Jurassic World 4 Loses Director, Is It Getting Canceled?
In an unseen turn of events, David Leitch, director of the Jurassic World franchise, walks away from negotiations to helm Jurassic World 4. Last week, Leitch and Universal Studios announced that Leitch would direct the fourth installment in the Jurassic World franchise. Today, sources at The Hollywood Reporter revealed Leitch is out, leaving the project in scrambles at Universal.
Even without a director, the show must go on, and no news of cancellation about the upcoming Jurassic World movie has been released. And given the franchise’s massive success, the film is unlikely to be axed.
David Leitch No Longer Helming Jurassic World 4
The split is said to have been over a “difference in vision and to be amicable.” Jurassic World 4 is slated for release on July 2, 2025, to serve as the studio’s big theatrical release for the 4th of July holiday weekend. The news also announced a returning contributor to the latest Jurassic Park entry for the first time in over 20 years.
Original Jurassic Park Writer Still On Board
Shortly after Jurassic World 4 was announced, it was shared that the original screenwriter for 1993’s Jurassic Park and 1997’s follow-up The Lost World: Jurassic Park, David Koepp, would write the latest film. It marked his return to the franchise initially directed by the iconic Steven Spielberg. Koepp’s return is fantastic for original fans of the ‘90s films to honor the 30th anniversary with a new cast of original characters.
Jurassic World Stars Not Returning
Jurassic World 4 is set to be the dawning of yet another new era for the franchise. The fourth film will follow a new cast of protagonists, leaving behind Jurassic World’s Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, who led the prior trilogy. The Jurassic franchise has grossed $6 billion in revenue and is one of Universal’s most lucrative intellectual properties.
Jurassic Park Through The Decades
Long before Jurassic World 4 was a thing, Jurassic Park, based on Michael Crichton’s novels, unfolds an exhilarating saga of science gone awry, and humanity’s struggle for survival in the face of ancient creatures brought back to life. Steven Spielberg’s 1993 masterpiece sets the stage as scientists and visitors face the terror of genetically engineered dinosaurs running amok in the ill-fated theme park.
In The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Spielberg continues the thrill ride as a team returns to the island, only to confront the dinosaurs and corporate greed. Joe Johnston’s Jurassic Park III thrusts audiences into a desperate struggle for survival on a second dinosaur-infested island, showcasing new dangers and awe-inspiring prehistoric creatures.
The Next Jurassic World Could Launch A New Trilogy
Throughout the trilogy, themes of scientific ambition, human folly, and the consequences of tampering with nature resonate, all against the backdrop of groundbreaking visual effects that cemented the franchise as a timeless classic in cinematic history. Similar events were unpacked within the latest trilogy that followed the events of Jurassic World, which also pushed the boundaries of digital effects in cinema.
It is believed that Jurassic World 4 would follow a similar pattern of scientists cloning and fabricating dinosaurs that will take a turn for the worse for a new ensemble of characters.
A Major Disappointment Losing David Leitch
David Leitch has an impressive film catalog within the action genre even before his departure from Jurassic World 4. Leitch is the director behind hit films Deadpool 2, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, and Bullet Train. His latest film, The Fall Guy, stars Ryan Gosling in a remake of the hit ‘80s television series of the same name. The Fall Guy will be released exclusively in theaters on May 3, 2024.Source: The Hollywood Reporter
