Colin Trevorrow’s New Alien Thriller Set at Area 51 from Ryan Reynolds Producer

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As a fan and admirer of Colin Trevorrow’s work, I’m excited to see him venture into new territory by swapping dinosaurs for extraterrestrials in his upcoming directorial project focusing on the enigmatic Area 51. Ever since he burst onto the scene with the critically acclaimed 2012 film, Safety Not Guaranteed, Trevorrow has quickly become a highly sought-after director, particularly after the massive success of Jurassic World. Although his film, The Book of Henry, received harsh criticism from critics and may have cost him the opportunity to direct a Star Wars film, his latest offering, Jurassic World: Dominion, still raked in an impressive $1 billion at the global box office. With the staggering earnings of his two Jurassic World movies under his belt, it appears he has been given a free rein and is using that creative license to work on an original movie.

According to Deadline, director Trevorrow has agreed to helm and produce an unnamed conspiracy thriller at Paramount Pictures revolving around the enigmatic Area 51. The production company owned by Ryan Reynolds, Maximum Effort, is behind this unnamed production, with Reynolds earning an executive producer credit. This film will be set in the late ’80s and follows a local Las Vegas TV news journalist who initially exposed Area 51’s secrets.

Aliens Are a Hot Commodity Right Now

Area 51, located in Nevada, is a top-secret military installation that has sparked numerous conspiracy theories about hidden alien activities for decades. This enigmatic site has served as an inspiring backdrop for various screenwriters and filmmakers, often used as a setting for extraterrestrial action and government secrets. Movies such as ‘Independence Day’, ‘Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’, and ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ are among those that have incorporated this intriguing location into their stories.

Among numerous major movie productions featuring alien themes, Colin Trevorrow and Paramount Pictures’ Area 51 movie is one example. In contrast, Steven Spielberg is developing an original UFO film for Universal Pictures, scheduled for release in June 2026. Interestingly, Apple has acquired a UFO-themed movie from the team behind Top Gun: Maverick, now titled UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena). This trend suggests a rising interest not only in films about extraterrestrial life but specifically in unique storylines.

Despite the fact that Trevorrow’s two movies in the Jurassic World series have been financially triumphant, he has a mixed reputation among critics. The films Jurassic World and Dominion received negative feedback from both fans and experts, which could potentially affect the box office performance of the upcoming film, Rebirth, later this summer. Trevorrow’s 2017 original film, The Book of Henry, garnered a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s hoping that his new project, Area 51, will be more like Safety Not Guaranteed than The Book of Henry.

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2025-05-29 22:31