Jurassic World Reboot Loses David Leitch And The Hunt Is On For A New Director

Universal Pictures has been quietly putting together a new "Jurassic World" movie in the background for several months. Even though that movie is now racing towards a release date next summer, it is still in need of a director. Despite reports last week that suggested David Leitch ("Deadpool 2," "Atomic Blonde") was in talks to helm the next dino blockbuster, those talks have fallen through. The search is now on for someone to fill those shoes, and time is of the essence.

According to Deadline, Leitch and Universal had a mutual parting of ways as they had different visions for the film. Given how little we know about the new entry in the franchise, it's tough to speculate as to what those differences might be. The outlet notes that this has instantly become one of the biggest directing jobs available in Hollywood right now. With a July 2025 release date set, a director will need to be found in a hurry as filming will likely need to begin very soon if they intend to hit that date.

Plot details for the film have been kept under wraps but David Koepp, who wrote the original "Jurassic Park," is returning to pen the film. It has been said that the entry will kick off a "new Jurassic era" and will likely bring in a new cast. So characters such as Chris Pratt's Owen Grady and Bryce Dallas Howard's Claire Dearing are unlikely to return.

At this point, no names have been put forth in regards to who might replace Leitch. However, The InSneider recently commented that Universal wants a "shooter" for the film as it will be made under a major time crunch. That being the case, it's probably going to be more of a gun-for-hire job rather than a filmmaker imposing their vision on the "Jurassic" universe.

It's unclear if this is going to take place after the events of 2022's "Jurassic World Dominion," or if it's going to be more of a total reboot. Universal has several options, all of which have various pros and cons. Either way, it's not hard to see why they're keeping this franchise alive. The six entries to date have made a combined $6 billion at the global box office across three decades. It's remarkably popular and they have every reason to believe another movie, executed correctly, can keep that money train moving.

The new "Jurassic World" movie is set to hit theaters on July 2, 2025.