The Special Way Steven Spielberg Allowed Colin Trevorrow To Honor The Original Films In Jurassic World Dominion
When it comes to honoring the original "Jurassic Park" trilogy, "Jurassic World Dominion" reigns supreme. Beyond the inclusion of the original trilogy staples like Laura Dern as Ellie Sattler and Sam Neill as Alan Grant, the subtle homages to the originals are enough to get any fan nostalgic. Yet one of the greatest nods to the "Jurassic Park" trilogy isn't something that you can physically see on screen.
The "Jurassic World" trilogy made sure not to overtake the vibe of the originals when it came to the creation of the dinosaurs and their appearance onscreen. It's easy to heavily rely on CGI when making a movie like this, but authenticity is key — and that goes for all areas of filmmaking, right down to the equipment.
During an exclusive interview with our sister site Slashfilm, "Jurassic World Dominion" director Colin Trevorrow revealed how Steven Spielberg allowed Trevorrow to honor the original films.
The camera that changed Hollywood forever
One of the most significant ways Trevorrow honored the original series was using the original Panavision from "Jurassic Park." Trevorrow recalled how he got permission to use it. "I was in Steven's office, and I looked at it. I was writing. For some reason, he let me stay in there and write. I kept looking up from my laptop and seeing this camera. It said, 'Jurassic Park,'" Trevorrow said. "He came back in. I was like, 'Can we use that just for a second?' He was like, 'Yeah, sure. Pack that up for Colin.'"
Trevorrow didn't use it right away, though. "It was two years before we actually did it, but he actually remembered and, yeah, he delivered on the promise," he noted. The Panavision isn't the only unique camera component to "Jurassic World Dominion," as Trevorrow explained. "Dorothy is the rig we used for Bryce's chair ... that was Bryce's first day back after we restarted for the pandemic," he said. "What we wanted to do is, we were sending her out in an ejection seat, and we wanted it to feel as if we had mounted the camera to the ejection seat, and it was really happening. We didn't have some digital camera flying around, capturing everything."
The legacy of a decades-long franchise
Trevorrow added, "It feels real because her performance feels so real. Also, everything you're seeing around it was captured out in Switzerland. These are all real environments that we built. Bryce can do anything, but 'make you feel like she is in absolute mortal danger' is one of the things she can do extremely well." Fans are certainly fearing for her life in this scene.
When it comes to the legacy of both trilogies, Trevorrow wants fans to lean into the personable nature of what the series means to them individually: "I think everyone's going to have their own personal connection with it based on at what point in history they were introduced, how old they were. I love the personal connection that we have with these myths that were created by mostly Steven and George during this very short period of time." It's been nearly 30 years since "Jurassic Park" first graced our screens — and deeply impacted multiple generations of kids and adults alike.
However, "Jurassic World" ups the ante on holding humans accountable for the destruction they cause the planet and the other creatures that inhabit it for selfish gain. On the impact of the new trilogy, Trevorrow said, "I hope with this one that people feel like I've treated it with respect, that I've made bold new decisions that have made this richer and deeper." He continued, "And ultimately recognize that dinosaurs are a reminder of how very briefly we've been on this planet, and that we shouldn't treat this place as if we own it, because we coexist with a lot of living things."
"Jurassic World Dominion" releases exclusively in theaters June 10.