Timeline of Jurassic Park IV Pre-production hell
In June 2002 director Steven Spielberg told Starlog magazine that he planned to produce Jurassic Park IV and that director Joe Johnston, who helmed Jurassic Park III, would direct. In November 2002 screenwriter William Monahan was hired to write, with the film's release slated for summer 2005.
In July 2003, Monahan completed the first draft, with the story no longer set in the jungle. Actor Sam Neill said he was returning as Dr. Alan Grant, with filming expected to begin in 2004 in California and Hawaii.
In September 2004 screenwriter John Sayles was re-writing the script, with the film re-slated for a winter 2005 release.
In October 2004 paleontologist Jack Horner said he would return as technical adviser for the fourth film as he had done for previous Jurassic Park films.
By April 2005 special effects artist Stan Winston explained that the delay in production was due to repeated revisions of the film's script, none of which satisfied Spielberg. According to Winston, "He felt neither of [the drafts] balanced the science and adventure elements effectively. It's a tough compromise to reach, as too much science will make the movie too talky, but too much adventure will make it seem hollow."
In March 2007 Laura Dern was asked to return for the new film, which Universal still wanted to release by 2008. Director Joe Johnston was also reported not to be directing the film. Richard Attenborough has been contacted about reprising the role of John Hammond. Jeff Goldblum has expressed some interest in reprising his role, of Ian Malcolm, for the fourth film.
In December 2008 Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy were asked if there was any development on the sequel. Kennedy responded, "No... I don't know. You know, when Michael Crichton passed away, I sorta felt maybe that's it. Maybe that's a sign that we don't mess with it." While Marshall and Kennedy were no longer signed with Universal Pictures in a production capacity, the two will remain involved with the studio and its plans for Jurassic Park IV.
In November 2009 Joe Johnston discussed the possibility of Jurassic Park IV, stating that the story for the film is completely different from that of its predecessors and would take the franchise into a whole other trilogy.
Jurassic Park III director Joe Johnston revealed in an interview in January 2010 that Jurassic Park IV was set to be the beginning of a second Jurassic Park trilogy. He also added, “Jurassic Park IV is going to be unlike anything you’ve seen.” Johnston says once he finishes Captain America, he hopefully will develop Jurassic Park IV with Steven Spielberg. Joe Johnston enthusiastically has confirmed the likelihood of the film's production more than once.
On June 15, 2011 it was reported that Steven Spielberg has been brainstorming with writer Mark Protosevich on a film that happens to be the fourth film in the franchise. It is unclear whether it is a reboot or the fourth installment of the original series. During a new interview with Joe Johnston in July 2011, he stated that Jurassic Park IV was being discussed and would be a spin-off of the history of the first trilogy.
At the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, Spielberg confirmed in front of at least 6,000 spectators that preparations for Jurassic Park IV were in progress, with a story ready and a script being written. Spielberg said that it would be possibly released "within the next two or three years", with a representative from Universal saying 2013 would be the preferred deadline for completion.
In late October 2011 Jack Horner stated, "that a script has been written and is waiting to be transformed into a film". He also said, "They've already brought dinosaurs back... so how could they make the dinosaurs scarier?", stating that it will be about genetic tampering.
On October 26, 2011 Spielberg confirmed that the script was being written by Mark Protosevich, that he hoped for it to be released "in the next couple of years" and that he felt the story they were working on was stronger than that of Jurassic Park III.
In January 2012, Spielberg confirmed that he would not be directing the film, opting instead to be a producer.
On June 21st 2012, it was confirmed that Rise of the Planet of the Apes writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver would be scripting Jurassic Park IV.
The part where
Jack Horner mentions genetic tampering is what I suspected while watching
Jurassic Park III yesterday. I was asking myself where can they take this franchise and the only thing I could think of is exactly that. Mutated Dinosaurs. More monster instead of animals, which I think would seriously destroy everything about what the franchise was all about to begin with. There are a ton of Monsters flicks out there now. What's the point of going down this road? I rather see a movie about some college kid that somehow is able to grow a legit
T-Rex in his Weed Grow-house on campus and s h i t hits the fan when the
T-Rex lights up and heads for
White Castle instead of a straight up Monster flick.
I did find it interesting that the main actors at one time or another were even being considered for this new "Trilogy" though.