We knew that Universal Pictures intended to fast-track its next Jurassic World movie, and just a couple of months after the project was announced, production is now underway in Thailand.
According to Variety, the movie will also make use of locations in Malta and the U.K.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Godzilla director Gareth Edwards is set to helm the dino-disaster flick, with Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley on board as producers. Jonathan Bailey, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Mahershala Ali, Rupert Friend, Luna Blaise and David Iacono are set to star, with Scarlett Johansson playing the lead.
This marks a return to franchise filmmaking for the highly in-demand Black Widow star, who was a fixture of Marvel Studios' MCU for many years. There is no information on the character Johansson will play.
Specific lot details are also under wraps, but we now have some idea of the general premise, and it sounds like the plan is to go back to basics by taking a page out of the original Jurassic Park's play book.
The movie is being described as “a completely fresh take, launching a new Jurassic era, following three adults and three teens getting stuck on the Island.”
We assume this island will be one of the Muertes Archipelago, aka The Five Deaths. As for the title, the movie is reportedly being referred to as "Jurassic World 4" and the rumored Jurassic City.
The month-long Thailand unit production was confirmed by the country’s Department of Tourism director general Jaturon Phakdeewanit, who said that production will take place June 13-July 16 at locations including Bangkok, Trang, Phang Nga, Phuket and Chiang Mai.
David Leitch was in talks to direct in early February, before parting ways with the film just a few days later. Apparently, "it became clear to Leitch that his creative input would be minimal due to the project’s fast-tracked status and how the producers wanted to wield a stronger hand after the experiences of Jurassic World: Dominion."
Dominion director Colin Trevorrow will not be involved, but he did share his ideas for a potential follow-up last year.
"The previous five films are plots about dinosaurs. This one is a story about characters in a world in which they coexist with dinosaurs," said the filmmaker. "For the franchise to be able to move forward – because it’s inherently unfranchisable, there probably should have only been one Jurassic Park – but if we’re gonna do it, how can I allow them to tell stories in a world in which dinosaurs exist, as opposed to, here’s another reason why we’re going to an island?"
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"Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, dinosaurs now live and hunt alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history's most fearsome creatures."