We suppose it was only a matter of time before those big wooden doors emblazoned with the text “Jurassic Park” would swing open once more for all the world to see – and now it looks as if that moment is creeping up on us.
Deadline has word that “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver are set to resurrect another dusty franchise, this time for Universal Pictures in the shape of the dinosaur-friendly “Jurassic Park” series. Production on a fourth “Jurassic Park” film has been long and storied ever since the release of the lackluster “Jurassic Park 3” in the summer of 2001, starting with an absolutely insane (but potentially kind of awesome?) script by John Sayles and “The Departed” screenwriter William Monahan that never came to fruition, featuring a group of soldiers that were genetically crossed with humans and dinosaurs. Then back in 2011, executive producer and director of the first two “Jurassic Park” films, Steven Spielberg, started talking up a fourth installment, with word that he had been meeting up with “I Am Legend” scribe Mark Protosevich to discuss further dino sequels coming out. It’ll be interesting to see if Jaffa and Silver will be using any of Protosevich’s work or simply starting from scratch, but since there’s no word of Protosevich’s current involvement with the project, we’re guessing it's back to square one.
Spielberg is backing producing with his Amblin cohorts Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, and we’re not the least bit surprised the notoriously hard-up-for-franchises Universal is pulling a John Hammond and flinging themselves back into the business of dinosaurs. After all, with three films that have grossed over $1.9 billion worldwide collectively and what we’re sure is a lucrative merchandising deal with amusement park rides, toys, and everything else – how could they not? It remains to be seen as to whether or not Jaffa and Silver can breathe fresh life into this billion dollar creature, but we’re sure Universal is sure going to try.