Universal Pictures is pushing forward with a sequel to Jurassic World Rebirth, drawing from reliable reports by entertainment insider Jeff Sneider. Director Gareth Edwards is wrapping up final talks to direct the next chapter, and the main actors from the original are lined up to come back for their characters. This exciting update arrives just months after Rebirth hit theaters on July 2, 2025, pulling in a solid $868 million around the world and ranking among the top earners of the year.
The new movie would be the eighth entry in the long-running Jurassic Park series overall and the fifth specifically in the Jurassic World lineup. It picks up right where Rebirth left off, following a daring group’s quest to an isolated island for dinosaur genetic material that could revolutionize heart disease treatments. Set five years after the chaos of Jurassic World Dominion in 2022, the story shows dinosaurs now limited to warm equatorial zones as Earth’s changing weather makes other areas too harsh for them to survive.
In Rebirth, the plot kicks off back in 2008 with InGen running a secretive lab on Île Saint-Hubert, an island in the Atlantic, where they experiment with altered dinosaurs that their boss finds too creepy. Things go wrong when a six-limbed Tyrannosaurus hybrid, dubbed Distortus rex, breaks free and kills a worker, forcing everyone to flee and abandon the site. Fast-forward to 2025, and pharmaceutical executive Martin Krebs hires ex-spy Zora Bennett to team up with paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis. Their goal: snag samples from three giant dinosaurs—the sea-dwelling Mosasaurus, land-based Titanosaurus, and flying Quetzalcoatlus—whose biology holds the key to curing heart conditions.
Zora pulls in her trusted partner Duncan Kincaid, plus pilot LeClerc, hired gun Nina, and guard Bobby Atwater, to head to the island. Along the way, they spot a family on a sailboat—Reuben Delgado with his daughters Teresa and Isabella, plus Teresa’s boyfriend Xavier—whose trip gets wrecked by a massive Mosasaurus. The team diverts to save them, but danger ramps up as Spinosaurus packs join the attack, sinking the ship and claiming Bobby’s life. Martin, more focused on the mission than people, even lets Teresa fall overboard without helping, leading the Delgados to jump in and get separated from the main group.
Stranded on the island, the survivors face a gauntlet of prehistoric threats. The core team grabs a Titanosaurus blood sample from a herd, then scales cliffs to raid a Quetzalcoatlus nest for an egg sample, losing LeClerc to a swooping parent in the process. Meanwhile, the Delgados trek through the jungle, dodging mutants like the raptor-pterosaur hybrid Mutadon and a friendly Aquilops that Isabella names Dolores and keeps as a pet. They snag an inflatable raft, survive a Tyrannosaurus chase down a river, and eventually link up with Zora’s group at the old InGen lab.
Tensions boil over when Teresa calls out Martin’s selfishness, and he pulls a gun to seize the samples and bolt in a utility vehicle. Mutated creatures swarm the lab, and the rescue chopper gets smashed by the Distortus rex. The group flees through underground tunnels to an emergency dock, where young Isabella squeezes through bars to unlock a gate. They pile into a boat as the D. rex devours Martin, but Duncan distracts it with a flare and survives for pickup. In the end, Zora and Henry choose to release the samples openly, making the life-saving drug available to everyone without corporate patents.
This gripping tale of survival, betrayal, and ethical choices in a dinosaur-filled world has fans buzzing, and the sequel aims to dive deeper into those loose ends, like the global impact of the open-sourced medicine and lingering threats from escaped mutants.
Returning Stars Bring Familiar Faces Back to the Dino Action
Expect Scarlett Johansson to step back into the boots of Zora Bennett, the tough, quick-thinking operative who keeps the mission on track amid chaos. Jonathan Bailey returns as Dr. Henry Loomis, the wide-eyed expert whose passion for ancient creatures shines through every tense encounter. Mahershala Ali reprises Duncan Kincaid, the reliable leader whose survival in the finale was no accident—it was tweaked during filming to pave the way for more stories.
The supporting cast from Rebirth added real depth, with Rupert Friend as the shady Martin Krebs, whose corporate greed drives much of the conflict. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo played Reuben Delgado, the protective dad navigating family drama and dino dangers. Ed Skrein brought edge as one of the mercenaries, while Luna Blaise shone as Isabella, the brave kid who bonds with Dolores the Aquilops. Though not all confirmed yet for the sequel, their roles in the island ordeal make them natural fits for expanded arcs.
Johansson and Bailey have opened up about their characters’ spark, describing Zora’s street smarts clashing and connecting with Henry’s bookish excitement. In interviews, Johansson noted how Zora’s hidden vulnerabilities emerge through her partnership with Loomis, adding emotional layers to the high-stakes dino hunts. Bailey echoed that, saying their “passionate chemistry” grew from shared awe at the creatures, helping ground the film’s wild action in relatable human moments.
For the sequel, these dynamics could evolve as the team deals with the fallout from their discoveries. Kincaid’s resourcefulness, proven when he outsmarts the D. rex, positions him for bigger leadership challenges. With the samples now public, expect corporate rivals or government agencies to enter the mix, testing loyalties and forcing Zora to confront her past as a covert operative.
Box Office Triumph Powers Up Sequel Buzz
Jurassic World Rebirth raked in $868 million worldwide, a strong showing on its $180-225 million budget that landed it as the fourth-biggest hit of 2025. It launched with a bang, grabbing $147 million in North America over the extended July 4 weekend, including $92 million from the standard three days. Overseas, it soared with $448 million from key markets like the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Germany, where audiences flocked to see the updated dino spectacle.
Compared to Jurassic World Dominion‘s $1 billion-plus in 2022, Rebirth didn’t top that, but it still proved the franchise’s staying power. The film’s success stemmed from its blend of practical effects and CGI, bringing dinosaurs to life in ways that felt fresh—think the terrifying Mosasaurus sea battles and the eerie Quetzalcoatlus aerial attacks. Marketing played a role too, with trailers teasing the island mystery and family rescue subplot that hooked viewers.
Critics were split, landing a 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise for Edwards’ direction improving on past entries’ pacing but knocks for a script that sometimes leaned on familiar tropes. Audiences, however, loved it, giving an 85% audience score and turning it into a summer must-see. The mixed reviews didn’t dent its draw; instead, word-of-mouth about standout scenes, like the Spinosaurus ship assault and the tunnel escape, kept theaters packed.
This performance reassures Universal that the series can thrive without relying solely on nostalgia. The budget covered ambitious shoots in Hawaii doubling for Île Saint-Hubert, plus heavy VFX from Industrial Light & Magic to render the mutants and herds realistically. With profits rolling in, the studio sees the sequel as a low-risk bet to keep the momentum going.
Shifting from One-Off Story to Ongoing Saga
Gareth Edwards once pitched Rebirth as a complete tale, telling outlets there were zero chats about sequels with scribe David Koepp, producer Frank Marshall, or Universal execs. Johansson backed that up in press rounds, stressing the crew’s aim to make it a tight, self-finished adventure without loose threads begging for more. Yet, the movie’s ambiguous close—hinting at broader dinosaur-human tensions—and its financial win have flipped the script toward expansion.
Edwards took over directing after David Leitch bowed out over story clashes, infusing his style from hits like Rogue One A Star Wars Story and The Creator. He reworked the script to emphasize isolation and moral dilemmas, like the ethics of exploiting dinosaurs for medicine. For the sequel, he’ll start fresh, brainstorming new threats that build on Rebirth‘s world, perhaps exploring how the open-sourced cure disrupts industries or unleashes bio-engineered backlash.
No official word on a writer or release window yet, but insiders point to early 2026 pre-production. Universal’s track record with quick turnarounds—like Dominion following Fallen Kingdom—suggests fans might see it by 2028. The shift honors the franchise’s evolution while addressing fan gripes about repetitive plots by leaning into character growth and real-world science ties.
Tying Back to the Iconic Jurassic Legacy
The sequel should pair Edwards again with David Koepp, the pen behind the groundbreaking 1993 Jurassic Park and 1997’s The Lost World Jurassic Park. Koepp’s comeback after 28 years injected authenticity into Rebirth, from the lab’s haunted vibe to the Distortus rex reveal as a nod to early InGen sins. His knack for blending wonder with horror could shape the next film’s stakes, maybe delving into global exclusion zones or new hybrids born from the samples.
Steven Spielberg stays on as executive producer via Amblin Entertainment, guiding the series he launched with groundbreaking effects that still influence blockbusters. His touch ensured Rebirth balanced spectacle—like the Titanosaurus herd stampede—with human stories, such as the Delgados’ family bonds amid peril. For the follow-up, Spielberg’s oversight might push for innovative dino designs, drawing from real paleontology to keep the science credible.
Over seven movies, Jurassic Park has banked $6.02 billion globally, cementing its status as a Hollywood cash cow. Rebirth refreshed the formula by shrinking the scope to one volatile island, heightening tension through personal betrayals and creature close calls. Changes like saving Duncan—originally scripted to die—were smart calls that open doors for redemption arcs or rival teams in the sequel.
Looking Ahead to More Dino Thrills
Though Universal hasn’t greenlit it publicly, reports from Sneider and others paint a clear picture of active planning. The cast’s enthusiasm, Edwards’ availability post-The Creator, and the built-in fanbase make this a straightforward extension of the saga. Picture intensified survival chases, deeper lore on InGen’s dark history, and ethical debates over de-extinction in a post-Rebirth world.
The franchise’s future hinges on evolving beyond spectacle—Rebirth succeeded by humanizing the heroes and grounding the dinos in a believable ecosystem. With $868 million validating that approach, the sequel has room to explore uncharted territories, like urban dino incursions or international quests for more samples. Stay tuned for official announcements, but the signs point to another roar-worthy adventure on the horizon.
The information is collected from Yahoo and IMDb.
