Upcoming Movie: Jurassic Park IV (2008)

Release Date: Summer, 2008 (wide) (tentative)

Release Date Notes: (7/22/01) The actual year of release will depend upon when production actually starts. Given the four years between each of the first three films (1993, 1997, and 2001), the likely target release would be summer, 2005. (12/30/02) "Variety" has confirmed that. (2/20/05) Well, filming hasn't even started yet, so that's obviously not going to happen. 2006, however, is still a strong possibility. (8/21/06) According to IGN FilmForce, producer Frank Marshall said recently that the target for production is now 2007, suggesting a 2008 release.

Title Prediction: (7/22/01) Since the title of Jurassic Park III was designed to look like the III was a claw mark, perhaps the IV for this will look like a footprint?

Distributor: Universal Pictures

Production Company: Amblin Entertainment (Minority Report, Men in Black III)

Cast: Laura Dern (Dr. Ellie Sattler); other cast not announced yet.

Cast Notes: (4/19/07) Collider.com recently reported that Laura Dern has said that she's been contacted by Steven Spielberg about returning for this 4th (and possibly final) film. Meanwhile, it's unknown what other characters might be returning.

Director: Not announced yet.

Director Notes: (4/19/02) Anderson Jones of E! Online reports that Joe Johnston (October Sky, The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park III) will most likely not be returning. (4/19/07) Joe Johnston's non-returning remains a solid story, according to recent quotes from the director himself. Steven Spielberg is also a no-go, considering that he will be directing Indiana Jones 4 at around the same time. So, expect a new director to be coming aboard the franchise.

Screenwriter: William Monahan (his feature film debut will be Kingdom of Heaven coming soon; also has Tripoli in development); rewrite by John Sayles (Alligator, Piranha; cowriter of The Howling)

Screenwriter Notes: (4/19/02) Anderson Jones of E! Online reports that Michael Crichton, author of the books the first two movies were based on, is being sought to at least come up with the story idea. (11/11/02) William Monahan has been hired to actually work on the script. (2/20/05) Director and screenwriter John Sayles is known today mostly for intimate, independent movies, but he got his start in the 1970s writing monster horror movies like Alligator, and in that spirit, he was brought aboard last year to work on this monster movie's script too.

Based Upon: This is the fourth in the Jurassic Park series. (7/22/01) Jurassic Park III scored a five day opening box office of over $80 million, putting it on track to possibly make over $200 million by late August. Presuming this project was only going to be "killed" by poor b.o. for III, this project should now continue through development.

Premise: (2/20/05) Nothing is firmly known about the details of this fourth movie's premise, except that it will surely involve cloned dinosaurs running around, attacking and eating people.

Premise Notes: (7/22/01) There are no confirmed details about this sequel. One rumor is that it may involve the return of Nick Van Owen (Vaughn), although in what capacity isn't known. The last we saw his character, he was handling the Lost World problem in San Diego. If there's any truth to that, it suggests the story may next pick up, not on Isla Sorna, but on a much bigger island... North America (since this is what many fans would love to see, however, it's possible the whole Vince Vaughn thing could be wishful thinking, hoping to spur just such a film). (4/19/02) Anderson Jones of E! Online reports that the fourth movie may "pretend Jurassic Park III never happened." I wouldn't read that the wrong way... they probably just mean there would be no references to that film's events/characters. (8/10/03) One detail that was recently announced about this project is that it will not take place in a jungle like the first three movies. There are also rumors that Keira Knightley's character would actually be Lex Murphy, the grown-up granddaughter of Jurassic Park founder John Hammond who was the little girl in the first movie. Knightley is *slightly* young (she would have been 8 in 1993), but she's not far off. Please note this rumor is unconfirmed.

Filming: Production is tentatively expected to start sometime in the summer of 2007 at locations and sets in California and Hawaii. Previous reports had suggested a March, 2005 production start.

Genre: Action, Eye Candy, Horror, Science Fiction, Sequel

Interview with the Screenwriter: Backstage (John Sayles talks about many things here, but he does say a fair bit about working on this movie)

Official Site: JurassicPark.com (if history repeats itself, there probably won't be anything there about this fourth film until a year or less before the release)

Unofficial Fan Site: Dan's JP3 Page (which is now, you know... a JP4 page : )

Old Cast Notes: (7/22/01) There's a rumor at 13th Street (which is owned by Universal) that the focus this time around may be on Nick Van Owen, Vince Vaughn's Lost World role. (4/19/02) Anderson Jones of E! Online now reports that the only characters now considered likely to return are Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) and John Hammond (Richard Attenborough). (8/10/03) According to various sources, Keira Knightley is reportedly the first person to be officially approached about starring as one of this fourth film's new characters. Or maybe the role isn't *that* new. Might the role in question be the grown up Lex Murphy as rumored? Sam Neill has also reportedly signed on to reprise his role as Dr. Alan Grant from the first and third movies. (2/20/05) A story over at RopeofSilicon.com claims that several more cast members, including Vince Vaughn and Sir Richard Attenborough, will be returning as well. The story is completely unconfirmed at this point however.

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