End of an era: Jurassic Park

What will Jurassic Park’s legacy be?

There have been few more celebrated franchises in the history of film than Jurassic Park. However, the day that millions thought would never come is soon upon us, as the upcoming release of “Jurassic World Dominion” looks set to be the final release in the franchise.

It will bring the latest trilogy chapter to a close, as a number of old faces from the first trilogy will be returning, signalling the end of an era as we know it. But, what will Jurassic Park’s legacy be and just how successful has the franchise been around the world throughout its history?

Original Trilogy

The world was introduced to Jurassic Park for the very first time in 1993, as the feature release of ‘Jurassic Park’ arrived. A star-studded case lined up in the first feature length film, including Sam Neil and Jeff Goldblum. There were also cameos in the film for Samuel L. Jackson and Bob Peck. Steven Spielberg directed the first film in the original series, and it was based on the 1990 novel with the same name written by Michael Crichton.

The film is based on the fictional island of Isla Nubar, which is located near Costa Rica. John Hammond and a team of scientists attempt to bring back de-extinct dinosaurs back to life. However, catastrophe occurs as the power is wiped out and a small group of visitors need to try and escape. It’s fair to say that the original film was a massive success around the globe, as it took over $1 billion at the box office.

This film was always considered to be the starting block for the Jurassic Park franchise, and it was soon followed by the releases of ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ and ‘Jurassic Park III’. However, there was a sense following the third release that the desire to see more Jurassic Park films was coming to an end, as the final film in the trilogy took just $368 million at the box office; making it the lowest-grossing film in the trilogy series. 

Jurassic Re-Birth

Fourteen years after the release of the final movie in the original franchise, Jurassic Park made its long-awaited return to the big screen in 2015. Spielberg was at the forefront of the idea once again, as he began to develop an idea for a story while the production of Jurassic Park III was still ongoing, However, it wasn’t until 2013 that a script was finally approved, and casting could commence. The film would centre around a new park, called Jurassic World, which is located on the same island as the original three movies. The park was run by Simon Masrani, with Chris Pratt, Bruce Dallas, and Jake Johnson all starring in the first film of the new trilogy, titled ‘Jurassic World’.

It would go on to become one of the most successful films in the history of the franchise as it grossed $1.670 billion worldwide. That meant that it was the second-highest-grossing film of 2015, and the most successful in franchise history. The film was then followed by the 2018 release of ‘Fallen Kingdom’, which became the third Jurassic Park film to surpass the billion-dollar mark. However, critics were skeptical of the film and questioned whether the Jurassic Park franchise had ultimately run its course.

Final Swansong For Jurassic Park

However, there will be a final swansong for Jurassic Park in 2022, as the release of ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ is set to be the final Jurassic Park film. It has already been announced that the film will bring a curtain down on both the original and the new trilogies, with a number of characters from previous films returning to reprise their roles.

These include Justice Smith, Campbell Scott, and Sam Neil. Production for the final film in the series was a lengthy process, as the outbreak of COVID-19 meant that production was suspended midway through. However, fans will be able to see what awaits all the characters when the film is finally released in June 2022.

Cultural Impact Of Films

There have been few films throughout history that have caught the imagination as much as Jurassic Park. The franchise has played a significant cultural role, and that was highlighted when it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2018. However, it has also played a prominent role outside of the films. One of the more unusual Jurassic Park links can be found in the Betway casino slots section, which houses the extremely prominent Microgaming produced game with the same title.

There have also been board games released throughout the history of the franchise, including Jurassic Park: Danger!, which was released in 2018. It was also announced in 2021, that Hasbro had released a Monopoly version of the franchise. The magic of Jurassic Park will continue to live on at Universal Studios around the world too, with the Singapore location offering a number of rides, including the VelociCoaster, which was opened to the public for the first time in 2021.