Jurassic World: everything you need to know

It’s less than a year away

^{Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer}

The official release date for Jurassic World is June 12 2015 – a spot that suggests the filmmakers are confident the movie will hold its place as one of next summer’s must-see blockbusters. June 12 is also a month and a half after Avengers: Age of Ultron opens, a month after Mad Max: Fury Road, and a good two weeks before Terminator: Genisys, ensuring that Universal’s dinosaurs won’t be facing too much competition during their opening week.

22 years on, Isla Nublar has an up and running theme park

^{Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer}
The official plot summary for the film reads as follows:
“22 years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. This new park is owned by the Patel Corporation. Owen, a member of Jurassic World’s on-site staff, conducts behavioural research on the Velociraptors. After many years, Jurassic World’s attendance rates begin to decline and a new attraction, created to re-spark visitor interest, gravely backfires.”
The trailer makes it clear that the “new attraction” is some form of hybrid dinosaur, created by splicing the genes of two or more species (we’re pretty sure they won’t be friendly, herbivore types). Judging by the trailer’s shots of panicked, running crowds, it also seems evident that the hybrid dinos will escape during peak season, when the park is packed with tourists. Ever played the “Dinosaur Digs” version of Zoo Tycoon and accidentally-on-purpose set the T-Rex loose? Picture that, but with better graphics and louder screaming.
Star Lord is the Star

^{Chris Pratt in Jurassic World (Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer)}
Guardians of the Galaxy star Pratt plays Oweb, the park’s Velociraptor handler. Judging by the trailer, he’s a practical, everyman type. Bryce Dallas Howard plays a scientist named Claire, who appears to be part of the team involved in creating the dinosaur hybrids: expect the “don’t mess with nature” message of the first film to be reinforced loud and clear.

^{Bryce Dallas Howard in Jurassic World (Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer)}
Nick Robinson stars as Zach, Claire’s teenage nephew, while Ty Simpkins plays his younger brother Gray, ensuring that Jurassic World will fulfil irs “kids in danger of being eaten” quota. Meanwhile, Irrfan Khan plays Simon Masrani, head of the Patel corporation, and owner of Jurassic World.
Hammond will get his own statue
Back in August, Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow posted the below photo from the Jurassic World set. The Hammond statue will link the film with its predecessors, and provide a nice tribute to the late Richard Attenborough, the actor who played Jurassic Park founder John Hammond in the original Steven Spielberg film.

^{Picture: Colin Trevorrow, via Twitter}
There will be Raptors
The fact that Owen “conducts behavioural research on the Velociraptors” suggests that the theropods, portrayed in the Jurassic Park films as fearsomely intelligent pack hunters, may be an integral part of the Jurassic World plot. Could the hybrid dinosaur referred to in the trailer contain Velociraptor DNA?
Along with lots of other lovely dinosaurs (plus an aquatic reptile)

^{The Mosasaurus (Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer)}
The first full trailer for the film, released on November 25, features a number of dinosaurs, including Stegosaurus, a herd of benign sauropods (very probably Apatosaurus), a valley filled with running dinosaurs (most likely Gallimimus) and a scene in which a large, crocodile-like aquatic reptile leaps out of a pool and devours a shark – both a rather grim Sea World parody, and a cheeky nod to Spielberg’s Jaws.
Judging by a partial list of the park’s dinosaurs that leaked back in July, the aquatic reptile is most likely as Mosasaurus (not strictly a dinosaur, although also from the Mesozoic era).

^{Apatosaurus(?) and Stegosaurus (Image taken from the Jurassic World trailer)}
The full list of “leaked” dinosaurs is below. (Warning – potential spoilers)
Ankylosaurus
Apatosaurus
Baryonyx
Dimorphodon – not strictly a dinosaur but a type of pterosaur (a flying reptile)
Edmontosaurus
Gallimimus
Metriacanthosaurus
Microceratus
Mosasaurus – an aquatic reptile
Pachycephalosaurus
Pteranodon – not strictly a dinosaur, but a type of pterosaur
Stegosaurus
Suchomimus
Triceratops
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Scientists will have issues with it
As with the earlier films – which supersized the Velociraptors, and changed the shape of the T-Rex’s teeth – there appear to be several flaws with the depiction of the dinosaurs and Mosasaur in the Jurassic World trailer. Frustrated enthusiasts have already taken to Twitter to voice their annoyance.