Mahershala Ali in Talks for New ‘Jurassic World’ Movie

(Left) Mahershala Ali attends the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images. (Right) ‘Jurassic World’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Preview:

Mahershala Ali is the latest actor in talks for the next ‘Jurassic World’ movie.
Scarlett Johansson and ‘Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey are among those starring.
Gareth Edwards is directing with an eye on a 2025 release date.

It might seem right now that every casting news story is either about Rian Johnson’s new ‘Knives Out’ movie or the latest ‘Jurassic World’ entry. And you wouldn’t be entirely wrong to think that.

Currently it’s the turn of the ‘Jurassic’ franchise, which is nearing a June shoot and has already scooped up Scarlett Johansson, ‘Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey, ‘Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Rupert Friend and ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’s Manuel Garcia-Rulfo into its mighty casting maw.

Now, The Hollywood Reporter has heard that ‘Green Book’ Oscar winner Mahershala Ali is making a deal to join them.

Perhaps the biggest question on our minds is what this means for Marvel’s ‘Blade’, to which Ali has been attached to star for a couple of years now, but given all the delays on the vampire story, we figure he’s filling time while he waits for it to be ready.

And what better way to wait than hanging out with some dinosaurs?

Not Yet RatedJul 2nd, 2025

The seventh installment in the Jurassic World franchise, to be set in a new era with an all-new storyline. Plot TBA. Read the Plot

What’s the story of the new ‘Jurassic World’ movie?

2015’s ‘Jurassic World.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

Universal is mostly keeping the details of the new movie trapped behind electric fences and concrete barriers for now. What can we predict? Big-toothed beasts causing trouble for the humans that foolishly interact with them.

A bigger question, though, is which humans… It’ll reportedly be set in the ‘Jurassic World’ era, but won’t directly connect to the previous three movies, so an appearance from characters such as those films’ Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) or Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howards) appears unlikely for now –– though we won’t rule anything out at this point.

From the sounds of it, this new movie would take the franchise in a fresh new direction, so we’re also not predicting (for now) the return of ‘Jurassic Park’ trio Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Jeff Goldblum’s chaotician Malcolm.

Who else might be in the new ‘Jurassic World’ movie?

Oscar® nominee Colman Domingo arrives on the red carpet of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Ali might be in talks, but certainly seems to be close to locked in. Unlike Dev Patel and Colman Domingo, who have both appeared on rumor sites connected with the movie. Domingo was mentioned as the potential human antagonist of the new ‘Jurassic’ outing, but we could certainly see Ali taking that role.

With production now so close, we’ll have to wait and see if either of them actually materializes as cast members.

Who is making the new ‘Jurassic World’ movie?

(L to R) Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alphie, Gemma Chan as Maya, and Director Gareth Edwards on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘The Creator.’ Photo by Glen Milner. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Gareth Edwards, who last made ‘The Creator’, was picked to direct after ‘The Fall Guy’s David Leitch was briefly in talks only to step away over a perceived lack of creative control and the fast turnaround planned for this one (see the release date details below).

David Koepp, who wrote both the 1993 classic ‘Jurassic Park’ (directed by Steven Spielberg) and its 1997 sequel, ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ (also directed by Spielberg, to less critical praise, but still healthy box office), crafted the new movie’s screenplay.

Longtime producer Frank Marshall, who worked on all three of the ‘Jurassic World’ movies is on board this one also, and the studio seems bullish about the progress so far. And of course, Spielberg will weigh in since he helped birth the franchise.

When will the new ‘Jurassic World’ movie be in theaters?

Universal has already set a July 2nd, 2025, release slot for the new movie, which means it’ll have to show velociraptor speed to get finished in time.