Long before genetically engineered dinosaurs became the norm in the Jurassic World movies, the franchise nearly ventured into territory that would have made its most outlandish creatures look ordinary.
An abandoned version of Jurassic Park 4 reportedly featured human-dinosaur hybrids, but the idea never made it into the finished film series.
Now, a potential change behind the camera could give the franchise another opportunity to explore its stranger side.
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According to TheWrap, J. A. Bayona is reportedly the frontrunner to direct Jurassic World 5 (TBA). The filmmaker previously helmed Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), after which Colin Trevorrow returned to direct Jurassic World Dominion (2022).
Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) director Gareth Edwards was attached to the latest sequel before leaving over creative differences.
Bayona’s possible return is worth watching because Fallen Kingdom was one of the franchise’s most distinctive entries. Although it began with the familiar spectacle of dinosaurs and humans in a jungle environment, the film eventually moved into the Lockwood Estate, where its atmosphere became increasingly gothic and horror-like.
The director turned the Indoraptor into a creature straight out of a gothic nightmare, using the mansion’s dark corridors and shadowy rooms to heighten the horror. It was a different approach from the more conventional dinosaur action that has defined much of the series.
A More Sinister Future for Jurassic World?
That style could be particularly suited to the franchise’s long-standing fascination with genetic experimentation. The Indoraptor was already a disturbing creation, and some viewers have speculated that it may contain human DNA. The theory remains unconfirmed, but the movie’s imagery and the creature’s behavior have helped keep it alive among fans.
Human-dinosaur hybrids would be an even more extreme step. The concept was reportedly considered for the scrapped Jurassic Park 4 script, and it remains one of the franchise’s most infamous unrealized ideas.
There’s no indication whatsoever that the next movie will introduce such creatures. Still, Jurassic World Rebirth already pushed genetic mutation further with the Distortus Rex and Mutadons, leaving plenty of room for speculation about what might come next.
According to The Wrap, David Koepp, who wrote Rebirth, has reportedly completed a screenplay for the sequel. Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson (Zora Bennett), Mahershala Ali (Duncan Kincaid), and Jonathan Bailey (Henry Loomis) are also expected to return, though Universal has yet to confirm the director or reveal the plot.
Would a return to Bayona’s gothic style make Jurassic World 5 more interesting, and should the franchise finally bring human-dinosaur hybrids to the screen? Let us know in the comments below!
