The stars — and even one of the dinosaurs — of “Jurassic World Rebirth” hit a very green carpet in central London on Tuesday for the film’s world premiere.
Alongside director Gareth Edwards, Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey (no stranger to green carpets thanks to “Wicked”), Rupert Friend and Ed Skrein were in attendance at the Odeon Luxe cinema in Leicester Square. Also at the premiere was the film’s writer David Koepp, who penned the original franchise-launching “Jurassic Park,” producer Frank Marshall, plus composer Alexandre Desplat and Universal’s Donna Langley and Peter Cramer. Meanwhile, a tiny animatronic dinosaur — who appears in the film (and is named Delores by one of the younger characters) — posed for photos alongside her handler.
Speaking from the carpet, Johansson — wearing a figure-hugging pink dress — said “Rebirth” took the franchise back to its roots, noting Koepp’s involvement and Edwards being an “enormous fan” of Steven Spielberg.
“So I think it really is a love letter to Steven’s work,” she said. “Fans of the Jurassic universe can expect to really feel the DNA of the original ‘Jurassic Park’ in this film.”
Bailey, sporting a baseball cap, blazer and sunglasses, noted that the film offered something of a full circle moment for him. “It’s beyond a dream. ‘Jurassic Park’ was the first film I saw with my family when I was five years old, and they’re all inside so we’re going to sit and watch it today,” he said.
Bailey also revealed that he was involved in helping with the soundtrack for “Jurassic World Rebirth.”
“Going to Abbey Road with a 105-piece orchestra of world class professional musicians, playing the John Williams score but also Alexandre Desplat’s score was incredible, it was completely out of body,” he said. “The musicians were lovely and let me come in with my slightly wonky technique and get involved.” While he didn’t reveal what instrument he played, Bailey is known for being a skilled clarinetist.
Edwards, returning to the franchise world almost a decade after directing “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” claimed that he first heard about “Jurassic World Rebirth” while he was on the phone and via a message from his girlfriend.
“She sent me a text which was a news article about Universal looking for a director for Jurassic and as I carried on the call I just copied and pasted it and sent it to my agent and wrote ‘Is this stupid?” he said. “And we’re going to find out the answer tonight.”
Speaking later in the cinema before the film started, Edwards introduced all his cast in attendance and made a point of name-checking and thanking the producers and heads of department in the room. However, having left the stage, he quickly ran back on having forgotten to thank “the two most important people” in Universal chair Langey and president Cramer, who he claimed he didn’t realize were in attendance. “Oh my god, I nearly ended my career!” he said. “I honestly thought you guys were in America!”
“Jurassic World: Rebirth” picks up five years after the events of “Jurassic World: Dominion,” when the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining live mostly in isolated equatorial environments — among them three colossal dinosaurs whose DNA may hold the key to a life-saving drug.
“Jurassic World: Rebirth” releases July 2.
