Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Gareth Edwards has pulled out of directing the next Jurassic World movie, citing “creative differences”.
The news was first reported by Deadline, who added that Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey are to reprise their roles for the new instalment in the franchise.
An insider told Deadline that “Edwards will now focus on other original projects he is developing”, while “the studio is opening up the search for a new director.”
Universal released a statement following the report, saying: “We had an incredible experience working with Gareth on Jurassic World Rebirth.”
Edwards’ successor is to become the sixth director the franchise has had since the first Jurassic Park movie was released back in 1993.
The franchise was relaunched in 2025, with Jurassic World Rebirth making an impressive $872 million worldwide.
Deadline added that the as yet untitled new instalment is to start shooting in 2027.
The news of Gareth’s exit from the franchise comes after he opened up about the effect AI has had on the movie industry, after showcasing the technology in his 2023 movie The Creator.
Speaking during Amazon’s AI on the Lot event in May (26), he said: “I can’t see a reason why you wouldn’t become interested in this stuff as a filmmaker. It’s so clearly a tool that might be up there with the camera. It’s going to be better than CGI. “I’m excited, I hope you are.”
Edwards has also expressed a desire to create a hybrid generative AI film but has held off doing so because of the rapid rate at which the technology is developing.
The 51-year-old director said: “It feels like this stuff’s changing every three months.
“It’s like we have to revisit the plan six months from now because it might be a totally different series of tools. And the things that… weren’t possible three months ago or six months ago, some of them are now possible.”
Edwards argues that generative AI’s main purpose is to help organise ideas, rather than generating stories that resonate with human audiences.
The Rogue One: A Star Wars Story helmer said: “It has no taste whatsoever. It is a f****** genius at helping you.
“I view it like having a second-unit director who is a billionaire on acid. Like, I’ll do anything you ask, not a problem. Sometimes it’ll (go) bats*** crazy. And you’ll give it notes, and it’ll be like, ‘I don’t do notes. I’ll just do something totally different.’
“But it’s worth it.”
