Why is Chris Pratt’s Owen not in the new Jurassic World Rebirth? Details explored 

The Jurassic Park franchise is getting a reboot with Jurassic World Rebirth, but there are no signs of Chris Pratt's Owen in the new film. So, his fans might be curious why he is not in the new project.

With the Jurassic World Rebirth trailer, Universal Pictures promises a fresh revamp to this iconic universe that started out as Michael Crichton, David Koepp, and director Steven Spielberg's brainchild. The 1993 film is widely considered a classic, filled with ample amount of suspense and thrill to build its adventure. Now, Gareth Edwards has taken the baton to lead this dinosaur-focused cinematic universe in a new direction.

Jurassic World Rebirth is set in a world about five years after the events from Chris Pratt-led Jurassic World Dominion. Unlike the previous franchise installments, the dinosaurs can exist only in an isolated piece of tropical land. So, a new team of experts is sent on a mission to secure the DNA samples for a medical breakthrough. It is meant to reboot the franchise with fresh faces. That's why Chris Pratt's Owen is not returning to the new project.

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Jurassic World Rebirth: Why is Chris Pratt’s Owen not in the new Jurassic Park film?

Jurassic World Rebirth, set for a July 2025 release, will bring a new squad of skilled professionals for a mission involving a search for dinosaurs. Its official synopsis reads:

“Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.”

The film serves as a franchise reboot with a brand-new cast, which involves Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Mahershala Ali (Green Book), and Jonathan Bailey (Wicked). Godzilla and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story-fame Gareth Edwards has directed this project that will offer a new story about the giant creatures.

This time, the dinosaurs are going to only be in an isolated location. A team of experts will enter a quest for their DNA samples for a mission by a mysterious client. So, the stage is set for a new adventure that reflects the change in the global landscape. It might raise the stakes in the film, and its new trailer promises the same.

However, neither the trailer nor the promotional material showed any sign of Chris Pratt's character reprising his role. Pratt entered the franchise in 2015 as Ethologist and Velociraptor trainer Owen Grady. He portrayed this character in the subsequent Jurassic World projects, including Jurassic World Dominion, which brought the likes of Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neil to the screen to reprise their roles.

Jurassic World Dominion was a financial success as it crossed $1 billion at the global box office by September 2022, per Variety. The audience admired this franchise installment, evident from its 77% Popcornmeter rating. However, the critics were not kind to this project. Their less-than-favorable reviews led the film to have a 29% Rotten Tomatoes rating. That might have been the reason behind a franchise reboot with Edwards.

It might also have to do with the new mission that does not necessarily reflect the pre-established dynamic between dinosaurs and humans. Jurassic World Rebirth will reportedly use a "back-to-basics" approach through David Koepp's writing, which means more of a Spielbergian adventure with heightened stakes. This might be a reason why Chris Pratt's Owen isn't in the new Jurassic World movie.

Pratt might appear in a brief cameo in Jurassic World Rebirth, but no such details have been confirmed as of yet.

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Also read: "These are the dinosaurs that didn’t work": Jurassic World Rebirth producer teases dinosaur mutations in the sci-fi sequel