‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Almost Killed Off Mahershala Ali’s Character in Original Ending

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Right now, “Jurassic World Rebirth” is playing in cinemas, and Gareth Edwards’ contribution to this huge franchise takes a slightly fresh approach, abandoning the universe-altering events of “Jurassic World Dominion” to focus on a more intimate narrative. This story revolves around a group of mercenaries and a stranded family on an island that hosts an abandoned research facility. As is customary in these movies, there are the usual dinosaurs, but this time there’s also a new breed of mutated hybrids causing chaos for our characters. The main antagonist is the fearsome Distortus-Rex, which comes close to killing one of the main characters near the end of the film. Interestingly, it was Gareth Edwards’ plan from the start to have the Distortus-Rex as the primary threat.

Speaking with USA Today about Jurassic World: Rebirth, I delved into the emotional climax of the film, specifically the heart-wrenching moment where Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), in a desperate bid to save Zora (Scarlett Johansson), Henry (Jonathan Bailey), and the Delgado family, lures the D-Rex away. The movie leaves audiences in suspense, suggesting that Duncan has perished in an artfully staged final sacrifice scene. However, a glimmer of hope is sparked when he lights another flare, only to have the team rescue him on their boat before the credits roll. In my initial instincts for this scene, I had intended for Duncan’s character to meet his end, but ultimately decided against it.

The director initially planned for the character to die, but when this was shown to the studio, they asked if there could be a version where he survives instead. This request is often criticized for causing problems in big productions, like Joss Whedon’s Justice League adaptation. However, this wouldn’t happen with Rebirth, as the director agreed to change the character’s fate, which ultimately benefited the movie.

‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Almost Featured Some Intense Dinosaur Fights

In the editing phase of the movie, Edwards realized that Duncan’s survival served to challenge conventional storytelling, as he pointed out, “Since it was scripted and shot with him dying, all the subtle hints and unconscious actions you’d use to foreshadow his death are present in the film. Thus, quite unexpectedly, I believe it’s a shock when he survives, because we’ve set up all the elements typically used for a character’s final moment.” The unaltered setup of the storyline would ultimately make Duncan’s survival impactful and surprising to viewers.

In a charming turn of events, the director conceded, acknowledging that it was not uncommon for the studio to be correct in their assessments. This unique acceptance of a studio suggestion made the production of “Jurassic World Rebirth” all the more intriguing. An interview with USA Today further disclosed a proposed ending where the T-Rex would have slain the D-Rex, but the director was persuaded by his visual effects supervisor that choosing not to follow this path (as is typical of most “Jurassic” films) was what truly set “Rebirth” apart.

It’s refreshing to note that instead of following the usual cliches seen in previous Jurassic Park films, director Colin Trevorrow and his team with Jurassic World Rebirth seemed to focus on telling a better story, even if it didn’t receive as much critical acclaim as some may have anticipated. This film feels like a positive shift for the franchise that had started to stray from its original path. Here’s hoping Trevorrow revisits this world in future installments.

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2025-07-05 19:03