Universal Pictures is actively developing a sequel to Jurassic World: Rebirth following the dinosaur franchise’s triumphant return to box office prominence, with the 2025 reboot earning an impressive $868.6 million worldwide—making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2025 despite receiving mixed critical reception. The film, which premiered on July 2, 2025, across North American theaters and June 17, 2025 at London’s Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, starred Scarlett Johansson as covert operative Zora, Mahershala Ali as Dr. Henry Flores, and Jonathan Bailey as paleontologist Ian Malcolm’s descendant in a narrative centered on a dangerous expedition to retrieve DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for pharmaceutical advancement. Directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Godzilla, 2023’s The Creator) and scripted by David Koepp (the original Jurassic Park screenwriter who also penned the first two Jurassic World films), the film represents a deliberate franchise reset following the disappointing performance of Jurassic World Dominion (2022, $1.01 billion globally), which ended the previous trilogy’s dominance. Despite mixed critical reviews (50% on Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score, 71% on Popcornmeter), audiences embraced Rebirth with sufficient enthusiasm to justify continued franchise investment, with the film currently ranking as #1 on Peacock streaming (following its October 30 digital release), outpacing The Grinch, M3GAN 2.0, and How to Train Your Dragon. The film’s $868 million global gross, while substantially trailing the three preceding Jurassic World films (2015’s Jurassic World $1.6B, 2018’s Fallen Kingdom $1.3B, Dominion $1B), nonetheless demonstrates sufficient commercial viability to justify what Universal executives anticipate will become a new trilogy launch, capitalizing on Edwards’ visually distinguished directorial approach and recalibrated franchise positioning that emphasizes character chemistry over prehistoric spectacle mechanics.
Box Office Success: $868 Million Worldwide
Worldwide Gross: $868.6 million | Domestic (US/Canada): $339.6 million (39.1%) | International: $529 million (60.9%) | Opening Weekend (Domestic): $92 million (three days), $147.3 million (five days) | Production Budget: $180-225 million (substantially reduced from previous entries) | 2025 Ranking: Fourth-highest-grossing film of 2025 | Franchise Standing: Lowest-grossing of recent Jurassic World trilogy
Jurassic World: Rebirth achieved significant commercial success with its $868.6 million worldwide gross, establishing itself as a genuine box office winner despite representing the franchise’s lowest performance since the original 2015 reboot. The film substantially exceeded the $180-225 million production budget, ultimately delivering profitable returns and justifying Universal’s continued franchise investment.
Opening Weekend Performance: The film debuted with $92 million domestically during its opening three days and $147.3 million across the extended five-day Fourth of July weekend—substantially exceeding initial industry projections of $80-135 million and establishing Rebirth as summer’s dominant franchise launch.
Comparative Franchise Performance: Jurassic World (2015) $1.6B, Fallen Kingdom (2018) $1.3B, Dominion (2022) $1.0B — the steady decline reflects franchise fatigue, yet Rebirth’s $868M still qualifies as blockbuster-tier success.
Cast and Characters
Scarlett Johansson as Zora (Covert Operative): Johansson anchors the ensemble as the action-driven protagonist, portraying Zora with “world-weary and badass” presence according to critics. Her casting signals Universal’s commitment to A-list star power and female-driven narratives.
Mahershala Ali as Dr. Henry Flores: Two-time Oscar winner Ali delivers “endless charisma” as the expedition’s leader, bringing gravitas and dramatic weight to the ensemble. Critics noted Ali’s ability to elevate material beyond screenplay limitations.
Jonathan Bailey as Ian Malcolm’s Descendant/Paleontologist: Fresh from his lead role in Wicked (2024), Bailey portrays the nerdy paleontologist with charming performance delivery. Critics noted excellent chemistry between Bailey and Johansson, with “great chemistry” becoming reviewers’ consensus descriptor for the lead pairing.
Supporting Ensemble: Rupert Friend, Manuel Ojeda, Ed Skrein, Blaise Iason, Aurelio Fuscaldi, Sylvain Christel round out the international cast, grounding the expedition narrative through diverse ensemble representation.
Director and Screenwriter: Franchise Reset Architecture
Director: Gareth Edwards | Previous Work: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Godzilla (2014), The Creator (2023 – underrated sci-fi epic) | Directorial Signature: Large-scale creature filmmaking, visual spectacle grounded in character authenticity | Screenwriter: David Koepp | Koepp’s Franchise History: Original Jurassic Park (1993), The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Jurassic World (2015), Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom (2018)
Gareth Edwards’ directorial appointment marked Universal’s strategic commitment to visual distinction and thematic depth. Edwards’ filmography demonstrates consistent mastery of large-scale creature narratives without sacrificing character-driven storytelling—capabilities essential for franchise reinvention.
David Koepp’s return as screenwriter provided essential continuity—Koepp’s involvement in the original 1993 Jurassic Park through both previous Jurassic World films positions him as franchise DNA keeper. His script reportedly incorporates foundational franchise elements while introducing fresh narrative positioning and character dynamics.
Critical Reception: Mixed Reviews Despite Audience Embrace
Rotten Tomatoes (Critics): 50% (mediocre; below franchise average) | Rotten Tomatoes (Audience/Popcornmeter): 71% (lukewarm approval) | IMDB User Rating: 5.9/10 (150,000+ votes) | Critical/Audience Divergence: Significant gap between professional critics and general audiences | Streaming Reception: #1 on Peacock (as of November 1, 2025)
Deadline Review Assessment: “One of the stronger entries in the Jurassic series… [Rebirth] will find an entertaining experience” despite acknowledging plot implausibility and clichéd character roles. The review praised Edwards’ visual direction and Alexander Desplat’s musical score blending with John Williams’ iconic theme.
IGN Review Criticism: “Johansson plays Zora with the right mix of world-weary and badass, while Jonathan Bailey does a charming performance… [However] characters make baffling, painfully dumb choices” and “the writing just doesn’t do them any favours.”
Common Critical Themes: Strong cast chemistry and visual direction offset weak screenplay execution; character development superior to plot originality; script feels derivative of franchise predecessors rather than genuinely innovative.
Plot and Premise
Official Premise: “An expedition braves isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.” | Narrative Structure: Covert mission narrative balancing action spectacle with pharmaceutical thriller elements | Setting: Remote jungle locations substituting for previous franchise island settings
The film positions genetic material extraction as primary narrative motivation—shifting focus from dinosaur containment (previous entries) toward medical exploitation of prehistoric DNA. This thematic reorientation provides conceptual freshness while maintaining franchise core DNA mechanics.
Release Information and Streaming Availability
World Premiere: June 17, 2025 (Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, London) | Theatrical Release (North America): July 2, 2025 | International Release Dates: June 30-July 4, 2025 (staggered worldwide rollout) | Theatrical Distribution: 4,308 North American theaters | MPAA Rating: PG-13 | Runtime: 2 hours 13 minutes
Streaming Release: Peacock (October 30, 2025) | Streaming Status: #1 movie on Peacock (as of November 1, 2025), outperforming The Grinch, M3GAN 2.0, Corpse Bride, and How to Train Your Dragon | Subscription Required: Peacock premium membership
Sequel Development and Franchise Future
Sequel Status: Officially in development at Universal | Creative Continuity: Universal reportedly retaining Edwards and Koepp for potential sequel | Trilogy Plans: Rebirth positioned as launch of new trilogy replacing previous Jurassic World trilogy | Strategic Context: $868M worldwide gross validates continued franchise investment despite franchise fatigue signals
Universal executives have confirmed commitment to franchise continuation, with sequel development representing strategic belief in Rebirth’s creative reset. The studio views the $868 million gross—coupled with strong streaming performance on Peacock—as validation for multi-picture deals with Edwards and Koepp.
The sequel announcement arrives despite franchise fatigue indicators, positioning Rebirth as turning point rather than franchise endpoint. Industry analysts suggest the film’s modest-by-franchise-standards budget ($180-225M vs. previous $250M+ investments) provides financial cushion enabling multiple sequels at current box office performance levels.
