Production Designer Rick Carter Celebrates The 30th Anniversary Of ‘Jurassic Park’ With A New Art Exhibit & Prints!

The 30th anniversary of ‘Jurassic Park’ is nearing extinction. While there was sadly no major fan event akin to Universal Studios Hollywood’s 25th anniversary celebration, there were at least smaller opportunities throughout the year; such as theatrical screenings and an elaborate tribute store in Orlando. However, for those near Los Angeles, California, there is one final event to commemorate the third decade of ‘Jurassic.’

Production designer Rick Carter’s new art exhibition in Los Angeles, “Trip Outs & In”, is a showcase of his recent original paintings, cinematic collages, and A.I. inspired collages. It includes Rick’s “cinema room,” featuring artworks that reflect his production design process and film memorabilia from ‘Jurassic Park’ in honor of the film’s 30th anniversary! This special exhibit was created by Rick’s son, Jim Carter, through his Artist Agency Legacy West Media. Sponsored by The Container Yard, Excel Image Group, Sierra Nevada, The Lapis Press, & Jurassic Outpost!

Rick Carter’s production design process has been instrumental in bringing classic films to life for decades, such as ‘Forrest Gump’, ‘Back To The Future 2’, & ‘Avatar.’ They all get a spotlight in the “cinema room”, but Rick’s ‘Jurassic’ art features unique collages he created during ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’. For the first film, he cobbled together ideas for the now-iconic Visitor Center, and for the sequel he depicted dinosaurs on and off Isla Sorna.

During this time, prints of some of these collages from the ‘Jurassic’ films are on sale at Rick Carter’s Art site! These limited edition prints are numbered and signed by Rick himself, making for a unique and special addition to any fan’s collection!

The exhibit also features original art by Rick that is not related to any film, including portraits of faces that come to his mind. This collection of art, with prints also available, details Rick’s personal connection to faces of the world.

Rick Carter’s “Yellow Woman.”

“As an artist I have attempted over the years […] to express the spirit of the many people who now travel within me as I continue my journey [around the world]. […] Many of the people I now paint or draw have come from my imagination. I don’t know who will emerge when I begin. But I do know where most of them come from. They are derived mostly from the people I encountered while traveling. Over time, some of them have become embedded and then embellished like pearls into almost real characters within my soul. They resonate as a group inside of me – creating a dialogue amongst my inner collection of people.”

This exhibit will run from December 2nd to December 11th, but the prints will remain online until they are sold out. Don’t miss out on your chance to see or own official prints of production artwork from ‘Jurassic Park!’ It’s amazing that even after thirty years there is still much to see and talk about regarding the original films from the franchise. Rick’s art is a capsule of special moments in time where his creativity gave birth to what we all know and love today. But his vision goes beyond the films he worked on, and this exhibit is an amazing tribute to his inspirational talent, and an amazing human being.

Rick Carter with a Stan Winston animatronic T-Rex during the production of ‘Jurassic Park.’

For a look at how Rick Carter also adapted the script of ‘Jurassic Park’ during the film’s production, watch Jurassic Time’s ‘Rick Carter’s Jurassic Park,’ an illustrated audio drama! Also check out the newly-released ‘Jurassic Park: The Official Script Book‘ that contains new quotes from Rick with a concept sketch he made for the Visitor Center’s rotunda!

Rick Carter’s sketch artwork featured on the page to the right.

(Exhibit photos by James Meledandri.)

Will you be able to visit Rick Carter’s exhibit? Interested in his art prints? Did you know collages like Rick’s are instrumental in the design process of films like ‘Jurassic Park?’ Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

Jurassic World Live Tour Returns and is Coming to a City Near You!

Announced all the way back in January 2018, the Jurassic World Live Tour was the inception of Feld Entertainment Inc. and Universal Brand Development, and promised “arena-sized action, special effects and physical stunts that will leave you on the edge-of-your seat!

The show opened in Fall 2019 but unfortunately halted it’s North American tour in 2020. None of that matters now, as the Live Tour has returned to take you back to Jurassic World!

The incredible show is now touring and may be coming to your city! Check out the list below to see how close you will be to the dinosaurs of Jurassic World, including Blue, Rexy the Rexasaurus, and newcomer to the show, fan favorite Bumpy!

We had a fantastic time visiting the show and witnessing the dinosaurs, vehicles, and impressive cast up close. Be sure to check out the gallery below:

Check out the official website for further information, the schedule, and tickets!

Have you seen the show? Be sure to share your thoughts down below in the comments!

Melbourne’s Supanova Comic Con Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Celebration Round-Up!

Our very own Jayden was on the ground this week at Melbourne’s Supanova Comic Con event which featured the first of the Comic Con celebrations for Jurassic Park’s 30th Anniversary!

Check out the coverage below:

What an event! A huge thanks to Jayden, the Supanova team, and the team at Universal for putting on this event! Here’s to many more Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary celebrations!

Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Pop-Up Shop Opens at NHM London

One of the Natural History Museum of London‘s shops, the Cranbourne Boutique, has been completely transformed in anticipation of Jurassic Park‘s 30th Anniversary this year!

The brand new store will feature all kinds of Jurassic merchandise, including a Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary line exclusive to the store. The collaboration between NHM London’s retail team, Universal Pictures, and Universal UK is expected to be open until September.

We are thrilled by this incredible shop transformation, especially for our friends in the UK! Here’s hoping that something like this makes its way to museums or similar settings in the US and beyond.

Do you plan on visiting NHM London and the Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary shop? Let us know and share your Jurassic merch in the comments!

‘Jurassic Park’ Production Designer Rick Carter’s Immersive Art Exhibit Is Now Open!

Rick Carter was the production designer of ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’, among many other classic films from the ‘Back To The Future’ sequels to ‘Avatar’. Now, immerse yourself in Rick’s visually-stunning mind with ESMoA’s new art exhibit: ‘TIME’.

“TIME, a project by artist and production designer Rick Carter, is an immersive collage that contemplates the concept of time. The exhibition features paintings, drawings, and collages by Carter along with photographs, movie memorabilia, and additional works by eight other artists who were invited to participate.”

Rick Carter further explains:

“Over the past five decades as an artist and film production designer, I am frequently immersed in the realizations of visual concepts. […] This experience at ESMoA provides the opportunity to explore with younger LA-based artists the legacy of my artistic career as both a painter and visual collaborator with movie directors.”

Last weekend I attended a special advance preview of the exhibit, and it was quite extraordinary to see it in person! After being a fan of his production design in films for so many years, it was unique and exhilarating to be in a representation of his vast mind. Below is a gallery that features just a taste of what this exhibit is like.

For fans of ‘Jurassic Park’, there are various interpretations by other artists that are beautiful and engaging. Such highlights include art by Jacori “Aiseborn” Perry that feature a raptor running towards the gates of ‘Jurassic Park’ and a Triceratops hatchling!

There is also a myriad of work by Rick Carter himself, of course; straight from his own production files. This includes a special area at one end of the exhibit where a portion of the wall features several key items that have never been seen before. Unique collages of Jurassic Park’s Visitor Center and pencil sketches done on napkins create an early look into what would eventually be realized on the screen. A glass case at the center of this section displays a miniature Velociraptor model created by Stan Winston’s team. This detailed creation is clearly a cherished item in Rick’s collection that everyone can appreciate.

Left Side, Top to Bottom: Rick Carter’s actual crew badge, a collage concept for the Visitor Center, and a series of sketches done with pen on napkins depicting early layouts of the Visitor Center (and Hammond perhaps?). Center: Stan Winston Studios Raptor model from Rick’s collection. Right Side, Top to Bottom: Another Visitor Center collage concept, café mural collage concept, and DNA collage concept.

One of the coolest things for a ‘Jurassic Park’ fan to see is the mural Rick created that is actually featured in the film’s cafe; most iconically during Richard Attenborough’s portrayal of John Hammond as he tells his ‘Petticoat Lane’ story to Laura Dern’s Ellie Sattler. It was inspired by Pablo Picasso’s Guernica!

Another neat treat is an illustration of a Tyrannosaurus Rex made in 1990 (the first year of pre-production for ‘Jurassic Park’). It is credited to both Rick Carter and his daughter Amee Carter.

However, ‘Jurassic Park’ is just one of many films that Rick Carter was part of that the exhibit showcases. Other artifacts and artistic depictions include ‘Avatar’, ‘The Polar Express’, the ‘Back To The Future’ sequels, ‘Cast Away’, ‘What Lies Beneath’, ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, ‘Forrest Gump’, and a lot more. There are also more abstract and personal pieces not related to any film, including many stunning renderings of human faces.

Walking around this massive room, with art reaching all the way to its tall ceiling, you can’t help but be wonderfully overwhelmed with Rick’s vision and the representations of his entire career (so far). One of the most arresting visuals Rick himself produced for this exhibit are the faces of the four leading directors he has worked with through the years: Steven Spielberg (‘Jurassic Park’), Robert Zemeckis (‘Back To The Future’ trilogy), James Cameron (‘Avatar’), & J.J. Abrams (‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’). They almost appear to be looking down at the entire exhibit, seeing their entire worlds that Rick helped create with them.

One of the coolest features of this exhibit is the ability to have your own self-guided tour of sorts using ESMoA’s “Grid” feature! Using correlating numbers that are painted on the floor near the items they represent on the walls, you can look up each number on the Grid then select it to view a small cropped version of the artwork along with information about the specific artist and other details. There are even some fascinating sketchbooks that Rick created that you can digitally thumb through! These features are additionally informative if you somehow aren’t able to visit this exhibit in person, presenting a version of everyone’s work to be appreciated by virtually everyone. Or, as John Hammond would say, “Everyone in the world has the right to enjoy these illustrations.”

ESMoA’s “Grid” Feature
Access to Rick Carter’s personal sketchbooks.

Additional artists that illustrated Rick’s mind and career are: Alex Garcia, Luke Hayes, Muraji Khalil, ​Dalila Paola Méndez, ​​Helena Park, Jacori “Aiseborn” Perry, Ivan “Mr Mustart” Petrovsky, and Carlos “Kopyeson” Talavera. The creation of the exhibit itself was also a massive undertaking, as evidenced in a cool time lapse video that begins with its inception then leads up to the preview event. The exhibit was curated by Dr. Bernhard Zuenkeler.

Rick Carter & Select Illustrators: Bernhard Zünkeler, Carlos “Kopyeson” Talavera, Jacori “Aiseborn” Perry, Rick Carter, Ivan “Mr Mustart” Petrovsky, Muraji Khalil, Helena Park. Sitting on the ‘Forrest Gump’ bench.

While attending the preview event, I saw all of the talented artists and ran into some ‘Jurassic’ veterans, including: Rick Carter (of course), David Lowery (Storyboard Artist), John Bell (Art Director), & Seamus Blackley (creator of the ‘Lost World’ PC game ‘Trespasser’… and a little thing called the XBOX). Seeing this exhibit with so many of the creative leads that were involved with the extraordinary films represented will certainly be a night I will never forget!

Derrick Davis pictured above with Rick Carter and then Rick Carter & David Lowery

While ESMoA is applauded for having an online version of the exhibit accessible to everyone, I must stress just how much more incredible it is to see it all in-person! They really did “spare no expense“! This amazing free exhibit is open from May 5th to September 17th 2022 in El Segundo, CA, USA. Be sure to plan your trip in advance for the exact location and available hours and days it is open. Also check out their various upcoming programs that include opportunities to see Rick Carter in person!

For another Rick Carter-related experience that is connected to ‘Jurassic Park’, watch Jurassic Time’s illustrated audio drama of ‘Rick Carter’s Jurassic Park’; an adaptation of Rick’s script for the film, featuring thousands of production images from the film and interviews with Rick!

Note: Some images were obtained directly from ESMoA. Special thanks to Rick Carter & Eugenia Torre. ‘Rick Carter & Select Illustrators’ and ‘Installation Shots’ are credited to Mark Knight.

Do you plan to make a trip to this exhibit? And besides the ‘Jurassic’ films, what are Rick Carter’s other films that he worked on that you also love? Share your comments below, and as always stay tuned to Jurassic Outpost for the latest!

Jurassic World: The Exhibition Brings Its Worldwide Tour Back to North America!

Image via CityNeon Holdings

The dinosaurs of Jurassic World: The Exhibition are coming back to the United States to continue their worldwide tour – beginning in Dallas, Texas! Produced by CityNeon Holdings, the show had its most recent stops in Chengdu and Guangzhou, China and Seoul, South Korea.

Watch the announcement from CityNeon below:

Jurassic World: The Exhibition began its first iteration in Melbourne, Australia in 2016 and continued across the globe in cities like Paris, Madrid, Philadelphia, and Chicago. It covers over 20,000 square feet and features full-size animatronic dinosaurs visitors can see up-close. The latest iteration of the exhibition features exciting new features and updates.

Image via CityNeon Holdings

For starters, many of the dinosaur animatronics have been upgraded to film accuracy – most notably the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Blue the Velociraptor. There are also brand new dinosaurs joining the show: a full-size Carnotaurus, Stygimoloch, and Ankylosaurus.

Image via CityNeon Holdings

Perhaps the most exciting update to the exhibition is the addition of a “baby dino encounter.” In this section, guests will be able to see and touch baby dinosaurs with the guidance of expert Jurassic World scientists. This includes a baby Parasaurolophus, Stygimoloch, and yes, even Bumpy the Ankylosaurus.

Image via CityNeon Holdings

True to the world of Jurassic, guests will also encounter a full size Brachiosaurus and Triceratops along their journey. They’ll also see the inner workings of the Jurassic World laboratory, and come face to face with the terrifying Indominus Rex.

Image via CityNeon Holdings

Jurassic World: The Exhibition is truly carrying on John Hammond’s dream for the world to see. It’s starting its return to North America in Dallas, Texas but is expected to continue with stops across the U.S. Where would you like to see Jurassic World: The Exhibition stop next?

You can find more information and purchase tickets at JurassicWorldExhibition.com!

Image via CityNeon Holdings

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

This article is a guest contribution by Thomas Fishenden.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Jurassic Outpost Is Headed To San Diego Comic Con!

Hold on to your butts, everybody! We are more than happy to announce that for the first time ever, Jurassic Outpost is headed to San Diego Comic Con. The year’s premiere event for pop culture and geek fandom is celebrating its 50th iteration of the convention, and organizers are sparing no expense heading into next week. To honor the legacy of the 50th San Diego Comic Con, Jurassic Outpost is following suit as we dive into our first ever Comic Con appearance. The event is a planned to last four days starting on Thursday, July 18, and ending on Sunday, July 21. A special preview night is also scheduled for Wednesday evening on July 17.

Jurassic Outpost writers Samantha Endres and Corey Anderson will be on the ground at the San Diego convention center every day covering all the newest Jurassic updates Comic Con has to offer, from new toy releases to interviews with Jurassic VIPs. The event is rife with opportunities and our team is dedicated to reporting as much as possible over the course of next week. If you happen to spot either of our writers waiting in a line or wandering the convention floor, feel free to stop and say hello!

We are also excited to announce that we are bringing some exclusive prizes to give to fans and followers at this year’s San Diego Comic Con. If you or someone you know will be at in San Diego this week, be sure to follow Jurassic Outpost on Twitter for some exciting announcements about our giveaways from the Con. Trust us, these giveaways are not something you will want to miss. Keep your eyes peeled for some scavenger hunt locations as we drop our prizes outside the convention center. You may even be able to snag a poster signed by Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow if you’re quick enough!

Do you have anything you would like to see us cover at San Diego Comic Con? Comment below and we will try our best to bring you the latest and greatest SDCC50 has to offer!

 

 

First tease of ‘Jurassic World Live Tour’ Film Accurate Tyrannosaurus Rex

When ‘Jurassic World Live Tour’ provided the first real look at the dinosaurs from the show in April, fans all had the same thing to say: “That’s not the Jurassic World T. rex”. We later found out the use of the Walking with Dinosaurs tour Tyrannosaur was only placeholder, as the shows Rex was not yet ready. Now thanks to Mashable, we have our first tease of work in progress T. rex that will begin touring this Fall:

According to the report at Mashable, the ‘Jurassic World Live Tour’ Tyrannosaurus will be 42 feet long, weigh 8000 pounds, and travel at speeds up to 16 miles per hour. As with the other dinosaurs, the team creating the dinosaurs for the live show are working from the film assets, including the Industrial Light and Magic CGI models to bring these dinosaurs to the stage as film accurate as possible, more real than ever before.

Jurassic World Live Tour is set during and after the events of Jurassic World, and is an all new canon story in the Jurassic Park saga. Writers Shawn Thomas and Steve Jarczak and directors Dan Shipton and Ross Nicholson worked closely with the franchise creative team, including Colin Trevorrow, to make sure the story will be an authentic installment in the growing fictional universe. Be sure to read our full report that goes deep into the plot, dinosaurs, and making-of here!

Are you excited to see the final Jurassic World Live Tour Tyrannosaur? Sound off in the comments below and let us know! Jurassic World Live Tour hits arenas later this year – check out the official site for dates, locations, and pick up your tickets today!

Source: Mashable


The ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ Promises Surprises, Dinosaurs, and Thrills – Our Hands on Report!

65 million fans in the making

You may think you know what the ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ is, but you don’t (I know I didn’t). We went behind the scenes yesterday, survived dinosaur encounters, and are thrilled to share the tale.

Stepping in to a soundstage from the busy streets of a city, the sounds of the excited chatter of a crowd greet our team, interlaced with occasional dinosaur roars. Our journey for a sneak peak at the latest Jurassic World adventure has taken us not to Isla Nublar, but rather Root Studios in New York City. Feld Entertainment and everyone involved with the ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ excitedly greeted us, eager to lift the veil off this exciting new story within the expanded Jurassic universe.​

First thing first. Let’s address the elephant – or rather, the dinosaur – in the room. The Tyrannosaurus Rex used in the shows promo imagery, which fans immediately pointed out was inaccurate, was placeholder. The iconic star of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World is currently being worked on by numerous talented artists, and she will be accurate to the design we know and love from the films. As the animatronic is currently under construction, another large Tyrannosaur (originally crafted for Walking with Dinosaurs) was swapped in. Stay tuned for the true reveal of 43 foot full animatronic, which will surely steal the show both awing and terrifying audiences.

The Story

So, what is the show? The ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ is a touring arena spectacular of epic proportions making its world premiere this Fall – but that much you probably know. What you perhaps don’t know are the burning questions, such as what is the story, and is it canon? I entered the event believing I understood what this show was, and was ultimately surprised in the best possible ways by how little I knew. The story spans a block of time, opening just before the downfall of Jurassic World, and we soon witness the rampage of the escaped Indominus Rex from all new perspectives – and that’s only the beginning.

Our main character is Kate Walker (played by Madison Embrey), a Jurassic World scientist who is working to better understand the emotions and feelings of dinosaurs. To do this, she is working with a Troodon – the smartest Jurassic species yet – named Jeanie and a-all-new piece of proprietary tech called the “Dino-Decoder”. The “Dino-Decoder’s” goal is to better understand and predict the emotions of dinosaurs, much like Owen Grady’s goal was to understand and predict their behavior. However, her research comes to a terrifying halt as the Indominus Rex escapes its paddock and the park is thrust into chaos. The audience follows this pandemonium from Kate’s perspective, showing the events on parts of the island we never saw being terrorized by the hazardous hybrid.

You know what happens. The park falls, is evacuated, and abandoned. Flash forward.

A few months after the fall of Jurassic World, our heroes find themselves in New York City dealing with a surprise: Jeanie is still alive. This thrusts them on a quest – perhaps to finish their research, or simply relocate the animal – and uncovers a dangerous conspiracy. InGen hasn’t given up on weaponizing dinosaurs, and they are very interested in Kate’s “Dino-Decoder” and of course, the Troodon. Here comes the curveball which excites me the most – the adventure then moves to a desert in Chile, featuring a secretive and remote InGen facility (some may even call it a ‘Jurassic Outpost’).

This facility has a grim purpose – it houses dinosaurs off of the security of Isla Nublar, and is dedicated to continuing Vic Hoskins IBRIS program for weaponizing Velociraptors. Our heroes confront these mercenaries who have a pack of raptors of their own, which leads to chaos of hero vs villain, dinosaur vs dinosaur, and dinosaur vs human conflict.

The story continues to evolve as the conflict escalates, and eventually the setting circles back to Isla Nublar promising more thrills and adventure synonymous with Jurassic Park.

There Will be Blood

This new Jurassic World story will be a true Jurassic experience, will “not be watered down” and offers the same thrills, freights, and wild dinosaur action you know from the films. While the show is ultimately geared for families of all ages, it was important to all the creators involved that it retained its bite and not shy away from the moments of suspense it’s loved for.

Some of the scenes hinted at included the Indominus Rex on her rampage, Velociraptors hunting Triceratops and leaving battle wounds in real time, and of course, dinosaurs hunting human characters. While the show will make sure it remains appropriate for its younger crowds who will surely flock in faster than a herd of Gallimimus, it will also find creative ways to bring these moments of carnage to life.

It’s Canon

Feld Entertainment worked very closely with Universal Pictures, and the franchise heads like Steven Spielberg, Colin Trevorrow, and Frank Marshall to ensure an authentic Jurassic Park experience, and canon story. They poured over every detail of the story to make sure it did not conflict with past, current, and even future outings and will work as a brand new installment in the Jurassic saga. Things like InGen’s facility location off the island were closely considered, optioning a few different locales, before eventually settling on Chile.

Likewise, they worked closely with Universal Pictures to ensure the all new dinosaur – the Troodon – was granted a canon Jurassic design, with numerous artists working to bring her to life. Further, costumes like the ACU outfits were granted film archival reference for absolute accuracy. Of course, the vehicles were given the same love, bringing the Gyrosphere to life directly off of the props and digital files, while the all new Jeep vehicle was carefully designed.

The filmmakers also worked closely to ensure the tone of show remains true to Jurassic World, from the thrills, awe, and wonder all playing within a fun adventure. Some of the earliest feedback was from Steven Spielberg, suggesting the show should boost its comedic elements, amping up the humor when appropriate alongside the dino-thrills.

The Dinosaurs

The ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ will feature 7 different species of ‘dinos’: Troodon, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Indominus Rex, and Pteranodon. Some species have different variants, such as Velociraptor Blue alongside a new suite of Raptors being used by InGen, or the adult Stegosaurus and her baby. Overall the show features well over 20 different dinosaurs, promising a plethora of prehistoric perturbation.

Each dinosaur has been painstakingly brought to life by the artists at Feld Entertainment, and their partner studios, built from the film accurate Industrial Light and Magic files. The accuracy is important to bring these iconic animals to life in the most realistic way possible, seamlessly bringing the dinosaurs from the screen to the stage.

However, this process is not without its unique challenges.

One of the most important things for the ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’ is making sure that no matter where an audience member is seated, they can fully enjoy the show. To fully realize this, this also means making adjustments to the color contrast, scale size and depth, and other tweaks to the design so the detail you’ve come to expect from the movies is visible in action. These challenges are also met with the technological constraints: will the dinosaur be a full animatronic, or a dinoteer puppet suit?

Dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex will be a colossal 43ft long full motion animatronic behemoth driven by puppeteers at a control station. However, species like the Troodon will be 100+ lb suit worn by a performer, putting enormous athletic strain on the person bringing that animal to life. I had a chance to wear a 60 lb weight vest yesterday, which is half the weight of Blue, and could only imagine what it would be like inside the narrow constraints of the suit while running around for extended periods and puppeting the dinosaur at the same time.

The show promises the most authentic live action dinosaurs ever created, with unparalleled speed, animation, and authenticity.

The dinosaur who will perhaps even be considered the star of the show by fans is Jeannie the Troodon. Troodon is a species all new to the Jurassic franchise (outside of making an appearance in Telltales 2011 ‘Jurassic Park: the Game’, pictured above). While she is a carnivorous animal, they wanted her to be less intimidating than the Velociraptors, giving her a more inquisitive and almost playful appearance to reflect her intelligence. As she was designed from the ground up with the show in mind, without any prior film designs, they took in the consideration of the constraints of a dinoteer suit while crafting her look.

One of the challenges reportedly was her sickle claws, a trait Troodon is most known for, and how they effected the performers mobility. While Blue herself retained her sickle claws, at this stage in development Jeannies have been removed – however, I am unsure if her design is final, or if it may yet evolve. This tweak has been met with mixed feedback, as the anatomical change would reclassify the species as an entirely different evolutionary branch of animal, and has been mistaken as a overlarge Compsognathus by fans due to their near identical appearance.

Compsognathus confusion aside, Jeannie the Troodon animates fantastically, giving her very bird-like inquisitive and snappy motions one would expect from the species. We also saw Blue in motion, who was incredibly lifelike with her movements, eyes darting from person to person as she snaps at them, and snarled intimidatingly. Further, her skin looked incredibly detailed and real, moving convincingly giving the appearance of organic muscles moving within a living and breathing animal.

As we touched on before, bringing the dinosaurs to life authentic to their film appearance is incredibly important for the show, and the Tyrannosaurus you know and love will be featured. However, as we see her after Jurassic World and before Fallen Kingdom, months of painstaking work went into defining elements like just how well her wounds from the Indominus Rex battle would have healed, and how much scarring should appear. This level of attention has been applied across the board, promising an exciting journey into Jurassic World for all fans.

It should be noted, that while the behind the scenes reel featured ‘Desert Velociraptors’, presumably InGens dinos at their Chile basecamp, we’ve been told the design has been changed. We’re unsure what color the raptors will be, but from our understanding they will be based upon film appearances.

The Show

You know the premise of the story, and the species of dinosaurs, but that’s only scratching the surface of what the show entails. One of the elements Feld Entertainment wanted to fully leverage was organic interactivity – when you visit a theme park with animatronic dinosaurs, they do the same thing every time you ride the ride. However, this show has live puppeted dinosaurs – so they opted to embrace that opportunity, and have the dinosaurs occasionally react to the audience. If a child laughs or screams, a Velociraptor may come over to investigate the noise – or perhaps a Tyrannosaurus Rex may loom over the crowd, and sniff an audience member, sizing them up as a snack.

Characters in the show will enter from all sides, walking out to the stage from wherever the audience may be seated, truly integrating the crowd into the experience and offering a fully 360 degree focus.

The stage will be themed to the setting of the story in real time, with detailed locations, buildings, and other interactive props. Dinosaur cages adorned with InGen insignia are sure to capture your attention, just as park location signs will attract your curiosity. The island will be alive, with greenery, fog, and even a real watering hole where animals will occasionally drink from. Just as the characters are, the stage will truly be alive as it continues to evolve as time progresses.

While dinosaurs may be the star attractions, the full array of characters will perform exhilarating stunts as they survive the shows numerous set pieces of adventure, villainy, and fun. Expect combat, explosions, stunning effects, and vehicular action including motorcycle stunts among rampaging dinosaurs. When the dinosaurs are hungry, they will eat, and that means our heroes and villains are sure to be given a run for their money as the story unfolds.

Characters will go through numerous wardrobe changes as time progresses, not only dressing differently per environment, but eventually showing the wear and tear of the adventure as it unfolds. The has made sure every element you expect from a film of Jurassic’s caliber will come to life, with no pauses between scene changes, mimicking the flow of the films.

It of course wouldn’t be a Jurassic story without new and unique vehicles. On top of the aforementioned motorcycle scenes, a new Jurassic World Jeep vehicle makes an appearance, paying homage to the 1993 classic, alongside a curious dino-capture buggy, and of course, a real-working Gyropshere. This mix of new and familiar vehicles will surely inspire new custom vehicles from fans at home, like the Jurassic Park Motorpool.

But Wait, There’s More

This report is only scratching the surface of what’s to come with the ‘Jurassic World: Live Tour’! Be sure to stay tuned, as we have more content from our visit including video interviews with Chris Nobels (Associate Producer), Dan Shipton and Ross Nicholson (Directors), and of course, Juliette Feld. We will also upload a photo gallery from our experience soon, so you can pour over every detail we had access to, and share in our fun-filled behind the scenes look.

For more from our personal experience, be sure to follow the visiting team on Twitter: Myself, Jennifer, and Josh.

Tickets are on sale now, so be sure to grab the seats you want before they’re gone! I walked into the event yesterday uncertain about what the show was, and if would be anything more than a cute experience for families – after spending time to learn more about the show, and speak candidly with the creators and talent, I couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come! A huge thank you to Feld Entertainment and Mullen Lowe for being accommodating, helpful, and most of all – passionate – while we visited the preview event.

As always, stay tuned for the latest news and sound off in the comments below!