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Ariana Richards Makes an Unexpected Return to the ‘Jurassic’ Franchise After 27 Years

Next year marks the arrival of Jurassic World Rebirth—the seventh installment in the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World series, and this time, it’s taking things in a fresh direction. Described as a soft reboot, this new film will feature an entirely new cast and storyline, breaking free from the familiar faces of past films.

However, while fans prepare for a brand-new chapter, a familiar face from the original 1993 film recently took a walk down memory lane.

Lex Murphy (Arianna RIchards) staring out the jeep window in 'Jurassic Park'
Credit: Universal Pictures

Related: All the Main Heroes From the ‘Jurassic Park’ Movies Ranked

Ariana Richards, 45, known for her role as John Hammond’s granddaughter Lex Murphy in the original Jurassic Park, made a surprise visit to Universal Studios Hollywood on September 30. The actor-turned-artist posted a playful video on X (formerly known as Twitter) a few days later, where she was spotted enjoying watching other guests on Jurassic World: The Ride.

The video shows Richards smiling while standing by as the log flume-style ride took its iconic plunge, with the caption: “Incognito at the park!! Did any of you take the Jurassic World plunge on Monday?? Love Universal Studios Hollywood.”

Incognito at the park!! Did any of you take the Jurassic World plunge on Monday?? Love Universal Studios Hollywood 

Related: All ‘Jurassic Park’ Movies Ranked Worst to Best

Jurassic World: The Ride is a modern version of the original Jurassic Park: The Ride, which still exists at Universal Studios Orlando and other locations worldwide. Similar to how the film franchise was revamped in 2015 with Jurassic World, the ride now boasts updated aesthetics and includes dinosaurs like Indominus Rex and Mosasaurus, alongside classics like the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

But this isn’t Richards’ first time embracing her Jurassic past. Just last year, she reunited with her co-stars to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original film by re-creating the iconic “Jell-O scene”—one of many iconic moments from the 1993 classic.

The 'Jurassic World Dominion' logo
Credit: Universal Pictures

Whether or not Richards will ever reprise her role as Lex Murphy on screen remains a mystery. She only appeared in the first two films, Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, alongside Joe Mazzello, who played her on-screen brother, Tim Murphy. While legacy actors like Jeff Goldblum (Ian Malcolm), Sam Neill (Alan Grant), Laura Dern (Ellie Sattler), and BD Wong (Henry Wu) have returned for various films over the years, none of them are expected to appear in the upcoming sequel Jurassic World Rebirth.

Still, it’s nice to see Lex Murphy enjoying dinosaurs in a less chaotic setting with dinosaurs.

As for Jurassic World Rebirth, the new film stars a fresh lineup including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, and more, and is set to release in theaters on July 2, 2025.

Would you like to see Ariana Richards return in Jurassic World Rebirth? Let Disney Dining know your thoughts in the comments down below!

Daniel Roberts

Dan is a huge fan of Star Wars, Disney, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters and Harry Potter, and has written for numerous entertainment websites.

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