The new Jonathan Bailey Jurassic World 4: Rebirth trailer is out, and we are READY. (To pretend like we’re here for the dinosaurs. We are not here for the dinosaurs.)
In all seriousness, the Jurassic franchise has been…rather hit or miss, over the years. I’ll never forget that rush of excitement I felt going to see Jurassic Park at the local drive-in theater. I have a special fondness for its sequel because I personally have nothing against the concept of a T-Rex wreaking havoc on a major metropolitan city. Past that and into the Jurassic World movies, well…the series has had its share of ups and downs.
Don’t Call Them Chicken
Part of the dilemma for the series has been somehow fooling itself into thinking Bigger and Badder and Scarier dinosaurs are the main draw. The dinosaurs can now be three times as big! No, they turn invisible! They’re genetically spliced with humans!
Honestly, no dinosaur has been as terrifying as the T-Rex/Velociraptor duo in the original. The kitchen scene? Still causes one’s heart to race a little. You don’t have to try to make dinosaurs scarier. They’re the size of a building and eat people in one gulp. They’re scary enough.
In that respect, it isn’t entirely clear whether Jurassic World 4: Rebirth has learned lessons from its predecessors. On the one hand, the synopsis establishes that they’ve pared down on the “dinosaurs cohabitating with humans” ridiculousness of the prior film. The summary reads:
“Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.
Zora Bennett [is] contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized by marauding aquatic dinos, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.”
And there are definitely Bigger, Baddier, (pretending to be) Scarier monsters. I’m sorry. Dinosaurs. (Have they gone back to actual dinosaurs that existed or still trying to pass off a dinosaur/whatever hybrid to make them scarier? I don’t know. I’m not a paleontologist. Those whip tails can’t be right, though, right?) But our dear friend the T-Rex makes more than a brief cameo glimpse of an appearance, so one has hope.
The Human Element
But as I said, bigger and badder and scarier dinosaurs aren’t really the draw in this series about big, bad, scary dinosaurs. The heart of the franchise is really its human element. It’s about the dangers of our hubris and how far we’re willing to go to protect each other when the worst happens.
Enter Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson) and Dr. Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey). What do we make of them so far? It’s hard to say. She seems to bring the hubris. He has the internal terrified screaming that any normal person would have when surrounded by carnivores the size of an F-16. I know a lot of fans are deeply concerned he’s just too pretty to survive the franchise, but I’ll personally know he’s safe if she reads him for filth within 10 minutes of meeting him. Then I know for sure the two will fall in love in the end, which means he’ll survive the movie. Bailey seems to be making a career out of selling himself as a romantic lead with that dynamic.
In this brief glimpse, however, I’m on board with what I’m seeing of these characters. While I’m sure Johansson could play a Damsel in Distress convincingly if the need arose, she also does so very well with playing a Damsel Who Can Save Herself (And You), Thank You Very Much. And Bailey? Well, he’s definitely giving the vibe of a Damsel in Need of Saving. (But at least his character seems aware that he’s embarking on something Very Foolish in this movie and will definitely need saving by the end.)
I will say, sticking Bailey in glasses and giving him scruff was really overdoing it a bit, wasn’t it? It’s like everyone involved in the movie knew that 2025 was going to be a crappy year in general and decided to give us an extra special treat to try to help us through. I’m not saying I don’t appreciate the thought, but a little warning would have been kind. For the sake of everyone’s hearts, if nothing else. (At least they shifted away from his British accent for this franchise. I’m not sure our hearts could have taken the trifecta.)
Outside of Johansson and Bailey, we also get a glimpse of Mahershala Ali as Duncan Kincaid. On the one hand, he gives the same sort of savvy, “I can take care of myself but I’m pretty sure you’re screwed vibe” as Pete Postlethwaite‘s Roland Tembo. And this clearly isn’t his first rodeo on the island. As clearly capable of taking care of himself as he is, I’m not sure he’ll make it out of the movie alive. The most capable frequently don’t in this franchise. Still, I think, when Stuff Goes Down, it’s going to be pretty clear which characters Loomis would do well to hide behind.
Initial Verdict
At the end of the day, my hopes for Jurassic World 4: Rebirth are to see actors I like playing characters I can relate to in tense situations. Trying to avoid being eaten by some of the most terrifying predators to have ever walked the Earth. I really don’t require too much else from a movie about dinosaurs other than that dinosaurs eat some people. But not, like, my favorite people.
Given what I’m seeing in this trailer, I’m not going to say Jurassic World 4: Rebirth will be the best of the franchise. But I’m ready to shell out money for a ticket and a bucket of popcorn to watch Johansson, Bailey, and Ali take on a few T-Rexes and Velociraptors. What more could you ask?
Watch the trailer below:
Jurassic World 4: Rebirth hits theaters on July 2, 2025.
