The Jurassic Park franchise based on the cult novels by Michael Crichton, got its cinematic glory through the visionary expertise of Steven Spielberg. The first film in 1993 was a pathbreaking effort in the genre that has now reached cult status. Following a sequel in 1997, Spielberg stepped down from the director’s chair and only chose to produce the 3rd film in 2001.
The franchise was resurrected with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard with Jurassic World releasing in 2015. This gave rise to two more sequels in this series in 2018 and 2022. More significantly, the films were marked by the conspicuous absence of Spielberg who seemed to have washed his hands off the franchise in every capacity. Now, Gareth Edwards being officially chosen as the director for the 4th film in 2025 is reportedly confirming an inevitable reality associated with the franchise and its legacy.
Is The Jurassic Park Franchise Looking For Instant Gratification?
Through visual and technical mastery, Steven Spielberg brought alive Michael Crichton’s iconic Jurassic Park on the big screen and succeeded in making it one of Hollywood’s most popular film series. The Oscar-winning veteran though, did not follow through with a future commitment to the films when the franchise found a second life in 2015 with Jurassic World.
While there were speculations about the Jaws directors’ apparent disinterest in the franchise, the Jurassic World films starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard which were helmed by different directors, did not find the same cult following as Spielberg’s 90s blockbusters. Now, with Rogue One director Gareth Edwards roped in to direct the 4th film and the 7th in the Jurassic Park series, industry insider Jeff Sneider pointed to an ulterior motive behind this move.
In an exclusive chat on the Hot Mic Podcast, Sneider pointed out the franchise’s apparent desperation for quick and easy fixes as far as box office results and audience responses were concerned. He believed that Edwards was hired as a ‘shooter’ which translated to someone who could deliver results within the constraints of a limited budget and quick time frame while guaranteeing the necessary box office numbers.
Going by this policy adopted for Jurassic World 4, Sneider believed that Edwards was the right candidate to helm the film based on his past reputation. But will these films stand the test of time and become cult classics like Spielberg’s masterpieces? As of now, that seems like a bleak possibility.
Gareth Edwards On Being Chosen To Direct Jurassic World 4
Gareth Edwards is currently waiting on a possible Oscar win for his 2023 film The Creator. The sci-fi action thriller has been nominated for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound in the upcoming Academy Awards. While the filmmaker has been revelling in this success, he also got the massive news that he was officially on board to helm Jurassic World 4 which is slotted to release in 2025.
Speaking to Collider, the Rogue One director elaborated on the surreal moment and his difficulty to process this news as it happened so quickly. Being a self-confessed fanboy of the franchise’s original creator Steven Spielberg, Edwards could not contain his excitement on being part of the project.
“I was about to take a break and I started writing my next idea for a film and this is the only movie that would make me drop everything like a stone and dive right in. I love Jurassic Park . I think the first movie is a cinematic masterpiece…so this opportunity is like a dream to me.”
Originally, The Fall Guy director David Leicht’s name was almost confirmed for the film before the producers made the unexpected change to get Edwards into the mix. Jurassic World 4 is currently set to release on July 2nd, 2025.
