Summary

  • Jeff Goldblum is unlikely to return in Jurassic World Rebirth, which suggests his character may have 'ridden off into the sunset.'
  • The new movie features fresh faces like Scarlett Johansson on a mission to extract genetic material from dinosaurs.
  • Goldblum's absence may disappoint fans, but the film aims to revamp the franchise with new faces and storylines.

Jurassic Park fans will not be seeing one of the original cast members in the upcoming movie Jurassic World Rebirth. The actor spoke about his fate in the franchise and hinted they were seemingly done with his character.

Jurassic World Rebirth was announced early in 2024, and they wrapped up filming in September 2024, giving the production enough time for post-production work, including visual effects, as the movie heavily features dinosaurs. The upcoming film will feature fresh faces, including Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. Johansson will play Zora Bennett, an expert who leads covert operations in extracting genetic material from three dinosaurs that could be key to developing a life-saving drug. However, during the dangerous mission, Bennett and her group will encounter a civilian family stranded following an attack by an aquatic dinosaur and that will lead to uncovering more shocking secrets. Several original Jurassic Park stars appeared in Jurassic World Dominion (2022). However, one said they were unlikely to return to the upcoming film.

jurassic world rebirth logo, mahershala ali, scarlett johansson
Jurassic World: Rebirth Promises a Fresh Start, But Is It Enough?

Led by Gareth Edwards, Jurassic World: Rebirth aims to revamp the franchise with a new-look cast and storyline.

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Jeff Goldblum is a key figure in the franchise. He debuted in the original movie Jurassic Park, released in 1993, where he portrayed Dr. Ian Malcolm, a charismatic mathematician specializing in chaos theory. Goldblum effectively portrayed the character and his wit and dry humor instantly made him a fan favorite. He reprised his role in The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) and made an appearance in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022). In a recent interview with Games Radar's Total Film, he was asked about his fate in the franchise since his name was noticeably not mentioned in the cast list for Rebirth. "I think Ian Malcolm may have ridden off into the sunset. Maybe," Goldblum told Games Radar's Total Film, suggesting fans might not see him in the new movie. He clarified that there were no hard feelings and even showed his support and promoted the movie that his friend Johansson would headline. "Because this next one [Jurassic World Rebirth] – my friend Scarlett Johansson and my new friend Jonathan Bailey from Wicked, I think, are taking up the reins. And I can't wait to see what they do. I think that's a good idea," Goldblum added.

In the same interview, he was also asked about the backlash Jurassic World: Dominion received. The film picked up four years after the events of Fallen Kingdom, but fans were not satisfied, and many even found it confusing due to its overstuffed and convoluted plot, resulting in a vague story where fans were not sure where to focus and where it was going. Some also felt that there were not enough dinosaurs for a movie that should have focused on those creatures. Goldblum dismissed the issue and instead shared how he enjoyed filming it. "I enjoyed working on it and enjoyed trying to make it good. I think it sold a bunch of tickets. But, you know…" he said while laughing. "Everybody's got an opinion about it. It's tough to make a good movie." Jurassic World: Dominion grossed over $1 billion worldwide but only scored 29% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Goldblum is an icon in the Jurassic Park franchise. Whether he has a long or short screen time, his attendance is a huge contribution to the film. So, it's expected that fans will be disappointed by his absence. The audience loves his cleverness, skepticism of science's overreach and snarky lines. For instance, he said in Jurassic Park (1993), "Genetic power's the most awesome force the planet's ever seen, but you wield it like a kid who's found his dad's gun." So yes, his absence will feel like a missed opportunity. However, the new movie's title also suggests they could be heading in a new direction. Thus, it's understandable for Jurassic World Rebirth to bring new faces, characters, and storylines.

Jurassic World Rebirth will hit theaters on July 2, 2025.

Source: Games Radar