After four years, the long-awaited Jurassic World: Dominion is finally within sight. In just short of a month, the third installment of the Jurassic World trilogy will hit theaters. This film is bound to be one of the most memorable of the trilogy. For one, it is exploring how dinosaurs and humans can coexist on earth. Second, the original Jurassic Park trio—Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill—are set to reprise their roles for a Jurassic World: Dominion reunion. Not only that, but they’re getting equal screen time with lead stars, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard.
The Jurassic World trilogy first kicked off in 2015 and revived the Jurassic Park franchise after 14-years. While the first two installments of Jurassic World received mixed reviews, they have garnered huge audiences. Jurassic World was the second highest grossing film of 2015, while Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom nabbed third place for the highest grossing film of 2018.
The Jurassic Park franchise is exceedingly popular for many different reasons. There’s the complex characters, stunning visuals, and thrilling terror. Then, of course, there are the dinosaurs. Jurassic Park‘s unique idea of cloned dinosaurs, and its groundbreaking CGI, gave us a dinosaur film we never thought we’d have. Not only that, but the franchise does features numerous dinosaur species that actually did once exist. This makes the films especially appealing to every dinosaur enthusiast out there.
Here’s every dinosaur we know to be appearing in Jurassic World: Dominion so far.
Tyrannosaurus Rex
This one is kind of a no-brainer. You simply cannot not have a Tyrannosaurus Rex in a Jurassic Park film. Nothing compares to the moment when the earth shakes and the characters freeze as a massive, terrifying T-Rex makes its way into the picture. Now, in Jurassic World: Dominion, this massive creature is free and can descend upon unsuspecting civilians at any moment. We see this in the official trailer, where a T-Rex shows up as an uninvited guest to a drive-in movie theater. The Tyrannosaurus is one of the most well-known and recognizable species of theropod dinosaurs. That is, largely, thanks to the Jurassic Park franchise for frequently featuring this terrifying, carnivorous predator.
Velociraptor
Velociraptors are similar to the T-Rex, in that they have become almost synonymous with the Jurassic Park franchise. They especially gained prominence in Jurassic World, thanks to Blue. Blue is one of the Velociraptors that Owen Grady (Pratt) trains. She develops a special bond with Grady and has saved him twice. She will be a key part of Jurassic World: Dominion as Grady fights for her safety now that she’s free. Velociraptors are a real species of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur, but the franchise did alter their looks. Dromaeosaurid means that Velociraptors were actually feathered dinosaurs. They also were typically no bigger than the size of a turkey. While the looks aren’t accurate, Jurassic World does get their keen intelligence right.
Nasutoceratops
Herds of the popular dinosaur, Triceratops, have been featured in both Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. However, a Nasutoceratop hasn’t yet appeared in the franchise. These dinosaurs are herbivores, making them a little less terrifying than the carnivorous dinosaurs. Still, with a build like a rhinoceroses, a bi-horned skull, and stout four-legged body, you would not want this dinosaur to ram full force into your vehicle. Of course, that’s exactly what we see happen in the Jurassic World: Dominion trailer.
Pteranodon
The only thing more terrifying than a dinosaur, is a dinosaur that can fly. Pteranodons have been pretty visible throughout the Jurassic Park franchise, usually swooping down and carrying away some unsuspecting victim. Of course, Pteranodons are technically not dinosaurs, as they belong to the genus of pterosaurs, which are flying reptiles. Still, in Jurassic World: Dominion, we see these Pteranodons are causing similar havoc as the dinosaurs. In one scene, Dearing appears to be falling from the sky in a plane wreck, which is a situation that can only possibly be made worst by having a giant Pteranodon flying towards her with its break wide open.
Dilophosaurus
It’s true, the Dilophosaurus, that famously took out a nefarious character in Jurassic Park, is back. The Dilophosaurus is an instance of a real dinosaur species being given some fictional abilities in the franchise. In reality, these dinosaurs were much bigger than depicted in Jurassic Park and they can’t spit venom or expand a neck frill. Still, the fictional qualities almost make this dinosaur scarier than a T-Rex. This is why we’re really excited that the Dilophosaurus is finally back in Jurassic World: Dominion.
Therizinosaurus
The Therizinosaurus will be making its first official appearance in Jurassic World: Dominion. While it was one of the species utilized for the Indominus Rex, it hasn’t made an appearance itself yet. This might be because this dinosaur’s physical appearance baffled many for years. With incomplete remains, the best we can do is guess at Therizinosaurus’ appearance. They are believed to be have been enormous, sparsely feathered, beaked, and with a very small skull. This new dinosaur is aggressively pursuing Dearing in the Jurassic World: Dominion trailer, forcing her to hide underwater from its deadly beak.
Apatosaurus
We all know what an Apatosaurus is, thanks to Little Foot. The Jurassic Park franchise has frequently featured these highly recognizable and peaceful, though enormous, herbivores. These long-necked dinosaurs created one of Jurassic World‘s most heartbreaking scenes when they were killed by the Indominus Rex. We’re definitely leery about their reappearance in Jurassic World: Dominion. Apatosauruses are the kind of dinosaurs that we worry more about what humans might to do to them, than we worry what they might do to humans.
Dreadnoughtus
At first glance, they might appear to be more Apatosauruses, but in reality they are much more intriguing. Dreadnoughtus is a species of dinosaurs for which only two skeletal remains have ever been found. They are herbivores, and also the largest known terrestrial vertebrates. Jurassic World: Dominion will mark the debut of a Dreadnoughtus in the franchise.
Quetzalcoatlus
A second pterosaur was spotted in the Jurassic World: Dominion trailer, and it is the Quetzalcoatlus. This species has never been featured in the Jurassic Park franchise before. The Quetzalcoatlus was one of the largest flying animals of all time and boasted an unusually long neck. In the trailer, when Dearing and Grady are in a plane, they fear they have been attacked by another plane. It turns out, a Quetzalcoatlus has attacked them. These pterosaurs, though, were truly comparable in size to a small aircraft.
Mosasaurus
This is another species that technically isn’t a dinosaur, but is too badass to not have in Jurassic World. Mosasaurs were a group of aquatic squamate reptiles and they were enormous. While Jurassic World definitely exaggerates its size, it is estimated that the Mosasaurus could grow up to 60 ft. In Jurassic World, theme park-goers are in awe of this enormous creature that creates tidal waves when it’s feeding time. Now, in Jurassic World: Dominion, the Mosasaurus is loose in the oceans of Earth. I can’t even begin to imagine the horror of those fishermen in the trailer, when a whopping Mosasaurus decides to take its bait.
Parasaurolophus
Parasaurolophus is a unique herbivorous dinosaur that boasted the ability to walk as both a biped and as a quadruped. It also had some very unique head adornments that may have aided it with communication and hearing. This might be why we frequently see this species traveling in packs in the Jurassic Park franchise. In Jurassic World: Dominion, these dinosaurs seem fairly tame, allowing Grady to ride up alongside them on a horse. A captured Parasaurolophus evens allows Grady to touch its face, as he did with the Velociraptor he trained.
Atrociraptor
Jurassic World: Dominion is giving us another feathered dinosaur: the Atrociraptor. These dinosaurs do share characteristics with Velociraptors. Jurassic World: Dominion marks their first appearance in the franchise, which means they could’ve been created by modified Velociraptor DNA. What we do know is that these fearsome carnivores are relentlessly pursuing Grady in Jurassic World: Dominion as he tries to outrun them with his bike.
Allosaurus
The Allosaurus is a member of a genus of very large Carnosauria dinosaurs. These bipedal predators boasted a mouthful of sharp, serrated teeth, allowing them to sit at the top of the food chain of carnivores. The Allosaurus was first introduced in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and will be returning for Jurassic World: Dominion. In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, they are largely at risk due to the destruction of Isla Nublar. Now that they are free, we might see the full-scale of their predatory powers.
Pyroraptor
Pyroraptors are a fairly elusive species, as all that is known about them is derived from a single specimen. Pyrorapters were a species of dromaeosaurid—a very small, bird-like, feathered carnivorous predator. This species has never appeared, nor been mentioned, in the Jurassic Park franchise until now. In the Jurassic World: Dominion trailer, we see this little feathered predator attacking Grady over a frozen lake.
Giganotosaurus
The Jurassic Park franchise is always looking to go bigger. This is evident in Jurassic World: Dominion‘s trailer, which teases an exceedingly huge dinosaur. This dinosaur is the Giganotosaurus. In reality, only partial remains of one specimen have ever been discovered belonging to the Giganotosaurus. That apparently hasn’t stopped Jurassic World from cloning it. Grady and the crew come across a Giganotosaurus in the trailer for Jurassic World: Dominion. They warn each other, “don’t move,” and rightfully so, as the Giganotosaurus is suspected to be one of the largest theropod dinosaurs.
(featured image: Universal Pictures)
