Recasting Jurassic Park In 2022

When Jurassic Park was released in 1993, it featured several well-known actors as it presented a new take on old-school kaiju films, but the dinosaur vs. man tale would look very different if it were being recast today. Based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park introduced the world to the idea of cloning dinosaurs from leftover, fossilized DNA. At the time, cloning was a relatively new science, with real-world application still in its infancy. The timing of the film – when most average people knew very little about cloning – helped to fuel interest in the film and jump-started a franchise that is still going strong nearly three decades later. However, while the science was certainly intriguing, it was Jurassic Park‘s compelling and iconic characters that really helped it stand out.

Since the release of the original film, the Jurassic Park franchise has spawned six feature films, three full-length novels, multiple short stories and short films, and an animated series. However, it was the original – headed by veteran actors Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant and Richard Attenborough as misguided millionaire John Hammond, that captured the imagination of viewers. The film was an immediate hit, and soon became the highest-earning film of all time – a title which it held until it was surpassed by Titanic in 1997. Many of the supporting actors of the original film have gone on to have stellar careers, including Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Samuel L. Jackson, and the franchise continues to be a goldmine for both actors and studios, as audiences flock to each installment.

There is likely no reason in the near future for Universal to consider recasting and rebooting the franchise, as the newer installments continue to perform well. However, it can be fun and interesting to imagine the stars of 2022 fitting themselves into the parts of fan-favorites like Ian Malcolm and Dennis Nedry. So while there’s not likely to be a film made with these casting choices, Jurassic Park lovers might enjoy picturing these actors as the characters they first got to know in 1993.

Pedro Pascal as Dr. Alan Grant

Dr. Alan Grant, a mild-mannered paleontologist, just wants to keep researching ancient history at his dig site, until millionaire John Hammond asks him to provide an expert opinion on his dinosaur-themed amusement park. While he is amazed and enthralled by what he sees at Jurassic Park, actor Sam Neill isn’t convinced that the park is ethical, even before the dinosaurs start their rampage. Once the dinosaurs break free, the character goes from gruff and standoffish to a sort of surrogate-father for Lex and Tim, who are trapped on the island, too. Actor Pedro Pascal, known for his roles on Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian, has the ability to play a gruff, scientifically-minded character while also embracing his silly, protective and parental style, as well. His role as Din Djarin on the Disney+ series, for instance, is a perfect encapsulation of this reluctant parental quality.

The most interesting thing about the character of Alan Grant is that he isn’t really an action character. He uses his knowledge about dinosaurs and their habitat for protection, far more often than muscles and guns. Pascal, while certainly capable of action-star roles, would shine as the brilliant and determined paleontologist.

Brie Larson as Dr. Ellie Sattler

Ellie Sattler, portrayed by Laura Dern, was a paleobotanist who was also in a romantic relationship with Dr. Alan Grant. Throughout the film, her advice and ideas about the plants that have been placed in the dinosaur enclosures are dismissed by park officials, and Dr. Ellie Sattler is the focus of several inappropriate and misogynistic comments that were the standard in early 90s films. However, were Jurassic Park to be recast in 2022, actress Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) either wouldn’t have to deal with that sort of disrespect, or she’d be given the strength of character to shut them all down. Dern, who has returned to the role for other installments of the Jurassic Park franchise, has helped develop the character into a tougher, more respected part of the franchise, as well. Larson has proved herself up to the challenge of monster hunting, with her turn in Kong: Skull Island, and would add her own brand of quirky confidence to the role.

Dan Levy as Dr. Ian Malcolm

Mathematician and Chaos Theorist Dr. Ian Malcolm lent an air of skepticism to Jurassic Park in a career-defining performance by actor Jeff Goldblum. Though Goldblum had starred in films such as The Fly and The Big Chill, it was Jurassic Park that helped turn him into an unlikely sex-symbol and cult-classic leading man. Thanks to Malcolm’s low-key way of stating the inevitable, along with what John Hammond calls “a deplorable excess of personality,” the character, while fairly minor in the original film, has taken on a life of his own. It is this out-of-the-box characterization and or snarky banter like, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should” that makes Schitt’s Creek creator and star, Dan Levy, perfect for the a recasting of the role. It’s easy to see Levy squirming as Ellie investigates a giant pile of dinosaur dung, And there’s always Levy’s penchant for thick, black-framed glasses to consider.

Samuel L. Jackson as Millionaire John Hammond

John Hammond, the millionaire behind Jurassic Park and In-Gen, never meant to get people killed, and in the original film, he does seem concerned for his grandchildren, Lex and Tim, who are out in the park when the dinosaurs break loose. But his disconnect with reality – thanks to his money and privilege – along with his ego, can’t help but get in the way of truly ethical decision making, a nuance that actor Richard Attenborough brings to the role with genteel, British clarity. However, a more modern version of Jurassic Park requires a new kind of boss. Attenborough’s Hammond was forced to bring in experts to approve his park. But a Hammond portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson (Star Wars) wouldn’t likely be forced to do anything he didn’t want to do. Jackson, who has experience portraying a man who can move governments and gods to his will as the MCU’s Nick Fury can make the ground shake with his voice the way a T.Rex does when it walks. It also doesn’t hurt that Jackson himself appeared in the original film as the park’s head engineer, giving the recast a sense of coming full circle.

Marsai Martin as Lex Murphy

Lex Murphy, the granddaughter of John Hammond, finds herself in a fight to survive when her grandfather’s dinosaurs go rogue. Originally portrayed by Ariana Richards who also briefly appeared in the first sequel to Jurassic Park, The Lost World. The character is a bit of a computer nerd who blossoms throughout the film to gain the courage to reboot Jurassic Park‘s security systems, eventually saving her own life along with her companions’. While the character was aged up for the book, Lex was supposedly 14 in the 1993 film. Actress Marsai Martin, known for her role in Little and as Diane on Black-ish, is a little older than Lex at 17. However, Martin’s confidence and comedic timing would provide the right tone for the character, whose age doesn’t matter nearly as much as her personality and chemistry with the other characters.

Lonnie Chavis as Tim Murphy

Science-geek and dino-obsessed Tim Murphy is the other grandchild of In-Gen boss John Hammond and the younger brother of Lex. Originally portrayed by Joseph Mazzello, the youngster finds himself torn between awe at the amazing sights that surround him at Jurassic Park and terror as he finds himself living through a waking nightmare. Lonnie Chavis, who viewers may recognize as one of the young actors who portrays Randall in flashbacks on This is Us, has already proven that he’s capable of playing complex and intelligent characters. It could prove to be a lot of fun for viewers to watch Chavis and Martin battle velociraptors with Pedro Pascale, though, and that dynamic is what’s most important.

 Riz Ahmed as Donald Gennero

Donald Gennero is the In-Gen lawyer tasked with ensuring that Jurassic Park is safe for the public, and it is because of this man that viewers were introduced to Dr. Malcolm. While John Hammond selected the two paleontologists as his experts, Gennero invited Ian Malcolm to Isla Nublar, bringing chaos theory to the party. The character, originally portrayed by Martin Ferrero, is portrayed as a cowardly man who abandons the children in his care at the first sign of danger. However, the Donald Gennero of the novel is far more interesting and heroic. Riz Ahmed, who has made a name for himself in varied roles like The Night Of… and Venom, would bring his wit, sharpened expressions, and the ability to add subtlety to the role of Gennero, and would be a welcome change if the recast chose to make the character more like he was in Crichton’s novel.

Kelly Marie Tran as Dr. Wu

Dr. Henry Wu, played by BD Wong, has gone from bit part in the original Jurassic Park to a major player in the later films of the franchise. The biotechnician and geneticist died in the novel, but his fate was left open to interpretation in the film, allowing for the character to return. While Wu is shown little in Jurassic Park, his character in the novel is far more interesting. A child prodigy who is recruited by Hammond just after he earned his doctorate, Wu lacks empathy when it comes to the dinosaurs he helps to recreate. Therefore, there are two ways that a recasting could go: with someone who speaks to the Dr. Henry Wu of the later films and novels, or with an actor who portrays the doctor as someone who views each hatchling like the miracle that it is – which feels more loyal to the 1993 film, despite Wong’s appearances in the later installments. In this instance, recasting Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) as Dr. Wu can lend a maternal sense to the role, while also adding more female roles to a film that lacked much diversity. Tran’s vulnerability and strength could give added dimension to Dr. Wu without undoing the legacy that Wong has created for the character.

Audrey Plaza as Ray Arnold

Samuel L. Jackson’s Ray Arnold is the chain-smoking workaholic head engineer of John Hammond’s Jurassic Park, a genius with computer systems who dies via dinosaur when he volunteers to go reboot the park’s systems after they were sabotaged. Snarky and suspicious, the role fits Parks and Recreation actress Audrey Plaza perfectly. And like the role of Dr. Wu, a woman could just as easily hold the head engineer position at In-Gen, while the name Ray can be gender-neutral. Plus, hearing Plaza tell the control room to “Hold onto your butts” would be a worthy reason all on its own.

Andy Samberg as Dennis Nedry

It is thanks to Dennis Nedry that a Jurassic Park franchise exists at all, due to the back-stabbing employee stealing embryos for a competitor in a move that ends in both the fall of the park on Isla Nublar and his own (presumed) death. Originally portrayed by Wayne Knight, Dennis Nedry is a slacker whose workspace grosses his coworkers out, not unlike Andy Samberg’s beloved Jake Peralta on Brooklyn 99. And while Samberg is known for playing goofy good guys, it would be a fun change of pace to see the talented comedian take on the role of mediocre villain, Nedry.

1993’s Jurassic Park was a blockbuster when the few films earned that distinction. While the franchise lives on with many of the original stars returning for 2022’s Jurassic World: Dominion, none of the later installments have lived up to the legendary status of the original film. So while viewers wait to see if the next film will involve the cloning-chimera that brought monsters like the hybrid Indominus Rex to their screens, at least there’s recasting to be done, and a reimagined Jurassic Park to think about.