Jurassic World sequel will have a political element

We caught up with A Monster Calls filmmaker J.A. Bayona today for an exclusive conversation in which we talked about his next gig directing the still-untitled Jurassic World sequel!

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We brought up how all the Jurassic movies have an undercurrent about exploitation and commercialization of these animals, and asked if there will there be a similar pseudo-political subtext to this one.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Bayona told us. “I think there’s a lot of that in the new ‘Jurassic.’ I think there’s a lot of possessiveness towards our creations. I think it’s very interesting where the new movie is heading. It’s so different from the other films, it talks a lot about the moment we live in right now. It’s darker… but at the same time it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s a blockbuster, you have Chris Pratt, it’s a great adventure, but it’s very interesting the way the film is darker than the other ones.”

We also talked to him about creating horrific scares on a blockbuster canvas versus the contained gothic horror of something like his previous hit The Orphanage.

“You need to adapt, you need to know where you are,” suggested Bayona. “‘Jurassic’ is going to be very different from ‘A Monster Calls’ or ‘The Orphanage,’ but they called me because they loved ‘The Orphanage’ and ‘The Impossible’ and they wanted me to be leading the new ‘Jurassic.’ I think you’re going to find some stuff that will remind you of my movies. At the same time I’m very aware that this is Steven’s baby and I’m going to take care of his baby as much as possible, knowing where I am all the time.”

Bayona, whose latest, A Monster Calls, opens later this month, will direct the Jurassic World sequel from a script by Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly. The cast includes returning stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard alongside Justice Smith, Toby Jones and Rafe Spall. Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg will produce the film, which is scheduled for a release on June 22, 2018.

Trevorrow previously revealed the quote from the original Jurassic Park that inspired their idea for the sequel, which comes from Sam Neil’s Alan Grant: “Dinosaurs and man, two species separated by 65 million years of evolution have just been suddenly thrown back into the mix together. How can we possibly have the slightest idea what to expect?”

Cameras are expected to roll on the Jurassic World sequel in March.