Ian Malcolm Won't Return to Jurassic World, Says Jeff Goldblum

“Now my friends Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey are taking the reins.”

Jeff Goldblum will not be the last dinosaur in the franchise. In an interview with Total Film -for the final paper issue of the British magazine, which is going completely digital- he admits to thinking that his character Jurassic ParkDr. Ian Malcolm, laid down the apron. The saga is preparing to return in the summer of 2025 with Jurassic World Rebirthwhich will bring together Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey (Fellow Travelers) and Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), but according to the star actor of the original film, the master of chaos theory will not be present.

“I think Ian Malcolm might have said goodbye for good. Now it's my friends Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, from Wickedwho take the reins. And I'm looking forward to seeing the results – I think they'll be perfect.”

For Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic Park music is cooler with lyrics

The founder of the franchise, Goldblum was the moody Professor Ian Malcolm since Spielberg's original 1993 film. He was, along with Julianne Moore, one of the stars of Spielberg's 1997 sequel, The Lost Worldthen returned in the second part of Jurassic World (2018), in a cameo where we see him testify to an assembly of experts about his disapproval of the project to resurrect prehistoric beasts for the purposes of tourist exploitation. Before reuniting, 30 years after the first adaptation of Michael Crichton's best-seller, with his playing partners Sam Neill and Laura Dern for Jurassic World Dominion.

If this new trilogy led by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, completed in 2022, was less accomplished than the very first film, which remains a classic of Hollywood entertainment, Goldblum has never hidden his joy at playing Ian Malcolm. Travel companion and emblematic character, he handled diversion and knew how to play with the image of the franchise to the delight of fans, such as singing a song with Neill on the set of DominionFor example.

Jeff Goldblum talks to us about dinos, Dominion and his series on Disney + [exclu]

About his meeting with Dern and Neill in Dominionwhich is one of the least loved episodes of the saga despite its box office success, he comments:

“The goal was to stay focused to turn this bet into a success, and meet expectations as much as possible. I loved working on Dominionand I loved working on making it a good film. And it seems to me that we sold a few tickets. You know…everyone has an opinion on it. Making a good film is not easy.”

Not even three years after the franchise's supposed finale, Universal announced Jurassic World Rebirthfor July 2, 2025. Written by the father of the franchise, David Koepp, and co-produced by Spielberg, this next episode is directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) and it will bring together, in addition to the actors mentioned by Goldblum: Rupert Friend (Anatomy of a scandal), Philippine Velge (Snake Queen), Ed Skrein (Rebel Moon), and Luna Blaise (Manifest).

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