Hold onto your butts, Jurassic Park fans! One of the best ‘90s sci-fi movie franchises is about to get a massive dose of star power. During a press junket for her latest film, Fly Me to the Moon, Scarlett Johansson confirmed the long-rumored news that she’s joining the next installment of the series. But that’s not all. The Black Widow star spoke about the exciting connection that the movie has to the original series, which is script for the newest installment was written by the original screenwriter. That’s right, the franchise is bringing back legacy talent, and fans are surely in for a brontosaurus-sized treat!
Universal Pictures rebranded the iconic Jurassic Park franchise as Jurassic World, continuing the original storyline with a fresh perspective. That 2015 film’s box office triumph led to a new trilogy, but each sequel saw a decline in box office earnings. Now, the studio is gearing up for a new series of movies. In an exclusive conversation with ComicBook.com, Johansson couldn’t contain her enthusiasm about joining the iconic franchise, saying:
Everything. I’m an enormous Jurassic Park fan. It’s one of the first films I remember seeing in the theater. I remember seeing it so vividly. It was like life-changing. It was mind-blowing. I cannot express how excited I am.
The upcoming sequel, tentatively titled Jurassic World 4, boasts a screenplay by David Koepp, the brilliant mind behind one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time, the ‘93 original. This marks Koepp’s return to the franchise for the first time since 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Unlike his previous collaborations, this will be his first flick in the franchise where the script will not be directed by Steven Spielberg. Instead, Gareth Edwards, known for his work on Godzilla and The Creator, dropped everything to take the director’s chair. Johansson continued:
The script is so incredible. David Koepp wrote it. He returned after like 30 years to write the script. He’s so passionate about it, which is so awesome
Scarlett Johansson’s entry into the Park/World franchise has been a long time coming as rumors of the Avengers star’s casting have persisted for some time. She recently revealed that she has been eager to join the dino-filled adventure since the franchise’s revival in the 2010s. The Ghost World actress added:
I’ve been trying to get into this franchise in any possible way for over 10 years. I’m like, ‘I’ll die in the first five minutes! I can get eaten by whatever! I’ll do the craft service!’ I’ll do anything for it. The fact that it’s happened in this way at this time just is actually unbelievable. I can’t believe it.
While there’s no official word yet on whether Chris Pratt or other Jurassic World series actors will return for the fourth movie, Pratt has teased fans with a tantalizing “never say never.” So, it’s entirely possible we might see these former MCU stars reunite for some dino-filled action.
In the meantime, let’s all take a moment to celebrate the fact that the script is penned by the writer of the first two original films. Just knowing that David Koepp is back at the helm is enough to get any JP fan excited for this upcoming movie! And, of course, I’m also pumped that a skilled actress like Scarlett Johansson is joining the fray. Here’s hoping she absolutely crushes it!
Fans can prepare for the new entry starring Scarlett Johansson by streaming the original trilogy with a Peacock subscription, while the World trilogy is streamable for Max subscribers.