Universal Studios has announced the successor to its sterling new Jurassic World franchise today, revealing the director for the sequel to the film will be Hollywood upstart J.A. Bayona.
The director, best known for his work on the tsunami drama The Impossible, was courted from Paramount, where he was slated to direct the Brad Pitt-starring World War Z 2, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Spanish director reportedly left the project in January, and now we know why.
Universal bet big with its choice to direct the first film in its reboot of the hallowed Jurassic Park franchise, choosing indie director Colin Trevorrow. The bet paid off handsomely with a billion-dollar blockbuster that helped put Universal at the top of the earnings table, and brought plenty of accolades for all involved. The film, along with other monsters like Fast 7 and Minions, helped Universal break the $5 billion mark in record time.
However, Trevorrow is moving up in the world — if there is such a thing after the colossus that was Jurassic World — and has been hand-picked by Disney to helm its third juggernaut in the new Star Wars trilogy, Star Wars Episode IX.
It’s believed that stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will both return for the next installment in the Jurassic World franchise, as will the full production team, including producers Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley, and executive producers Steven Spielberg and Trevorrow himself. Trevorrow will also pen the script for the movie with collaborator Derek Connolly.
Not much else is known about the new film, but (spoiler alert), after the mess that was leftover from the first film in the franchise reboot, it seems that everyone will have plenty to do. Just why they would return to an island littered with genetically altered super-dinosaurs, well, that’s up for the writers to work out.
Universal’s new Jurassic World sequel is slated for arrival in June of 2018.
