More than three decades after crafting the iconic screenplay for Jurassic Park, writer David Koepp is back—this time to breathe new life into a franchise many felt had grown too big, too fast.

When Steven Spielberg called Koepp and asked, “Do you have one more in you?” the veteran screenwriter had just one condition before agreeing to write Jurassic World Rebirth: “Can we start over?”

The result, hitting theaters on July 2, promises a fresh take on the billion-dollar dino saga—featuring a new cast, new director, and a grounded storyline that returns to the franchise’s roots.

The Man Who Wrote the Dinosaurs

Koepp first brought Michael Crichton’s prehistoric thriller to life in 1993 with his sharply visual script for Jurassic Park. He remembers asking Spielberg what his writing limitations were in an era before modern CGI. Spielberg’s answer? “Only your imagination.”

But over the years, Koepp’s signature hasn’t been unlimited imagination—it’s been elegant constraint. From Panic Room to Presence, he excels in what he calls “bottle movies”—tight, contained stories with clear boundaries.

“The world is too big,” Koepp says. “I’ve always looked for bottles in which to put the delicious wine.”

Why ‘Jurassic World’ Needed a Reset

By the time Jurassic World: Dominion hit theaters in 2022, dinosaurs had overtaken the globe. For Koepp, that was a creative dead end.

“I don’t know where else to go with that,” he admits.

So when tasked with revitalizing the franchise, Koepp did what he does best: he set parameters. In Jurassic World Rebirth, dinosaurs are geographically herded to tropical zones near the equator. The action returns to an island setting—a nod to the original film’s tension-filled environment.

A New Cast and a Familiar Voice

Jurassic World Rebirth stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey, with Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) directing. But it’s Koepp’s name on the script that sets the tone.

“The first page reassured me,” Edwards says. “It said: ‘Written by David Koepp.’”

And yes, Spielberg is still involved—he recently completed another film with Koepp, an untitled sci-fi project that Spielberg is “as locked in on” as he’s ever been.

Writing Rules: Humor Is Oxygen

To keep the reboot focused, Koepp developed nine “commandments” for Jurassic World. Inspired by Chuck Jones’ rules for the Road Runner cartoons, Koepp’s version includes principles like “humor is oxygen” and a reminder that the dinosaurs should be treated as animals, not monsters.

“This wasn’t a monster movie,” he explains. “It’s about awe, chaos, and survival.”

The script’s structure is tighter. The dinosaurs don’t pop up everywhere—they live where it makes sense. That intentional focus reflects Koepp’s belief that limitations fuel better storytelling.

The Two Stevens: Spielberg and Soderbergh

Koepp’s recent output also includes two thrillers with director Steven Soderbergh: Presence, a ghost story told entirely from the spirit’s perspective, and Black Bag, a spy film disguised as a dinner party drama. Together with Kimi (2022), they form a brisk, tightly wound trilogy.

Koepp notes both Soderbergh and Spielberg share an old-school studio sensibility:

“If Jack Warner said, ‘I’m putting you on the Wally Beery wrestling picture,’ they’d say, ‘Great! Here’s what I’m going to do.’”

Solo Credit in a Committee-Driven World

Blockbusters today often list half a dozen writers. But Koepp stands alone on Jurassic World Rebirth. He sees danger in the “script-by-committee” model.

“There’s an old saying: ‘No one of us is as dumb as all of us,’” he jokes.

The only time a group effort worked, in his experience, was 2002’s Spider-Man. But even then, Koepp says, “I was hired and fired three times.”

Relentless Output and a 5th Grader’s Note

Koepp’s back-to-back work on Presence, Black Bag, and Rebirth meant five months with no days off. “I might have broke something,” he says with a laugh.

Still, the stories are flowing—and so is the feedback.

“After the first Jurassic Park, a fifth-grade class wrote letters to me,” Koepp recalls. “Then they added, ‘P.S., don’t take so long to get to the island next time.’ Everyone’s got a note.”

Source: AP News – ‘Jurassic World’ needed a restart. Steven Spielberg knew who to call

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New York – The debut of Wicked and Gladiator II has given the box office a much-needed boost, generating a combined $270 million in global ticket sales and marking one of the busiest weekends for moviegoers this year.

Jon M. Chu’s visually stunning musical Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, earned $114 million in the U.S. and $164.2 million worldwide, according to Universal Pictures estimates. This impressive opening makes it the third-largest of 2024, trailing only Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2, and sets a new record for Broadway musical adaptations.

Meanwhile, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, a sequel to his 2000 Academy Award-winning film, grossed $55.5 million in its opening weekend. Despite a hefty $250 million production budget, the film performed well internationally, adding $50.5 million to its total. While the film’s domestic opening fell slightly short of the $60 million forecast, Gladiator II has shown strength overseas, suggesting a successful global run.

The two films, debuting simultaneously, sparked comparisons to the Barbenheimer phenomenon of last year, when Barbie and Oppenheimer premiered together. However, the impact of Wicked and Gladiator II wasn’t quite as pronounced. The coined term “Glicked” didn’t catch on as well, and the cultural impact was more muted, with fewer people opting for a double feature. Despite this, the strategic timing of the releases benefited both films. Universal’s Jim Orr remarked, “We saw an opportunity to dominate a weekend and get a very large running start into the Thanksgiving holiday.”

Box office trends revealed a gender divide in audiences. Wicked drew a female audience, with 72% of ticket buyers being women, while Gladiator II skewed male, with 61% of viewers being men. According to Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian, “Both films raised awareness and drove ticket sales without harming each other’s performance.”

Both films employed heavy marketing campaigns to draw in audiences. Gladiator II promoted a quirky Airbnb partnership with the Colosseum in Rome and aired a one-minute trailer across 4,000 networks and platforms. Wicked, on the other hand, made waves with a massive branding push, including limited-edition Starbucks drinks, Stanley mugs, and Mattel dolls. The film also had significant celebrity visibility, with cast appearances at major events like the Met Gala and the Olympics.

The box office had been underperforming in recent months, down 11% from last year and 25% from pre-pandemic levels. However, the success of Wicked and Gladiator II is seen as a positive sign, especially with Moana 2 set to debut on Wednesday. David A. Gross, a film consultant, noted, “These two strong openers are invigorating a box office that struggled after a solid summer.”

Looking ahead, Wicked seems poised for long-term success, especially with positive reviews and strong audience reception. The film has already earned an “A” on CinemaScore and is expected to be an awards contender. Universal has also split the film into two parts, with the second installment set for release next November. Each part of Wicked cost around $150 million to make.

Gladiator II also received favorable reviews, particularly for Denzel Washington’s standout performance. However, its audience score was a bit weaker, with a “B” on CinemaScore. While Gladiator II has seen robust international ticket sales, its domestic performance leaves questions about its long-term prospects.

In comparison, Red One, a holiday action-comedy starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, came in third place with $13.3 million. With a hefty $250 million production budget, Red One has underperformed at the box office, though it could still see a return on investment once it hits streaming platforms.

Top 10 Box Office (Friday to Sunday, Estimated Domestic Sales):

1. Wicked – $114 million
2. Gladiator II – $55.5 million
3. Red One – $13.3 million
4. Bonhoeffer: Pastor Spy Assassin – $5.1 million
5. Venom: The Last Dance – $4 million
6. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever – $3.5 million
7. Heretic – $2.2 million
8. The Wild Robot – $2 million
9. Smile 2 – $1.1 million
10. A Real Pain – $1.1 million

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, Hollywood may be on the cusp of a record-breaking season, with Wicked and Gladiator II leading the charge.

Source

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