The Jurassic World trilogy may have concluded in 2022; but in Hollywood, billion-dollar franchises find a way with latest specimen being Jurassic World Rebirth.
Coming to theaters on July 2, 2025, Jurassic World Rebirth stars a new ensemble cast featuring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali.
But newly revealed plot details beg the question of whether Universal was so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
[ First Look at Scarlett Johansson's New Jurassic World 2025 Movie Set Revealed ]
5 Reasons To Be Worried About Jurassic World Rebirth
Jurassic World Rebirth Isn't a Reboot
Yes, it's true that Jurassic World Dominion surpassed $1 billion dollars at the 2022 box office, but ticket sales aren't always a reflection of quality.
Overall, the threequel fell flat due to its underbaked and convoluted storyline, coupled with the franchise's tendency to over rely on splashy CGI dinos.
For fans, Jurassic World Rebirth is the franchise's next new hope and comes packaged with a new director, The Creator's Gareth Edwards, a new cast, and the return of Jurassic Park and The Lost World writer, David Koepp.
The problem? Rebirth may not be new enough.
According to Universal's synopsis, the upcoming film is set five years after Dominion where dinosaurs are struggling to survive among humanity in the planet's inhospitable ecology.
Sounds like Jurassic World Rebirth is more of a continuation of the preceding trilogy than a reboot or new spin on the property.
Fear of Franchise Fatigue
Since the Jurassic World Dominion is barely two years old and the Jurassic World trilogy will have only ended three years prior when Rebirth releases, should Universal be concerned about franchise fatigue?
Wouldn't a fourth film be better served by a few more years between releases. After all, the film's story seems to think so given its 2027 timeline.
But perhaps the better question isn't about fatigue but rather confidence.
Do audiences think Universal and Rebirth's team can bring evolve the franchise or churn out more of the same. The film's upcoming first trailer, and the audience's reaction, is sure to shed some light on the answer.
Jurassic World Rebirth's Complex Story
Jurassic World Rebirth's post-Dominion timeline and the ecological issues plaguing the dinos was only the start.
The synopsis went on to explain that the dinosaurs who have survived are doing so in isolated equatorial climates, and three of the biggest creatures now hold a key to a life-saving drug for mankind.
So, let's recap. Dinos are dying, but some are thriving. Humans need not one but three of the biggest and the baddest, and they're doing so for what's expectedly another corporate capitalist message meets lab-related pharma drama.
That's a lot, especially for a new tale with new characters. But hang on to your butts; there's more.
This new Jurassic World cast (and who'll will be further explained in the next section) will end up stranded on a dinosaur-occupied island where, in addition to surviving, they'll uncover a "sinister, shocking discovery that's been hidden from the world for decades."
Now, whether Rebirth can actually deliver a game-changing "discovery" (and one that's not another bio-engineered dino) remains to be seen.
But what's fascinating to note is the fact Rebirth is swapping Dominion's premise of dinosaurs in our world for the franchise's original premise: humans and dinos trapped on an island.
In truth, the idea has always worked best when a theme park is involved. The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park 3 tried this similar setup to mixed results.
Let's hope this recycled setting serves Rebirth better than its Jurassic predecessors.
Familiar Yet Complicated Characters
Universal's synopsis for Jurassic World Rebirth revealed quite a bit about Scarlett Johansson's character, Zora Bennett, a covert ops expert hired to lead the team extracting DNA from the three giant dinosaurs.
Blade's Mahershala Ali plays Zora's partner, Duncan Kincaid; Jonathan Bailey plays Dr. Henry Loomis, a paleontologist; and Rupert Friend (Obi-Wan Kenobi) plays pharmaceutical rep, Martin Krebs.
Ready for another plot point? During their expedition, Johansson's team comes across a family who were shipwrecked from an encounter with aquatic dinosaurs.
Manuel Garcia-Rulfo plays the father of three, Reuben Delgado, and Luna Blaise, David Iacono, and Audrina Miranda play his three children.
Mixing together professionals from different fields, particularly business, science, and the military, and into a dinosaur survival scenario is nothing new; and neither is having kids thrown in the mix. It's basically the ensemble formula of the original Jurassic Park.
The stranded family on a dinosaur-infested island is a bit of deja vu as well since it's pretty much the plot of Jurassic Park 3.
Other Jurassic World Rebirth Concerns
While the plot for Jurassic World Rebirth raised eyebrows for being too familiar and potentially complex, that's not to say that Gareth Edwards, David Koepp, and this new Scarlett Johansson-led cast can't pull it off.
And, if Universal is confident the Jurassic brand alone equates to box office gold, Edwards may find himself with some creative freedom.
But there is one lingering concern about Rebirth that has nothing to do with the film: it's release date.
July 2025 is shaping up to be showdown of the blockbusters with Rebirth kicking off the Fourth of July holiday on July 2, followed by Superman: Legacy on July 11, and then Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25.
With the memory of Jurassic World Dominion still fresh in movie goers' minds, could curiosity for James Gunn's Superman and the arrival of Marvel's "First Family" drown out the roar of Rebirth?
Jurassic World Rebirth arrives in theaters on July 2, 2025.
