Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom is a 2018 American science fiction adventure film directed by J. A. Bayona. It is the fifth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise and a direct sequel to Jurassic World (2015). The film was written by Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow, who also served as an executive producer with Steven Spielberg.
The story begins three years after the destruction of the Jurassic World Theme Park on Isla Nublar. An impending volcanic eruption threatens to destroy the remaining dinosaurs on the island. A debate ensues regarding the morality of saving these creatures, now that they are no longer just attractions but living beings with the right to exist. Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) lead an expedition to rescue the dinosaurs before the island's volcano erupts.
The plot thickens as they uncover a conspiracy involving the extraction of the dinosaurs for military applications. The film introduces new genetically modified dinosaurs, including the Indoraptor, which is intended for use as a weapon. The narrative explores themes of corporate greed, bioethics, and the implications of playing God with nature.
Filming for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom took place from February to July 2017, with locations including Hawaii, England, and Malta. The film utilized state-of-the-art visual effects to bring the dinosaurs to life, with Industrial Light & Magic providing much of the CGI work.
Upon its release on June 22, 2018, the film received mixed reviews from critics. While the visual effects and action sequences were praised, the plot and character development received criticism. Despite this, it was a commercial success, grossing over $1.3 billion worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 2018.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom continued to expand the universe established by the original Jurassic Park, bringing new discussions about genetic engineering and the ethics of cloning to the forefront. It set the stage for the next installment, Jurassic World: Dominion, which is set to conclude the story arc initiated with the reboot of the franchise.