I can still feel the goosebumps from my first Jurassic Park viewing, sprawled on my living room floor, eyes glued to the screen as a T. rex’s roar shook my world. That primal mix of awe and terror is what screenwriter David Koepp is chasing with Jurassic World: Rebirth, the seventh film in the Jurassic franchise, set to stomp into theaters on July 2, 2025. In an exclusive Empire Magazine interview, Koepp, the scribe behind Jurassic Park (1993) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), lays out how Rebirth veers sharply from the Chris Pratt-fronted Jurassic World trilogy (Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom, Dominion). Forget global dino chaos—this is a lean, jungle-bound thriller that feels like a love letter to the original. Here’s why Koepp’s vision has me ready to face the dinosaurs again.
A Return to the Jungle, Not the World
The Jurassic World trilogy was a wild ride, taking dinosaurs from theme parks to city streets and even black-market auctions. But by Dominion (2022), I was sitting in the theater, munching popcorn, wondering why we were chasing mutant locusts instead of dodging raptors. Koepp, it seems, felt that disconnect too. He told Empire, “The previous three films were exploring, ‘What would it be like if [dinosaurs] were in our environment?’ We wanted to explore how it felt to go back to theirs.” Rebirth, set five years after Dominion, dials back the sprawl. Dinosaurs have retreated to equatorial zones, and the story centers on a single, high-stakes mission, not a globe-trotting spectacle.
Koepp isn’t here to erase the past—he’s adamant about respecting the franchise’s canon. “The events of the previous six movies cannot be denied or contradicted,” he said, a stance that soothes my inner fan who hates retcons. Instead, Rebirth introduces a fresh crew: Scarlett Johansson as covert ops leader Zora Bennett, Mahershala Ali as team leader Duncan Kincaid, and Jonathan Bailey as paleontologist Dr. Henry Loomis, joined by Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Luna Blaise, and Ed Skrein. Their mission? Extract DNA from the planet’s three most dangerous dinosaurs for medical research. It’s a premise that reminds me of my own misadventures, like the time I got roped into a “simple” group project that spiraled into chaos—only here, the stakes involve claws and teeth.
Recapturing the Original’s Magic
Koepp’s mission is clear: bring back the “spirit” of Jurassic Park. He told Empire that Rebirth aims for the tone of the 1993 classic, blending horror, wonder, and wit. The Jurassic World trilogy leaned hard into action-blockbuster vibes—Indominus Rex smashing gates, dinosaurs loose in San Diego—but often lost the dread that made the original unforgettable. I’ll never forget hiding behind my couch during the raptor kitchen scene, heart pounding. Koepp and director Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Rogue One) are chasing that feeling, with Edwards calling Rebirth a “love letter to Spielberg” that channels Jaws-like survival thrills. I’m already picturing myself back in that kid-like state, jumping at every rustle.
One Empire tidbit sent my excitement into overdrive: a sequence pulled from Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park novel, where characters flee a dinosaur on a raft. Cut from the 1993 film, it’s finally hitting the screen, and I can’t wait for the heart-in-throat tension. It’s giving me flashbacks to a disastrous kayaking trip where I swore something was lurking in the water—now imagine that “something” is a T. rex. Koepp’s return to Crichton’s roots, paired with real-world science, feels like the franchise rediscovering its brainy soul, like the genetics debates I used to have with my science nerd friends.
Koepp’s Dino Rulebook
To keep Rebirth on track, Koepp crafted a “Nine Commandments” list, inspired by Chuck Jones’ Road Runner cartoon rules. This is the kind of geeky detail that makes me adore him—it’s like when I made a “code” for my high school gaming club to keep our sessions epic. Empire highlights a few commandments: no retconning the franchise’s history, grounding all science in reality, and ensuring humor acts as “oxygen” to balance the terror. These rules scream intention, a far cry from Dominion’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach. I’m banking on sharp banter—maybe from Bailey’s paleontologist—cutting through the dread, echoing Jeff Goldblum’s “must go faster” energy.
Koepp’s collaboration with Steven Spielberg, an executive producer, adds a nostalgic kick. He told Empire that stepping onto the London soundstage was “weird and trippy,” like time-traveling to the 1993 jungle sets. The sensory detail—the humid, earthy smell—took me back to my own visit to a tropical zoo, where the air felt alive with unseen creatures. That authenticity is what Koepp’s after, and I’m all in.
Why This Feels Personal
As a lifelong Jurassic fan, the Jurassic World trilogy’s shift to overblown action left me craving the intimacy of the original. Fallen Kingdom’s volcano chase was cool, but Dominion’s corporate plots felt like a different beast. Koepp’s vision for Rebirth—a contained, character-driven mission—speaks to the kid in me who rewatched Jurassic Park until the VHS tape wore out. His respect for canon and focus on science and humor make me hopeful for a story that’s smart, scary, and fun. I’m already imagining tense team dynamics, like the time my friends and I got stranded on a hike and turned on each other—only with dinosaurs as the real threat.
Ready for the Rebirth
Jurassic World: Rebirth is poised to be the franchise’s big reset, trading the Jurassic World trilogy’s excess for the taut, thrilling vibe of Jurassic Park. With Koepp’s commandments, Edwards’ visceral direction, and a killer cast, it’s got the DNA to deliver. I’m already planning my July 4 weekend theater trip, ready to feel that childhood wonder—and terror—again. Will Rebirth live up to the legacy? If Koepp and Spielberg’s passion is any clue, we’re in for a dino-sized thrill.
Source: Empire Magazine
