSIC PARK and its 1997 follow-up THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK, both directed by Steven Spielberg. Williams’ monumental JURASSIC PARK scores are integral to the franchise’s worldwide phenomenon. Teeming with action, drama, humor and heart, they rank among the celebrated composer’s most accomplished works. This deluxe edition, meticulously produced, edited and mastered by Mike Matessino, in consultation with the composer, director and producers, finally showcases these master works in a worthy, definitive presentation, with additional music never before released. The set’s 56-page booklet features exclusive, in-depth liner notes by Matessino and elegant art design, packed with amazing images, by Jim Titus. This is a limited edition of 5000 units. Life indeed “finds a way,” and these indelible Williams scores make the journey a thrillingly wonderful trip!”
‘Jurassic World 2’ will be a scarier movie, that much we know. But the darker tones will apparently go beyond the on-screen roars, digging deeper into the concepts of morality. Speaking to ‘El Mundo’ at the Stiges Film Festival in Spain, Colin Trevorrow has shared more details about the upcoming sequel. [The original source El Mundo is in Spanish, and some translations come courtesy of TIME]
“It’s hard for us to imagine growing up not knowing Jurassic Park, but there is a whole new generation who possibly never saw it.” said Colin Trevorrow “We had to reintroduce the franchise for them with Jurassic World. It was a movie with universal ideas that could appeal to everyone. James Cameron understands how to do that better than anyone: how to make a film appeal to a 15 year old in China, or a child in Florida.”
Colin then elaborated on how the sequel will evolve into a darker, more complex animal: “The dinosaurs will be a parable of the treatment animals receive today: the abuse, medical experimentation, pets, having wild animals in zoos like prisons, the use the military has made of them, animals as weapons. The second part will be a very different, more complex movie that will explore new paths. For that reason, it was clear that it needed to be Bayona who would direct it, in order to have it grow and evolve with his very personal vision.”
The concepts of animal abuse were also explored in ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’, notably with InGen capturing numerous animals in less than humane ways. It will certainly be interesting to see how this is further explored in the upcoming sequel, which is part of a mapped out trilogy. Colin Trevorrow recently joined our Podcast, and revealed that ‘the end’ of the trilogy was already decided while writing the first Jurassic World – so it’s safe to assume these concepts will evolve beyond those showcased in the aforementioned Jurassic Park sequel.
Be sure to listen to our recent Colin Trevorrow interview if you haven’t already! He shares many details about the upcoming sequel, including confirming a heavier use of animatronics and revealing that the story will not focus on militarized dinosaurs! The link above includes a direct MP3 of the podcast, and a transcribed summary of the key information. If you’re more of a YouTube person, we also have you covered:
It sounds like we’re in for a wild ride with the upcoming Jurassic World sequel, and I personally cannot wait to learn more. As always, stay tuned for the latest news, and sound off in the comments below!
[Note: other translations of the sourced article make mention of Jack Horner. We believe that to be a transcribing error on ‘El Mundos’ part, typing ‘Jota’ (a Spanish variation of Jack) instead of J.A. We were in the process of working on a proper translation, but TIME beat us to it, corroborating our suspicions.]
New from Chronicle Collectibles is the officially licensed 1:1 Compsognathus statue, built from the original Stan Winston Studios animatronic casting used in The Lost World: Jurassic Park! Chronicle has enlisted the help of Stan Winston Studios artist Tim Gore to paint the statue, who also had painted the ‘Compys’ for the film. Measuring in at 3o” long, 16″ tall, and 8″ wide this limited run (edition size TBD) statue costs $349.99 for the first 30 days, before going up to $399.99.
Have you bought any dinosaurs from Chronicle Collectibles yet? Let us know what you think, and what you hope they make next in the comments below! Also, if you haven’t already, check out our interview with Paul Francis who shares a ton of behind the scenes info about making official Jurassic Park products:
HarperCollins have acquired the rights to publish Michael Crichton’s third posthumous novel – entitled ‘Dragon Teeth’ in May. According to Variety, who first reported the news, Dragon Teeth is described as a “fictional recounting of the actual rivalry between paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh during “The Bone Wars” of the 1870s.”
“The story unfolds through the adventures of a young fictional character named William Johnson who is apprenticed first to one, then to the other and not only makes discoveries of historic proportion, but transforms into an inspiring hero only Crichton could have imagined,” the publisher said.
“Known for his meticulous research, Crichton uses Marsh and Copes’ heated competition during the ‘Bone Wars’ — the golden age of American fossil hunting — as the basis for a thrilling story set in the wilds of the American West.”
Michael Crichton, who wrote Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Prey, Congo, Sphere, passed away in 2008. After his unfortunate passing, a number of manuscripts were discovered on his computer, the first being ‘Pirate Latitudes’, which was published in 2009. The second was ‘Micro’, which was finished by Richard Preston and released in 2011.
This is the third manuscript to be discovered and was found by his widow, Sherri, who said:
“When I came across the ‘Dragon Teeth’ manuscript in the files, I was immediately captivated. It has Michael’s voice, his love of history, research and science all dynamically woven into an epic tale.”
There is no official date set for publication, but HarperCollins announced that it was hit the shelves in May of 2017.
It is interesting to note that another manuscript was found, with the potential for more. It makes you wonder if Crichton ever dabbled with something in the universe of Jurassic Park. A potential sequel to The Lost World… one can dream. I do recall an old video interview where he mentioned a novel he was writing, which “Jurassic” fans would enjoy. That very likely became Dragon Teeth, but again, one can dream. If anybody recalls that interview or even has it – please get in touch!
It’s great that Michael Crichton’s work continues to entertain and thrill readers, and that there is more to come! His writing is incredibly detailed, unique, and most of all entertaining. His work continues to inspire, and we really have him to thank for opening up the world of Jurassic Park.
Have you read any of Michael Crichton’s novels aside from Jurassic Park and The Lost World? I personally loved Prey, and Micro was thrilling. Sphere was also great. Be sure to let us know in the comments section below and as always, make sure you’re following our Twitter and Facebook pages for super speedy news.
It’s taken 26 years, but we finally have a huge lineup of high end collectibles based around the Jurassic franchise coming out. Chronicle Collectibles has spared no expense bringing the franchise to life, and they’re showing it off in full force at San Diego Comic Con 2016. Start saving up and find a second job, because there is no way to pass any of this up!
Thanks to Steven Ray Morris on Twitter, we have pictures of their booth! On display from old to new (with links to item pages for previously announced products included):
1:9th Owen Grady and Velociraptor Blue statue (based upon this image) – Jurassic World
1:1 Night Vision Goggles prop replica – Jurassic Park
1:1 Barbosal Cryo Can prop replica – Jurassic Park
1:6th Owen Grady articulated collectible figure – Jurassic World
1:6th Alan Grant articulated collectible figure – Jurassic Park
Wow! We’re gonna need a bigger collecting display. Yes, you read that right – we’re finally getting an accurate Alan Grant figure. If you’re familiar with ‘Hot Toys’ then you know what to expect from the Owen and Alan figures – if not, hit google and prepare to be awed (and broke). Check out the 1:6th Alan Grant + Owen Grady, and more below!
Stay tuned, as we will add more details and pictures to this article as they become available!
Be sure to listen to our latest podcast below where we interview Paul Francis, the Co-Founder and Art Director at Chronicle Collectibles:
