Universal Pictures has officially announced “Jurassic World: Rebirth“, the next film in the globally renowned Jurassic franchise, set to hit theaters on July 2, 2025.
The movie is directed by Rogue One’s Gareth Edwards and stars Scarlett Johansson in a lead role, marking a dramatic tonal shift intended to revive the series’ suspenseful roots.
The film, which is the seventh in the overall franchise and fourth under the Jurassic World banner, takes place five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, which aired in 2022.
Kayleen Benites, a senior at ERHS, says, “It’s crazy that the franchise has been around so long. I wonder if there’s going to be new characters or call backs to older characters from the movies prior.”
The story follows Johansson’s character, Zora Bennett, a covert operations leader tasked with recovering valuable dinosaur DNA to aid in the development of a new life-saving drug.
Her mission collides with the plight of a stranded civilian family caught in dangerous prehistoric territory.
Joining Johansson in the ensemble cast are Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.
The film also features rising talents Luna Blaise and David Iacono, who portray the members of the Delgado family whose accidental arrival on a remote island exposes a long-concealed secret about the global dinosaur crisis.
Director Gareth Edwards, known for his work on large-scale cinematic worlds, was handpicked by executive producer Steven Spielberg.
Edwards aims to bring the franchise closer in tone to Spielberg’s original 1993 “Jurassic Park,” emphasizing suspense, grounded storytelling, and human drama over spectacle.
David Koepp, the screenwriter behind the original “Jurassic Park“, returned to script Rebirth.
According to producers, Kiepp drew inspiration from unused sequences in Michael Crichton’s original novels, including one involving a raft escape from a Tyrannosaurus rex, a scene that was cut from the 1993 film but long remembered by fans of the books.
In a notable creative shift, Oscar-winning composer Alexandre Desplat is scoring the film. His orchestral compositions are said to blend John Williams’ iconic themes with new, emotionally driven motifs intended to heighten the film’s darker, more intimate tone.
The franchise’s signature dinosaurs, including the Tyrannosaurus rex, Velociraptor, and Spinosaurus, will return, but the story will also introduce a new, genetically engineered apex predator.
This new dinosaur has only been teased in concept art and early footage.
The creature has been described as “Godzilla-esque,” sparking speculation among fans about its origin and role in the plot.
Rachel Cong, a senior at ERHS, comments, “I’m actually really excited to see what the new movie has to bring. Since I’ve watched every single movie in the franchise, it adds to my excitement.”
Universal executives are positioning Rebirth as a “soft reboot” of the series, meant to satisfy longtime fans while offering an entry point for new audiences.
The franchise, which began in 1993, has grossed more than $6 billion worldwide across films, games, merchandise, and theme park attractions.
The filming for Rebirth concluded in December 2024, and post-production is currently underway.
With the film set to debut in IMAX and standard formats just ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, it is historically a lucrative release window for blockbuster cinema.
With a renewed creative vision and star power behind it, “Jurassic World: Rebirth“ could be the critical and commercial revival the franchise has been seeking since its explosive return in 2015.
