Jurassic Park (franchise)

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The Jurassic Park franchise is a series of books, films, comics, and videos centering on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of cloned dinosaurs. It began in 1990 when Universal Studios bought the rights to the novel by Michael Crichton before it was even published.

The book was successful, as was the 1993 film adaptation which led to two sequels, although the last was not based on a novel, as the previous films were. The software developers Ocean Software, BlueSky Software, Sega of America and Telltale Games have had the rights to developing video games since the 1993 film, and numerous games have been produced.

Currently a [[]]fourth feature film is in the works, but it has been lingering in "development hell" since a year after the third film. There have been numerous rumors about the project since it was first reported, many of them relating to plot, script ideas and new logos.

The Jurassic Park Ultimate Trilogy was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 25, 2011 in North America.

[[[Jurassic Park (franchise)|edit]]] Development

Michael Crichton originally conceived a screenplay around a pterosaur being cloned from fossil DNA. After wrestling with this idea for a while, he came up with Jurassic Park. Steven Spielberg learned of the novel in October 1989 while he and Crichton were discussing a screenplay that would become the TV series ER. Before the book was published, Crichton put up a non-negotiable fee for $1.5 million as well as a substantial percentage of the gross. Warner Bros. and Tim Burton, Sony Columbia Pictures and Richard Donner, and 20th Century Fox and Joe Dante also bid for the rights, Universal further paid Crichton $500,000 to adapt his own novel, but in May 1990, Universal eventually decided on Spielberg making the adaption. Universal desperately needed money to keep their company alive, and partially succeeded with Jurassic Park, as it became a critical and commercial success.

After Jurassic Park was released to home video, Crichton was pressured from many sources for a sequel novel. Crichton declined all offers until Spielberg himself told him that he would be keen to direct a movie adaptation of the sequel, if one were written. Crichton began work almost immediately. After the novel was published in 1995, The Lost World: Jurassic Park began production in September 1996.

Before the production of the second film, Joe Johnston approached Steven Spielberg about directing the project. While Spielberg wanted to direct the first sequel, he agreed that if there was ever a third film, Johnston could direct. Production began on August 30, 2000.

[[[Jurassic Park (franchise)|edit]]] Books

Main articles: Jurassic Park (novel) and The Lost World (Crichton novel)Jurassic Park stemmed from the idea of a screenplay about cloning a pterosaur from fossilized DNA. Michael Crichton worked on the idea for several years; he decided his first draft would have a theme park for the setting and a young boy as the main character. Response was extremely negative, so Crichton rewrote the story to make it from an adult's point of view, which went over much better.

A sequel novel began after readers and Steven Spielberg himself pressured Michael Crichton for a sequel novel. Michael Crichton confirmed that his novel had elements taken from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel of the same name. The book was also an outstanding success, both with professional and amateur critics. A film adaptation was released in 1997.

[[[Jurassic Park (franchise)|edit]]] Films

[[[Jurassic Park (franchise)|edit]]] Jurassic Park

Main article: Jurassic Park (film)Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. The film centers on a fictional island off Costa Rica, Isla Nublar ("Cloudy Island", as an incorrect juxtaposition of the Spanish words for the noun "island" and the transitive verb "to cloud", instead of any of the correct combinations "Isla de las Nubes", "Isla Nublada", "Isla Nubosa" or "Isla Nebulosa"), where billionaire philanthropist John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) and a team of geneticists from his company have created an amusement park of cloned dinosaurs.

Before Crichton's book was even published studios such as Warner Bros., Columbia TriStar, 20th Century Fox, and Universal had already began bidding to acquire the picture rights. Spielberg, with the backing of Universal Studios, acquired the rights to the novel before its publication in 1990, and Crichton himself was hired by Universal Studios for an additional US$500,000 to adapt the novel into a proper screenplay. David Koepp wrote the final draft, which left out much of the novel's exposition and violence, and made numerous changes to the characters.

Jurassic Park is regarded as a landmark in the use of computer-generated imagery, and received positive reviews from critics, who praised the effects, though reactions to other elements of the picture, such as character development, were mixed. During its release, the film grossed more than $914 million worldwide, becoming the most successful film released up to that time (surpassing E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and surpassed 4 years later by Titanic), and it is currently the 16th highest grossing feature film (taking inflation into account, it is the 18th-highest-grossing film in North America). It is the most financially successful film for NBC Universal and Steven Spielberg.

[[[Jurassic Park (franchise)|edit]]] The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Main article: The Lost World: Jurassic ParkThe Lost World: Jurassic Park is a 1997 science fiction film and sequel to Jurassic Park directed by Steven Spielberg, loosely based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. After the success of the first film, fans and critics alike pressured Michael Crichton for a sequel novel. Having never done one before, Crichton originally declined, but when Steven Spielberg finally started pressuring Crichton, a sequel novel was announced. As soon as the novel was published, a film was in pre-production, with a target release date of mid-1997. The film was a commercial success, breaking many box-office records when released. The film had mixed reviews, similar to its predecessor in terms of characterization. Although the film is said to be based on Crichton's novel, exactly one scene from the book was actually used in the movie.

The film centers on Isla Sorna, an auxiliary island for the main Jurassic Park island, where dinosaurs have taken over and live in the wild. Ian Malcolm goes to the island to "rescue" his girlfriend who has gone to the island, without his knowledge, to document the dinosaurs in their native habitat, while an InGen team attempts to capture them for a second Jurassic Park in San Diego.

[[[Jurassic Park (franchise)|edit]]] Jurassic Park III

Main article: Jurassic Park IIIJurassic Park III is a 2001 science fiction film and sequel to The Lost World: Jurassic Park. It is the first in the series not to be based on a book by Michael Crichton or directed by Steven Spielberg. Originally, a third Jurassic Park film was produced under the title Jurassic Park: Extinction, with the script involving a killer disease that threatened to wipe out the dinosaurs on both islands. After numerous script changes, Universal decided to drop the idea in favor of the current plot, with the title Jurassic Park III. Although the idea was dropped, it was to be reused for Jurassic Park IV.

Joe Johnston had been interested in directing the sequel to Jurassic Park and approached his friend Steven Spielberg about the project. While Spielberg wanted to direct the first sequel, he agreed that if there was ever a third film, Johnston could direct. Spielberg, nevertheless, stayed involved in this film by becoming its executive producer. Production began on August 30, 2000 with filming in California, Oahu, and Molokai. The film was a moderate success, and had mixed reviews from critics. Most were split on whether the third installment was better or worse than its predecessor. The film once again suffered reviews mentioning little to no characterization.

No character who was in the second film appears in this one, although Grant and Sattler from the original installment return, and Ian Malcolm and John Hammond are mentioned. The setting is Isla Sorna, the island from the second film, after a couple hires Dr. Grant, ostensibly for a guided tour, but in reality to help rescue their son, Eric. Their plane crashes on the island, and the survivors attempt to escape, while being stalked by a Spinosaurus and Velociraptors.

[[[Jurassic Park (franchise)|edit]]] Jurassic Park IV

In June 2002, director Steven Spielberg told Starlog magazine that he planned to produce Jurassic Park IV and that director Joe Johnston, who helmed Jurassic Park III, would direct it. In November 2002, screenwriter William Monahan was hired to write, with the film's release slated for summer 2005. In July 2003, Monahan completed the first draft, with the story no longer set in the jungle. Actor Sam Neill said he was returning as Dr. Alan Grant, with filming expected to begin in 2004 in California and Hawaii. In September 2004, screenwriter John Sayles was re-writing the script, with the film re-slated for a winter 2005 release.

In October 2004, paleontologist Jack Horner said he would return as technical adviser for the fourth film as he had done for previous Jurassic Park films. By April 2005, special effects artist Stan Winston explained that the delay in production was due to repeated revisions of the film's script, none of which satisfied Spielberg. According to Winston, "He felt neither of [the drafts] balanced the science and adventure elements effectively. It's a tough compromise to reach, as too much science will make the movie too talky, but too much adventure will make it seem hollow." In March 2007, Laura Dern was asked to return for the new film, which Universal still wanted to release by 2008. Director Joe Johnston was also reported not to be directing the film. Richard Attenborough has been contacted about reprising the role of John Hammond. Jeff Goldblum has expressed some interest in reprising his role, of Ian Malcolm, for the fourth film.

In December 2008, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy were asked if there was any development on the sequel. Kennedy responded, "No... I don't know. You know, when Michael Crichton passed away, I sorta felt maybe that's it. Maybe that's a sign that we don't mess with it." While Marshall and Kennedy were no longer signed with Universal Pictures in a production capacity, the two will remain involved with the studio and its plans for Jurassic Park IV. In November 2009, Joe Johnston discussed the possibility of Jurassic Park IV, stating that the story for the film is completely different from that of its predecessors and would take the franchise into a whole other trilogy.

Jurassic Park III director Joe Johnston revealed in an interview in January 2010 that Jurassic Park IV was set to be the beginning of a second Jurassic Park trilogy. He also added, “Jurassic Park 4 is going to be unlike anything you’ve seen.” Johnston says once he finishes Captain America, he hopefully will develop Jurassic Park IV with Steven Spielberg. Joe Johnston enthusiastically has confirmed the likelihood of the film's production more than once. On June 15, 2011, it was reported that Steven Spielberg has been brainstorming with writer Mark Protosevich on a film that happens to be the fourth film in the franchise. It is unclear whether it is a reboot or the fourth installment of the original series. During a new interview with Joe Johnston in July 2011, he states that Jurassic Park 4 is being discussed and will be a spin off of the history of the first trilogy.

At the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, Spielberg confirmed in front of at least 6,000 spectators that preparations for Jurassic Park 4 were in progress, with a story ready and a script being written. Spielberg said that it would be possibly released "within the next two or three years", with a representative from Universal saying 2013 would be the preferred deadline for completion.

In late October 2011, Jack Horner stated, "that a script has been written and is waiting to be transformed into a film". He also said, "They’ve already brought dinosaurs back... so how could they make the dinosaurs scarier?”, stating that it will be about genetic tampering.