I was in a dark screening room when the roar at the end of Jurassic World Rebirth faded and the execs started whispering about the next move. Scarlett Johansson’s cameo landed like a promise; Gareth Edwards leaving felt like the film world holding its breath. You can almost hear the studio asking: who will steer this franchise now?
I’ve followed blockbuster chess games for years—Universal mixes data, talent, and brand muscle the way a conductor shapes an orchestra. You and I both want a director who can respect the bones of Jurassic Park while risking something unexpected. Below are ten directors I’d bet on to do that, arranged alphabetically and chosen for how their sensibilities match a $200M (€185M) tentpole’s scale and stakes.
Who will direct the next Jurassic World movie?
Short answer: nobody obvious yet. Studios like Universal and producers are courting options from Marvel-sized auteurs to franchise-specialists at Paramount and Apple TV+ alumni. That ambiguity is a strategic lever—expect boardroom calls, test footage, and an eventual headline that will drive chatter across io9, Gizmodo, and trade desks.
Nia DaCosta
Observation: She handled big-studio logistics on the set of The Marvels.
DaCosta mixes spectacle and intimacy in ways that stick. She can stage a helicopter shot and then cut to a fragile human moment so it hits like lightning. Give her prehistoric actors and a soundstage, and she’d likely make you care about both the park and the people running it.
J.D. Dillard
Observation: He cut his teeth on ultra-low-budget thrillers before moving into high-profile TV and franchise orbit.
Dillard’s strength is resourceful filmmaking—he wrings tension and scope from tight budgets. If Universal wants fresh visual language and smart pacing at scale, Dillard could turn dinosaur set pieces into lean, kinetic sequences that feel both modern and raw.
Roland Emmerich
Observation: He built his reputation on event-scale destruction and box office spectacle.
Emmerich knows how to sell enormous concepts to global audiences. If Universal wants a literal, everything-on-fire event movie that sells toys, theme-park tie-ins, and streaming deals, he can deliver that big-picture payoff—and the marketing narrative to match.
Greta Gerwig
Observation: Gerwig moved from intimate indie storytelling to blockbuster territory with Barbie and has studio offers on her desk.
Her voice is singular—she reshapes tone, characters, and satire into something unexpectedly warm. Would she want to play with T. rex rage and corporate hubris? If she did, the result would likely be humane, surprising, and conversation-starting—exactly the kind of festival-and-box-office symmetry studios crave.
Could Greta Gerwig direct Jurassic World?
Studios would be cautious but intrigued. A Gerwig-branded Jurassic would attract press, skeptics, and new viewers; it would also require trust from Universal and a willingness to let her reframe the franchise’s emotional center. If Marvel and Barbie-level metrics matter, her name suddenly looks very tempting.
Justin Lin
Observation: He’s delivered five major entries in the Fast & Furious franchise and tackled Star Trek.
Lin understands how to scale action and keep character stakes human. He would bring franchise fluency, logistical expertise, and the kind of global marketing instincts that turn a summer movie into a cultural moment.
S.S. Rajamouli
Observation: He created spectacle-driven blockbusters like RRR that played worldwide.
Rajamouli composes mythic action with a folk-heart sensibility. His take on dinosaurs would be operatic—set pieces that feel like parades and emotional turns that hit like thunder. It’s the type of creative risk that could either redefine the series or become an unforgettable oddity.
Andrew Stanton
Observation: He crafted character-first epics at Pixar before moving into live-action experiments.
Stanton’s gift is clarity: he builds empathy into large ideas. Expect a Jurassic installment from him to foreground human arcs and visual wonder in equal measure—a film that wants to feel like both an adventure and a fable. He treats story like a map; the film becomes the journey.
Dan Trachtenberg
Observation: He converted beloved IP into fresh hits with Prey and recent entries in the Predator line.
Trachtenberg brings genre inventiveness and a willingness to bend expectations. Imagine a Jurassic that feels new because it flips genre conventions—he could make the island feel like a character, with suspense calibrated to modern tastes and streaming audiences.
Olivia Wilde
Observation: She moved from acting to directing intimate comedies and an ambitious studio thriller.
Wilde’s films center on volatile dynamics and human comedy inside larger premises. A Wilde-directed Jurassic could tilt the franchise toward character-driven satire—part family drama, part survival thriller—and attract actors who want meatier scenes alongside spectacle.
Edgar Wright
Observation: He retooled a known property with a bold tonal fingerprint on The Running Man.
Wright’s visual grammar is kinetic and funny, which would make a Jurassic film feel playful and alive. He’d reframe the franchise’s beats with smart edits, punchy sound design, and a fan-pleasing wink—imagine velociraptors timed to a killer score.
There are other wild cards: Christopher Nolan, Ryan Coogler, Denis Villeneuve, or franchise stalwarts like David Leitch. Universal can hire for brand safety or appetite; they can chase a visionary or a proven hand. You want spectacle, heart, box-office returns, press cycles, and—if the studio’s smart—something that keeps the park feeling dangerous rather than tired.
Which of these directors would you pick to keep dinosaurs thrilling and the franchise alive?