Next ‘Jurassic World’ Movie May Have Hinted at Lex and Tim’s Long-Awaited Return
The next Jurassic World movie has a lot of ground to cover.
Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) left the franchise in an unusual position after establishing that the dinosaurs that had spread around the globe were once again in serious decline. That came after Jurassic World Dominion (2022) had presented a very different future, with dinosaurs living among humans across the planet.
Now Universal is preparing Jurassic World 5, with the sequel expected to begin production in 2027. Director Gareth Edwards, who helmed Rebirth, was originally attached to return, but he departed in August over creative differences.
The studio made clear that its relationship with Edwards ended amicably, saying, “We had an incredible experience working with Gareth on Jurassic World Rebirth.”
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Meanwhile, David Koepp is expected to return to write the screenplay, while Scarlett Johansson (Zora Bennett), Mahershala Ali (Duncan Kincaid), and Jonathan Bailey (Henry Loomis) are all expected to reprise their roles.
Beyond those details, however, the movie remains something of a mystery. But one obvious option would be to lean heavily into the franchise’s past.
Nostalgia has already played a major role in the Jurassic World era. Dominion brought back Jeff Goldblum (Ian Malcolm), Laura Dern (Ellie Sattler), and Sam Neill (Alan Grant), giving the sequel a direct connection to Spielberg’s original Jurassic Park (1993).
Now another possible return has emerged.
The official Jurassic World social accounts recently posted three images featuring Lex and Tim Murphy, played by Ariana Richards and Joe Mazzello. The accompanying caption simply read, “It could still happen.”
It could still happen. pic.twitter.com/HoBC6rlOej
— Jurassic World (@JurassicWorld) September 16, 2026
The images are interesting because they aren’t random moments from the first movie. All three depict the siblings in iconic scenes: hiding from the T. rex and Gallimimus, attempting to evade the Velociraptors in the kitchen, and escaping the T. rex in the jeep during the storm.
Naturally, fans have begun wondering whether Universal is teasing their return.
Richards and Mazzello are the only surviving members of the original Jurassic Park character lineup who have yet to make a meaningful return. Both characters appeared briefly in The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), but that remains their last appearance in the franchise.
There’s no confirmation that either actor will be in Jurassic World 5. Richards has largely left Hollywood behind to focus on her art career, whereas Mazzello has continued acting and appeared in Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
Both, however, have remained visible at comic conventions.
The potential reunion comes at an interesting time for the franchise. Rebirth made $869.1 million worldwide, but its reception from audiences and critics was heavily negative, leaving Universal with the challenge of deciding where to take the series next.
If Lex and Tim really are returning, they could provide an especially direct link to the beginning of the franchise. For now, though, “It could still happen” is all fans have to go on.
There is no release date for Jurassic World 5.
Would you like to see Lex and Tim return to the Jurassic franchise? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
