When people think of theJurassic Parkseries, they mostly think of the giant T-Rex causing destruction, chomping up humans in a single bite, and generally wreaking havoc. But there was another species of dinosaurs in the movies that were even more vicious and terrifying, the Compsognathus, and judging from photos released from the set ofJurassic World: Dominionin a New York Times article, they are set to star in the upcoming movie.
TheCompsognathusare a tiny species of dinos that were first introduced inThe Lost World: Jurassic Park. They were created at ‘Site B’ on Isla Sorna, InGen’s secondary location where the dinosaurs featured in the movie were cloned. The photo from the sets ofJurassic World: Dominionshow the Compsognathus safely locked away in cages, although this happy state of affairs might not last long.
What makes the Compsognathus uniquely terrifying, despite their small size, is the viciousness with which theyattack their prey, and the way they hunt in packs and coordinate with each other to bring down their victims and tear them to shreds. One of the most famous and unsettling scenes from the originalJurassic Parkseries was when a young girl encounters the Compsognathus, mistakes them for cute pets, and attempts to feed them, which attracts a large herd of the species, and they proceed to attack the girl together.
Recently, director ofJurassic World: Dominion, Colin Trevorrow, had shared an image that hinted the new film will feature areturn to Isla Sorna, and it is possible that is where the Compsognathus will be encountered once again.
While the previous entries in theJurassic Worldfranchise had largely forged their own path with little direct reference toJurassic Park, it seems the next entry in the series,Dominion, will bring things full circle and connect the two franchises together intimately.
Aside from the return to Isla Sorna and the Compsognathus,Jurassic World: Dominionwill also feature Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum reprising their iconic roles fromJurassic Parkas Dr. Alan Grant, Dr. Ellie Sattler, and Dr. Ian Malcolm.
The previous movie in the franchise,Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, ended with the dinosaurs leaving their remote island sanctuary and entering the U.S. mainland. That means the dinos are everyone’s problem now, and a problem that needs to be solved as quickly as possible, either by exterminating the prehistoric creatures, or learning to live with them side by side. Producer of the film Frank Marshall has previously hinted that the latter option will be explored inDominion, as well as futureJurassic Worldmovies.
“It’s the start of a new era. The dinosaurs are now on the mainland amongst us, and they will be for quite some time, I hope.”
Directed and co-written by Colin Trevorrow,Jurassic World: Dominionfeatures a lead cast comprising of Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, Mamoudou Athie, DeWanda Wise and Dichen Lachman. The film is expected to arrive in theaters July 04, 2025.The New York Times.
