MOVIE NEWS – Gareth Edwards has left the director’s chair on the Jurassic World Rebirth sequel following creative disagreements. Universal must now find a replacement while David Koepp’s screenplay and scheduling talks with the returning stars remain in motion.

Universal returned to its dinosaur franchise with Jurassic World Rebirth in 2025, only three years after the sequel trilogy had concluded. The new chapter moved beyond the ensembles associated with the late Sam Neill and later Chris Pratt. Longtime fan Scarlett Johansson led the film as newcomer Zora Bennett, joined by Jonathan Bailey as Dr. Henry Loomis and Mahershala Ali as Duncan Kincaid.

Their characters undertook a classified mission to obtain potentially life-saving genetic samples from surviving dinosaurs, with the goal of advancing treatment for human heart disease. Critical and audience reactions varied widely, but the release earned $872 million around the world, ranking fourth among the seven Jurassic films. Universal approved a direct follow-up almost a year later.

Gareth Edwards exits while David Koepp’s script moves forward

The Hollywood Reporter says Edwards departed because of creative differences, although no further explanation accompanied the report. Veteran Jurassic Park screenwriter David Koepp already has a script for the sequel. Johansson, Ali, and Bailey are expected back, but their schedules have not yet been finalized.

Universal’s response indicates that the split was amicable, with the studio emphasizing the positive nature of its experience with Edwards on the previous movie. Rebirth did not reach the same heights for the filmmaker as The Creator, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, or Godzilla, yet his interpretation of the Jurassic universe received considerable praise from both reviewers and fans.

Edwards had previously explained that his concept for the franchise was designed as one self-contained film. That comment suggests he may simply have completed the narrative he wanted to tell rather than planning an extended run of sequels from the outset.

Universal begins another search for a filmmaker

The studio’s immediate task is to identify a director for the next installment. Before Edwards, Steven Spielberg, Joe Johnston, Colin Trevorrow, and J. A. Bayona had each guided entries in the long-running series.

The sequel can build on Rebirth’s open-ended conclusion. Johansson, Ali, and Bailey’s characters chose to release the dinosaur DNA they recovered as open-source material, a decision capable of generating an entirely new set of conflicts for the franchise.

Source: MovieWeb