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Gareth Edwards Exits Jurassic World Sequel

The director’s departure forces a creative crossroads for Universal that could reshape the planned follow-up or prompt a full franchise reset.

Overview

  • This week Deadline and other outlets reported that Gareth Edwards has left the planned sequel to Jurassic World Rebirth, and Universal said it had an “incredible experience” working with him.
  • David Koepp is expected to remain the returning screenwriter even though he has publicly said he is unsure how to continue the franchise’s global-dinosaur storyline.
  • Insiders say the studio is still targeting a 2027 start of principal photography and that Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey are likely to reprise their roles, but a new director search is underway.
  • Fans and commentators are calling for a full reboot because Rebirth reversed the series’ prior premise of dinosaurs living worldwide, a choice critics say narrowed future story options.
  • Universal has a lower-risk alternative to a film reboot in the officially announced Jurassic Park: Survival game, which returns players to Isla Nublar the day after the original 1993 film.