Filmmaker J.A. Bayona is making the leap from moderately-budgeted films to massive blockbusters this summer with the release of “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” Previously, the director was best known for his films “A Monster Calls,” “The Orphanage,” and “The Impossible,” but now will have a (probable) billion-dollar film under his belt. And in a recent interview, a “Jurassic World” producer admits Bayona’s transition to blockbuster filmmaking could have happened sooner.
READ MORE: Colin Trevorrow Says ‘Jurassic World 2’ Will Be A “Parable” About Animal Abuse
Frank Marshall was recently interviewed by Slash Film, who asked him about Bayona. The producer dropped a bit of a bombshell saying that Bayona was actually the studio’s choice to direct the first film. Marshall said, “He said, ‘I need a lot of time. I know what I need. I need my prep time. I have a certain process I go through and all that. And I just don’t think I can do it. So thanks, but no thanks.’”
Apparently, Marshall was a big fan of Bayona’s “The Impossible” and “The Orphanage” and wanted the director to helm the first entry in the new ‘Jurassic’ series. But as you see above, Bayona had to turn it down and Colin Trevorrow was hired. Of course, everyone knows what happened next, as “Jurassic World” went on to become a global phenomenon, breaking box office records, and ending its run with an impressive $1.67 billion.
It’s interesting to think about how much the film would have changed with Bayona behind the camera. While the film was a financial success, there are many that still think ‘World’ could have been better. Perhaps, people’s minds about the franchise will change when ‘Fallen Kingdom’ is released later this year. Clearly, from the most recent trailer, it’s apparent that Bayona has a much different story in mind, with the dinosaurs being weaponized and running free outside of the park.
Here’s hoping the film doesn’t end up like another ‘Jurassic’ sequel, ‘The Lost World.’