David Leitch in Talks to Direct New ‘Jurassic World’ Movie

‘Jurassic Park’ writer David Koepp is already writing the script for the new movie, which will tell a new chapter in the dinosaur-heavy story.

David Leitch in Paris for 'Bullet Train.' Credit: Oliver Vigerie/Sony Pictures.

Preview:

David Leitch is in talks to make the next ‘Jurassic World’ movie.
‘Jurassic Park’s David Koepp wrote the script.
Universal intends to release it on July 2nd, 2025.

Moving with the speed of a hungry raptor, Universal is looking to get its planned new ‘Jurassic World’ movie into theaters as quickly as possible.

The studio already has veteran writer David Koepp hard at work on a screenplay for the latest entry, and from a new report at Deadline, a director is now in talks to get it made.

David Leitch, who has directed the likes of ‘Atomic Blonde’ and ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’ for the company (not to mention the upcoming movie adaptation of ‘80s TV series ‘The Fall Guy’, which stars Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt), has started to make a deal for the big gig on the new dino-pic.

What’s the story of the new ‘Jurassic World’ movie?

2015's 'Jurassic World.' Photo: Universal Pictures.

While it will certainly feature plenty of giant reptiles roaring around (and a host of others), the exact story details are trapped in amber for now.

It’ll reportedly be set in the ‘Jurassic World’ era, but won’t directly connect to the previous three movies, so an appearance from characters such as those films’ Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) or Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) appears unlikely for now –– though we won’t rule anything out at this point.

From the sounds of it, this new movie would take the franchise in a fresh new direction, so we’re also not predicting (for now) the return of ‘Jurassic Park’ trio Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum).

Who is making the new ‘Jurassic World’ movie?

David Leitch in Paris for 'Bullet Train.' Credit: Oliver Vigerie/Sony Pictures.

David Koepp is hard at work on the script. He’s someone who has no small experience with these stories, since he wrote both 1993 classic ‘Jurassic Park’ (the movie directed by Steven Spielberg that re-ignited moviegoers’ passion for dinos in the first place) and its 1997 sequel, ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’ (also directed by Spielberg).

Koepp, of course, has worked a lot with Spielberg, but is also a much sought-after writer beyond those collaborations (he has two movies on the way via Steven Soderbergh) and is a filmmaker in his own right.

Longtime producer Frank Marshall, who worked on all three of the ‘Jurassic World’ movies is on board this one also, and the studio seems bullish about the progress so far.

As for Leitch, he’s become something of a producer as well as his directing work, helping to shepherd other filmmakers’ projects through the 87North company he runs with producing partner and wife Kelly McCormick. He would be an executive producer here in addition to calling the shots.

When will the new ‘Jurassic World’ movie be in theaters?

Also mentioned in Deadline’s report about Leitch is news that Universal has set the date of July 2nd, 2025 for the movie, clearly looking to take advantage of the Independence Day holiday and a prime summer movie slot that has little major competition as of yet.