Jurassic World 4's Strategic Cast Changes Address Legacy Character Oversight

The announcement of Jurassic World 4 featuring a fresh cast signals a chance for the reboot to rectify a significant error from the previous legacy trilogy. The 2015 release of Jurassic World served as a strong continuation of the original trilogy. Director Colin Trevorrow's high-budget spectacle portrayed a version of Jurassic Park that was open and functioning, transforming the original movie's trial run into a prosperous venture. However, the transformation of Jurassic World into a fully operational theme park raised the stakes of the narrative, leading to numerous patrons and park staff getting entangled in the eventual disaster.

Due to Jurassic World's expanded cast and vast setting, the film showcased more fatalities compared to Spielberg's 1993 classic. Even well-liked supporting characters like Simon Masrani and Zara did not escape the chaos, adding substantial stakes to Jurassic World. Nevertheless, the subsequent films, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Jurassic World: Dominion, failed to maintain this intensity. These sequels introduced new characters to an already large ensemble and also brought back characters from the original trilogy. This approach was unsuccessful as the sequels rarely eliminated any characters aside from the most despicable villains or unnamed extras, ultimately diminishing the stakes of the story.

Jurassic World 4’s Lack of Legacy Characters Gives It Higher Stakes

Jurassic World 4 viewers have no idea who lives or dies

The Atrociraptors in Jurassic World Dominion - Jurassic World 4 viewers have no idea who lives or dies - Jurassic World 4’s Lack of Legacy Characters Gives It Higher Stakes

The announcement that David Koepp, the screenwriter of Jurassic Park, is penning the script for Jurassic World 4 in 2025 brought high expectations, given his involvement in the highly acclaimed original film. What's even more thrilling is the news that Koepp's script for Jurassic World 4 will introduce a new cast, separate from the characters in both the Jurassic World trilogy and the Jurassic Park series. This decision opens up the possibility for the franchise to once again take risks and potentially kill off characters, something that the later Jurassic World movies shied away from. This lack of consequences in the sequels following 2015's Jurassic World left the audience craving for more meaningful stakes.

Jurassic World’s sequels struggled with the absence of expendable characters like Ian Malcolm, Alan Grant, or Ellie Sattler. However, the upcoming reboot by returning screenwriter Koepp has the potential to address this issue. Koepp’s Jurassic World 4 is expected to usher in a “New era” for the series, allowing for the introduction of new characters whose fates remain uncertain. Despite being overshadowed by its lighter film adaptation, the original novel of Jurassic Park was known for its dark and gritty tone.

Jurassic World 4 Can Revive The Original Movie’s Nastiness

Jurassic Park was a darker, scarier movie than fans might recall

Sam Neill's Alan Grant distracts the T-Rex in front of a flipped jeep in Jurassic Park - Jurassic Park was a darker, scarier movie than fans might recall - Jurassic World 4 Can Revive The Original Movie’s Nastiness

In the original Jurassic Park, beloved supporting characters like Muldoon and Ray Arnold meet their demise, raising the stakes of the movie. It becomes evident that Spielberg's adventure horror blend is not selective in who it kills off, including both heroes and villains. As the film concludes, a significant portion of the island's population is wiped out, adding depth to the story with these high stakes. The Lost World: Jurassic Park, released in 1997, follows a similar pattern as Koepp continues to eliminate characters, such as the heroic Eddie Carr, in brutal fashion.

The death of Eddie Carr in The Lost World: Jurassic Park serves as a reminder that no one is safe in the franchise's world. In contrast, Jurassic World: Dominion took a different approach by sparing major character deaths. The film preserves the lives of Sattler, Grant, Malcolm, Owen Grady, Claire Dearing, Kayla Watts, Ramsay Cole, Maisie Lockwood, Franklin Webb, Zia Rodriguez, Barry Sembene, and Henry Wu, among others. With a cast of around 14 significant characters, only Campbell Scott's Dodgson meets his demise. While Jurassic World 4 has its faults, it is unlikely to make the same error.

Jurassic World 4’s Success Depends On Ignoring Franchise Potential

Jurassic World 4 can’t set up another new trilogy

Owen and Maisie in Jurassic World Dominion - Jurassic World 4 can’t set up another new trilogy - Jurassic World 4’s Success Depends On Ignoring Franchise Potential

If Jurassic World is planned to be the beginning of a new trilogy, it is likely that the filmmakers will hesitate to eliminate any characters that fans would like to see in the next installment. This poses a potential challenge for the series, highlighting the importance of Jurassic World 4 being able to stand on its own to be successful. A key factor that contributed to the success of Jurassic World, in comparison to its sequels, was its coherent and self-contained story. Conversely, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Jurassic World: Dominion leaned heavily on the return of familiar characters rather than focusing on their own narratives.

In order for Jurassic World 4 to thrive, it needs to recapture the raw brutality that made Spielberg's original film impactful. Luckily, the new director of Jurassic World 4, Gareth Edwards, has a track record of shocking audiences with his 2014 film Godzilla. Edwards effectively raised the stakes in the monster movie genre by unexpectedly killing off a major heroic character, bringing a sense of seriousness back to the franchise. Ideally, Jurassic World 4 could follow suit by incorporating a script filled with unpredictable and emotionally impactful character deaths.

Editor's P/S:

This article highlights a valid critique of the Jurassic World sequels and the need for the upcoming installment to rectify this issue. The lack of meaningful character deaths in Fallen Kingdom and Dominion diminished the stakes and made the narrative less compelling. By introducing a fresh cast in Jurassic World 4, the franchise has the opportunity to raise the stakes once again and create a more suspenseful and impactful experience.

The article also draws parallels between the upcoming film and Spielberg's original Jurassic Park, which featured a darker and more unforgiving tone. The deaths of beloved characters like Muldoon and Arnold added weight to the story and made the audience genuinely fear for the characters' safety. Jurassic World 4 has the potential to recapture this sense of danger and unpredictability, setting it apart from its predecessors and reigniting the franchise's former glory.