Was the Wild Original Jurassic Park 4 Script Better Than Jurassic World?

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In the last ten years since “Jurassic World Rebirth” hit the screens, fans have witnessed more Jurassic films than they did in the initial 21 years following the release of “Jurassic Park”. Back then, it seemed that numerous hurdles would keep the story of Jurassic Park as a trilogy. The days of hearing a raptor call out “Alan” in “Jurassic Park III” were once thought to mark the end of this series. However, despite challenges such as the passing of Michael Crichton, the author of Jurassic Park, behind-the-scenes changes, and The Great Recession, these dinosaurs managed to dodge extinction on the big screen.

The movie titled “Jurassic World” made its debut in June 2015, leaving box office records in pieces worldwide. For numerous viewers, it felt like a logical progression for the series to delve into the implications if Jurassic Park truly opened its gates. However, reaching this storyline was a challenging journey that involved detours, such as a notorious early draft of “Jurassic Park 4” which was nothing short of bizarre.

What Was The Plot of This Proposed Jurassic Park 4?

Over the span of time between “Jurassic Park III” and “Jurassic World”, numerous concepts for expanding the franchise were brainstormed. Some proposals aimed to expand on the universe of “Jurassic Park III” by delving deeper into the world of Dr. Alan Grant. However, the most renowned unrealized version of “Jurassic Park 4” was penned by director John Sayles. In his professional life, Sayles is widely recognized for creating thought-provoking and intimate pieces like “Matewan” and “Lone Star”. Yet, Sayles honed his writing skills on low-budget genre films produced by Roger Corman, such as “Piranha” and “Battle Beyond the Stars”.

In a wildly original plan for a fourth Jurassic Park film, Sayles intended to delve into the roots of the series by introducing a mostly fresh set of characters dealing with a novel biological peril: dinosaurs genetically modified with human DNA. These beings were designed to be perfect soldiers because they could wield weapons like humans but maintained the ferocity characteristic of dinosaurs. Leaked sketches for the movie suggest that this idea would have strayed from reality in terms of visual aesthetics. In other words, Jurassic Park 4 was envisioned as featuring humanoid creatures boasting T-Rex teeth, scales, and other dino embellishments.

In the imagined scenario by Sales, it seemed that the dinosaur soldiers, who were attempting to save a kidnapped girl, would have developed self-governance and ultimately turned against their human comrades. An interesting twist in nature was hinted at, as even dinosaurs consuming humans overestimating their power to tame nature had a way of occurring. This proposed concept for Jurassic Park 4 would have marked a significant departure from the established narrative within the Jurassic Park series. Perhaps it was too bold, as this rendition of the project eventually disintegrated. It wasn’t until the early 2010s that momentum for Jurassic Park 4 began to build again.

Would This Project Have Improved on Jurassic World?

It’s been quite some time since Sayles wrote his script for Jurassic Park 4. The question arises as to whether or not his vision might have outshone the version of Jurassic World that hit theaters in June 2015. This is a tricky comparison because one is just a screenplay, while the other is a completed film. We can’t be certain if this earlier take on Jurassic Park 4 would have retained all its unique charm in its final form. However, conceptually, it seems that this earlier version could have offered a wilder and more daring adventure compared to the more nostalgia-driven Jurassic World.

Unlike Colin Trevorrow’s 2015 sequel which mainly emphasized nostalgia from the past, the proposed vision for Jurassic Park 4 by Sayles and team appears to break all conventions of what a Jurassic Park film might look like. It could have presented creatures, visuals, and action sequences never before seen in this series. Additionally, this rendition of Jurassic Park 4 would have dared to explore unconventional ideas such as dinosaur/human hybrid soldiers.

This new take on Jurassic Park 4 offers a refreshing change from how the Jurassic World movies have been recycling similar storylines, such as the cliffhanger in Fallen Kingdom that hinted at dinosaurs invading the human world. Although it might have caused controversy, this version seems more intriguing and capable of sparking more engaging conversations than the Jurassic World series, which often delivers what fans expect without much surprise. Sadly, it’s probably this very uniqueness that caused Universal and Amblin to reject this concept for a sequel. However, with how frequently Jurassic World sequels are being produced these days, there’s a possibility that some of the ideas from that Jurassic Park 4 script could appear in future installments of the series.

Jurassic World Rebirth arrives in theaters on July 2.

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2025-03-09 00:41