It may have made over a billion dollars at the box office, but there’s no denying that 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion divided those who felt strongly one way or the other about the last entry in the latest dinosaur trilogy. Holding just a 29% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics (the lowest in the franchise), its audience score fares much better at 77%, highlighting its divisive nature that to this day still has many people talking, including star Jeff Goldblum, who recently defended his appearance in the film.
Goldblum reprised his role of Dr. Ian Malcolm in Dominion, marking his fourth showing in the franchise following the first two movies in 1993 and 1997, and 2018’s Fallen Kingdom. Speaking with Total Film (via GamesRadar), he says that even though he “had such a good time” filming the Universal production, he admits that it wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
“I enjoyed working on it and enjoyed trying to make it good. I think it sold a bunch of tickets. But, you know… [laughs] Everybody’s got an opinion about it. It’s tough to make a good movie.”
Starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, Jurassic World Dominion marked the first time the band was back together since the original Jurassic Park, with Sam Neill and Laura Dern also appearing alongside Goldblum, who had all made movie history thanks to Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking original that ushered in a new era of animatronics and CGI. While he obviously had a much larger part to play in the first film, Goldblum added that for Dominion, everyone was just trying to do the best they could with what they were given.
I was concentrating on trying to make our responsibility there a success, and fulfill our part of the bargain.
Jeff Goldblum Is Done with Jurassic Park… Or Is He?
While Dominion served its purpose as a fitting end to the Jurassic World trilogy by delivering a heavy dose of nostalgia, don’t look for that trend to continue in Jurassic World Rebirth, which is set to hit theaters in 2025 with a crop of fresh faces joining the series. Scarlett Johansson will take point in the Gareth Edwards film alongside Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, and Rupert Friend, but as for Goldblum, he hinted that his time in the franchise has probably come to an end, adding, “I think Ian Malcolm may have ridden off into the sunset. Maybe.”
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Of course, that’s a big maybe, especially when it comes to a tentpole franchise like Jurassic Park that will do anything it can to keep drawing in those big box office dollars and sell toys. To date, the series has grossed more than $8 billion in total revenue across its theatrical releases, merchandise sales, and home video offerings, making it one of the most successful movie sagas in history. That’s all to say that if we’ve learned anything from Hollywood, it’s to never say never with a big media empire, meaning that if the moment called for it, it’s hard to imagine that Goldblum and others from past films wouldn’t show up if the price was right.