There have been a lot of people wondering if the likes of Sam Neill or Jeff Goldblum would return for Jurassic Park. It doesn’t look like either of them will, but that doesn’t mean there’ll be nobody from the earlier films in the movie, as director Colin Trevorrow has confirmed that at least one character from the very first movie will be back.
He told IGN, “I know a lot of fans want to see the original characters back. They’re iconic. But I respect those actors too much to shoehorn them into this story for my own sentimental reasons. Jurassic Park isn’t about the bad luck of three people who keep getting thrown into the same situation. The only reason they’d go back to that island is if the screenwriters contrived a reason for them to go. But there is a character from the first film who makes sense in our world. This hasn’t been announced yet, but B.D. Wong will be returning as Dr. Henry Wu. He had a much larger role in the original novel, he was the engineer of this breakthrough in de-extinction. He spent two decades living in Hammond’s shadow, underappreciated. We think there’s more to his story.”
B.D. Wong’s Wu only appeared in the first movie, talking to Sam Neill and co. about how Ingen created the dinos and what they’d done to ensure they don’t breed or go on the rampage (not enough, as it turned out). He certainly makes sense for the new movie, which is said to take place on the original island which has bounced back from disaster to becomes a fully functioning dinosaur theme park.
Wong joins a cast that also includes Chris Pratt, Idris Elba, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Vincent D’Onofrio and Irrfan Khan.
Trevorrow also talked the characters being playedby Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. saying “He’s a classic hero in a very modern context. He’s the guy who will get you through the jungle alive – but like Malcolm, Grant and Sattler, he’s an expert in a scientific field that’s connected to our story. The character allows us to explore some new ideas about our relationship with these animals, without losing the humor and sense of adventure. He’s a great contrast for Bryce Dallas Howard’s character, who starts off very corporate, very controlled. Until the running and screaming starts. Then they need each other.”
He also says they’re going to be a little unusual in technical terms too, taking a step back from the digital world that moviemaking has become. “We’re shooting 35mm and 65mm film,” he says. “We’re also using an aspect ratio that hasn’t been seen theatrically in a very long time. The movie will be presented in 2 to 1. It’s basically a middle ground between 2.35 and 1.85. It allows us enough height to fit humans and dinosaurs into a single frame, without giving up that sense of scope. It’s very close to the ratio of the digital IMAX screens, so it will look great in large format. I think other filmmakers will want to give it a try when they see how it looks. It’s very comfortable.”
What do you think about these new revelations? Are you more excited for Jurassic World now? Production is scheduled to begin very soon in Hawaii.