Jurassic World Rebirth’s Ending Was Originally Very Different

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In theaters now, I’ve found myself immersed in the thrilling revival of the Jurassic World saga – “Jurassic World Rebirth.” As a hired gun, Zora Benett (Scarlett Johansson) is tasked by a pharmaceutical mogul to venture into the mutated dinosaur testing grounds. The allure? A breath of fresh air from the routine of ordinary dinosaurs. Along with a team of mercenaries and Dr. Henry Loomis, a paleontologist, Benett’s mission is to collect DNA samples from the island’s largest dinosaur specimens. However, what they didn’t count on were the genetically-altered beasts lurking around every corner, ready to cause chaos. Following the classic Jurassic pattern, some live to tell the tale, while others don’t. Unfortunately, it seemed there was one less person expected to make it back from this dino-filled adventure.

Edwards recently chatted with Variety about how the story’s conclusion was revised, particularly focusing on Mahershala Ali’s character, Duncan Kincaid. According to Edwards, the fate of this character switched a few times. Initially, in the script I initially read, he passed away, and my reaction was, ‘That’s fantastic!’

Initially, things were different when it came to choosing Kincaid. Edwards explained, “We aimed for Mahershala, and it seemed like, if we want Mahershala, we need to ensure he survives, right? But then Mahershala showed interest, and his primary request was, ‘Can I die instead?’ Upon agreeing, I became part of Team Mahershala, and together we worked to have him killed; the script was revised back to him meeting his end.

In the world of cinema, as film enthusiasts who’ve watched “Rebirth” can attest, Ali Duncan, much like Johansson’s Zora, Jonathan Bailey’s Dr. Loomis, the Delgado family (Luna Blaise, Audrina Miranda, and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), and Xavier Dobbs (David Iacono), manages to escape unscathed, toothmarks be damned. Yet, herein lies a curious twist: Kincaid, who we thought had met his end, miraculously remains alive? How on earth did this happen?

As a film enthusiast, I recall the studio informing us during production, “Regrettably, we don’t have time for pickup shoots or reshoots. However, just in case, gather some material to ensure he survives in the final cut.” Understanding the implications, I knew that whatever footage we captured would make it into the film, so I exercised caution. With the ambition to create a refined and tasteful version I could be proud of, I began envisioning various shots for this critical scene. The actors delivered an exceptional performance, and I found myself captivated by their work.

Indeed, when Zora calls out for Kincaid as he selflessly gives himself up so they can escape, it’s arguably her most convincing acting moment in the film (though we want to emphasize the excellence of her performance elsewhere). Nonetheless, Edwards submitted this scene to Universal, leading to Duncan’s demise.

In Edwards’ words, “I ultimately delivered the script where he passed away. It was successful, but the studio requested, ‘What if we could also see the one where he survives?’ Since we hadn’t assembled that version yet, we returned to edit it, and everyone responded positively, saying, ‘It must be that.’ We conducted two test screenings, and the response to him living was significantly more positive.

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that during the intense scene with the charging Distortus Rex, I found myself questioning how Kincaid managed to survive. Yet, this uncertainty is swiftly overshadowed by the charm Ali brings to his acting role and the difficulty in imagining his character’s demise. Regardless, Kincaid successfully completes his mission, allowing the rest of them to board the boat and escape beyond the reach of the fearsome Distortus Rex.

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2025-07-05 23:40