Jurassic Park (franchise)

Jurassic Park, later called Jurassic World, is an American science fiction franchise created by Michael Crichton. It tells the story of a theme park that tries to create cloned dinosaurs, but things go wrong.

The franchise began in 1990 when Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment bought the rights to Crichton's novel Jurassic Park before it was published. The book became very popular, and Steven Spielberg made a famous film in 1993.

The first film was very successful and was chosen for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2018. A sequel novel, The Lost World, came out in 1995, and Spielberg made a film version in 1997. More films followed, including Jurassic Park III in 2001.

In 2015, a new trilogy began with Jurassic World, which was very popular. This was followed by Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in 2018 and Jurassic World Dominion in 2022. A new film, Jurassic World Rebirth, came out in 2025.

The franchise has also inspired many video games, comic books, and theme park rides at Universal Studios theme parks. There have been animated series, like Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous and Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, and even Lego animated projects. Overall, Jurassic Park is one of the top-grossing media franchises ever.

Background

Premise and dinosaurs

See also: Dinosaurs in Jurassic Park

The Jurassic Park franchise is about dinosaurs that were brought back to life and run loose on an island theme park near Costa Rica. Scientists made the dinosaurs by taking tiny bits of DNA from mosquitoes trapped in amber, then filling in the missing pieces with frog DNA. The stories mostly happen on fake islands off the coast of Central America, but later films show dinosaurs all over the world, including the United States. The newest movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, takes place on an island near South America.

The movies are famous for how they show the dinosaurs, using both robots and computer tricks. The first film was very well liked and made many people more interested in learning about real dinosaurs.

InGen

"InGen" redirects here. For other uses, see Ingen (disambiguation).

International Genetic Technologies, Inc. (InGen) is the fake company that made the dinosaurs. In the stories, the company is based in Palo Alto, California, but most of the dinosaur work happened on fake islands near Costa Rica. At first, InGen was just one of many small science companies, but they found a way to bring dinosaurs back to life and planned to put them in a theme park. In the movies, InGen’s name appears on screens and helicopters but is not said out loud. By the time Jurassic World happens, another big company owns InGen. In a later movie, a drug company gets InGen’s dinosaur files for its own plans.

Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction calls InGen a sneaky company. Some people think the company is like others shown in old movies or books.

Biosyn

Not to be confused with Bio-Synthesis, Inc..

In the books, Biosyn Corporation (or Biosyn) is InGen’s rival company, based in Cupertino, California. Biosyn is known for taking secrets from other science companies. An employee named Lewis Dodgson helps steal InGen’s dinosaur DNA, thinking the dinosaurs could be used for hunting or science tests.

Dodgson is only briefly in the first movie, but Biosyn shows up in some video games. In Jurassic World Dominion (2022), Biosyn becomes important. Dodgson is now the boss, and the company has scientists like Dr. Henry Wu and Dr. Ian Malcolm. Biosyn agrees to keep dinosaurs in a valley in the Dolomites mountains in Italy. They also take a girl named Maisie Lockwood. By the end, their plan is stopped and exposed.

Isla Nublar

Isla Nublar (English: Cloud Island) is a fake island in Central America that is where the first Jurassic Park movie and book take place. The island has an old volcano and is 120 miles west of Costa Rica. In the stories, Jurassic Park was supposed to be a dinosaur theme park on this island, but it failed when the dinosaurs escaped. In the books, the island is made unsafe, but in the movies, it stays around for a while. Later, a new park called Jurassic World opens there, but dinosaurs take over again.

In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the island is destroyed when its volcano erupts.

In the movies, real islands in Hawaii like Oahu and Kauai stood in for Isla Nublar. Some scenes were also filmed in California and Louisiana.

Isla Sorna

Isla Sorna (English: Sarcasm Island), also called Site B, is another fake island in Central America. It is 87 miles southwest of Isla Nublar. This is where InGen did most of its dinosaur research before moving them to Isla Nublar. Isla Sorna is bigger and has many different climates. After the first stories, InGen leaves Isla Sorna and the dinosaurs live there freely. Later stories show the island being used for dinosaur research again or as a safe place for the animals. In one movie, the island is shown briefly with old footage.

For the movies, real places in California and Hawaii were used to stand in for Isla Sorna, along with sets built at Universal Studios.

Novels

Jurassic Park (1990)

Main article: Jurassic Park (novel)

In 1983, Michael Crichton began thinking about a story about cloning a pterosaur from fossil DNA. He worked on the book for several years and changed the main character from a young boy to an adult.

Steven Spielberg heard about the book in 1989. Universal Pictures bought the rights to the book before it was published in 1990, with help from Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. The book and the movie it inspired became very popular.

The Lost World (1995)

Main article: The Lost World (Crichton novel)

After the first Jurassic Park movie was released, Crichton wrote a sequel novel. He published The Lost World in 1995, and a movie version came out a few years later.

Jurassic Park Adventures (2001–2002)

Scott Ciencin wrote three books based on Jurassic Park III. The books are Jurassic Park Adventures: Survivor, Jurassic Park Adventures: Prey, and Jurassic Park Adventures: Flyers.

The Evolution of Claire (2018)

The Evolution of Claire (Jurassic World) is a book for young adults written by Tess Sharpe. It is set before the Jurassic World theme park opened and follows a character named Claire Dearing.

Maisie Lockwood Adventures (2022)

Maisie Lockwood Adventures (Jurassic World) is a series of children's books by Tess Sharpe. The stories follow Maisie Lockwood as she has adventures in a world with dinosaurs.

Films

Overview

The films start with an adaptation of Michael Crichton's 1990 novel. In Jurassic Park, a theme park owner brings in three specialists to check on his park. They are surprised to see real dinosaurs, made from fossil DNA. When the park's power goes off, the dinosaurs escape, and the survivors must turn the power back on to escape.

In The Lost World, a team goes to an island where dinosaurs were bred. They face dangerous creatures and must work together to survive.

In Jurassic Park III, a boy goes missing while parasailing. A group hires a guide to help find him and they land on an island with dangerous dinosaurs.

In Jurassic World, a new park is built on the old park's location. Problems arise when a new, genetically-modified dinosaur escapes.

In Fallen Kingdom, a mission to move dinosaurs to a new sanctuary turns into a plan to sell them. The dinosaurs escape and cause trouble.

In Dominion, dinosaurs now live alongside humans. The film follows a rescue mission and reveals a secret plan by a company.

In Rebirth, Earth's environment is no longer good for dinosaurs. A secret mission is sent to a forbidden island.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Main article: Jurassic Park

The film was praised for its special effects and became very successful, earning more than $914 million worldwide. It was later chosen to be kept in the United States National Film Registry.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Main article: The Lost World: Jurassic Park

The film was successful but had mixed reviews. It changed some parts from the book.

Jurassic Park III (2001)

Main article: Jurassic Park III

This was the first Jurassic Park film not based on a book. It had a difficult production and mixed reviews.

Jurassic World (2015)

Main article: Jurassic World

The film got good reviews and earned over $1.6 billion worldwide, becoming the third highest-grossing film at the time. It is the highest-grossing film in the franchise when adjusted for inflation.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

Main article: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

The film earned over $1.3 billion but had mixed reviews.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Main article: Jurassic World Dominion

The film earned over $1 billion but had mixed-to-negative reviews.

Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

Main article: Jurassic World Rebirth

The film was successful at the box office, earning over $869 million worldwide. It had mixed reviews.

Short films

As of 2022, two short films have been released. Both happen between Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Jurassic World Dominion, and are part of the main story.

Battle at Big Rock (2019)

Main article: Battle at Big Rock

Battle at Big Rock is the first live-action short film in the franchise, and came out on September 15, 2019. The eight-minute film was directed by Colin Trevorrow, and was co-written by him and Emily Carmichael. The film stars André Holland, Natalie Martinez, Melody Hurd, and Pierson Salvador.

The film is set one year after Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. In the film, a family goes camping at Big Rock National Park in northern California. The park is close to where dinosaurs from Fallen Kingdom were let loose. The film shows the first big meeting between humans and dinosaurs.

Jurassic World Dominion prologue (2021)

Main article: Jurassic World Dominion prologue

A five-minute Jurassic World Dominion prologue was released in 2021. It was meant to be the start of the film but was removed. The prologue begins with a scene showing dinosaurs in their natural homes, then moves to the present day. It shows a T. rex causing trouble at a drive-in theater. The prologue is used as the start of the extended edition of Jurassic World Dominion.

Television

Lego animated projects

See also: Lego Jurassic World (theme)

Lego made several animated shows. One was a two-part special called Lego Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit. It aired on NBC on November 29, 2018. Another show, a 13-episode miniseries named Lego Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar, started in 2019. It was shown on the Family Channel in Canada and on Nickelodeon in the U.S.

Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous (2020–2022)

Main article: Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous

Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous is an animated show that began on Netflix on September 18, 2020. It had five seasons with 49 episodes and finished on July 21, 2022. The show was made by Netflix, Universal Studios, Amblin Entertainment, and DreamWorks Animation. It tells the story of six teenagers at a camp on Isla Nublar when the dinosaurs escape, and they must work together to survive. The show features voices from several actors, including Paul-Mikél Williams, Jenna Ortega, Ryan Potter, Raini Rodriguez, Sean Giambrone, Kausar Mohammed, Jameela Jamil, and Glen Powell. After the series ended, an interactive special called Hidden Adventure was released.

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (2024–2025)

Main article: Jurassic World: Chaos Theory

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory is an animated sequel to Camp Cretaceous, released on Netflix on May 24, 2024. It had four seasons with 39 episodes and ended on November 20, 2025. This series takes place before and during the events of Jurassic World Dominion. Most of the original voice actors returned, except for two who were replaced.

Future series

Jurassic World: Explorers (TBA)

Jurassic World: Explorers is a new animated series for younger children based on the Jurassic World trilogy, planned for release in 2025.

Untitled live-action series

There were reports in March 2020 about a live-action TV series based on the Jurassic World trilogy, but by 2022, the creator said no such series was being made, and the focus was on the films.

Cancelled projects

Escape from Jurassic Park

In 1993, after the film Jurassic Park was released, there were plans for an animated series called Escape from Jurassic Park. It would have had 23 episodes and would continue the story right after the movie ended. The show would follow John Hammond trying to open the park while another company planned a dinosaur park in Brazil. However, Steven Spielberg decided not to move forward with the series, so it was never made.

Jurassic Park: Chaos Effect

In 1997, there were plans for another animated series tied to The Lost World: Jurassic Park, along with a line of dinosaur toy hybrids. But the animated series was never produced, though the toys were made.

Motion comics and web series

Jurassic World (Motion Comics) (2019)

In 2019, a special Jurassic World motion comic series came out on YouTube. This four-part story happens after the movie Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Employee Orientation Series: Presented by InGen (2023)

The Employee Orientation Series: Presented by InGen is a set of short training videos. There are three episodes, each about one minute long. They were made for the 30th anniversary of the original Jurassic Park movie.

Cast and crew

Main article: List of Jurassic Park characters

See also: Dinosaurs in Jurassic Park

This part of the article talks about the characters in the Jurassic Park movies and TV shows. It explains what different symbols mean next to the characters' names, like if they only appear briefly or if we hear their voice but not see them.

For more information about the people who helped make the movies, see § Films.

Reception

The Jurassic Park films have been very popular and liked by many people. Each movie has made a lot of money, showing that many families and fans enjoy watching them.

People have shared many different thoughts about the movies, and each film has its own special moments that fans remember. The movies have also received various awards and honors for their work.

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Music

The music for the Jurassic Park movies is very famous. It was composed by John Williams. His music helps create the feeling of adventure and excitement in the films. The most well-known piece is called “Jurassic Park Theme.” Many people recognize this music when they hear it. It plays during important moments in the movies and has become a symbol of the franchise.

Merchandise and other media

Toys

After the 1993 film, Kenner made many dinosaur toys and action figures. They sold very well. Another company, Dakin, also made stuffed dinosaur toys.

Kenner made more toys for the 1997 sequel film and a toy line called Jurassic Park: Chaos Effect. Their parent company, Hasbro, made toys for Jurassic Park III, which came out in 2001. Playskool made simpler toys for younger children. Toys were also made by Lego Studios. Later, Mattel made toys for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, including special dolls and toys that could connect to a mobile app. Many other companies like Lego and Funko also made Jurassic World toys.

Board games

Many board games based on Jurassic Park were made by Milton Bradley and Hasbro. In 2018, Ravensburger released Jurassic Park: Danger!, where players compete against dinosaurs. In 2021, Hasbro made a version of Monopoly with a Jurassic Park theme. In 2022, Funko’s design studio made Jurassic World: The Legacy of Isla Nublar, a special board game.

Comics

Topps Comics

In 1993, Topps Comics got the rights to make comics based on Jurassic Park. They made several comic series tied to the films.

IDW Comics

Starting in 2010, IDW Publishing began making new Jurassic Park comics and also reprinted old comics from the 1990s. They later made comics based on Jurassic World as well.

Commercial

A commercial for Xfinity showed characters from the films using better Wi‑Fi in a dinosaur park that became a resort.

Video games

Main article: Jurassic Park video games

Many video games based on Jurassic Park have been made since 1993. Early games were made for systems like the NES and Sega Genesis. Later games included action‑adventure titles and park‑building games. In 2023, a new game called Jurassic Park: Survival was announced.

Attractions

Theme park rides

Several exciting theme park rides based on the Jurassic Park series have been made at Universal's parks around the world.

At Universal Studios Hollywood, a popular ride called Jurassic Park: The Ride opened in 1996. It was later renamed Jurassic World: The Ride in 2019, inspired by the 2015 movie Jurassic World.

In Orlando, Florida, at Universal Islands of Adventure, visitors can enjoy the Jurassic Park River Adventure ride and the thrilling VelociCoaster, which has a special spin over water.

Other parks, including Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Universal Studios Singapore, and Universal Studios Beijing, also have their own unique dinosaur-themed rides and attractions.

Exhibitions

Museums and exhibitions around the world have shown dinosaurs and items from the Jurassic Park films. For example, the American Museum of Natural History in New York had a special display when the first movie came out in 1993.

Traveling exhibitions have also gone to many places, showing dinosaur models, movie sets, and props. These exhibitions let fans see the amazing creatures from the movies up close.

Others

There are also live shows and touring exhibitions with animatronic dinosaurs and famous places from the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies. These shows travel to cities around the world, letting everyone experience the adventure.