It was just a weeks ago that David Leitch was practically set to direct the next ‘Jurassic World’ movie for Universal. Four days later, he dropped out. The reason given for this sudden change of course was “creative differences.”
With the film supposed to start production in a few months, Universal had to quickly scramble to find a new director if they wanted to hit the movie’s July 2, 2025 release date.
THR is now reporting that Universal has found that person, and it’s Gareth Edwards. This is actually a great choice, and I’m not saying this because Edwards is a reader of this site. He’s genuinely perfect for the ‘Jurassic World’ franchise.
Edwards knows his way around creature features. His breakout indie, “Monsters,” proved his worth and his studio debut, “Godzilla”, was well met by critics and audiences. He also directed what was, by far, the best Disney Star Wars movie, 2015’s “Rogue One,” and last year’s solid sci-fi thriller, “The Creator.”
Universal found the right filmmaker to steer their ‘Jurassic World’ franchise in the right direction. Edwards is surely a better fit than their original pick, Leitch, and miles better than Colin Trevorrow — who helmed two of the last three movies in the franchise.
This latest ‘Jurassic’ film is said to be a fresh new take, with former castmembers Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard not expected to return, nor the original trilogy’s Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern and Sam Neill. They’re, supposedly, scratching off nostalgia for something brand new.