Jurassic Park movies in order: The full timeline explained

It’s been nearly 30 years since Jurassic Park debuted, with Stephen Spielberg’s original Jurassic Park in 1993.

That film both terrified and delighted audiences, and one could argue it made multiple generations of children want to become archeologists. Of course, there’s also a whole new set of films that have been released now, starting with 2015’s Jurassic World. None of the later movies in the series have lived up to the quality of the original, but that hasn’t stopped Universal with another new project.

Jurassic Park Rebirth is currently slated to debut on July 2, 2025. It’ll star Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali, and pick up a few years after the events of the most recent film, Jurassic World: Dominion. Dominion saw the return of much of the original 1993 cast, making it a fitting conclusion to the franchise, but the new film has the potential to return to the roots that helped make the franchise great.

Jurassic Park movie order: Every movie in chronological order

Here’s where that new film fits into the Jurassic Park universe, and the best way to watch every Jurassic Park movie in order to get prepared for the next chapter in the franchise. We’ve gathered all the movies to date and laid them out as best as possible in chronological order for you to follow in your next re-watch. Skip to the bottom of our guide for the spoiler-free, bulleted-list version. Spoilers below

Jurassic Park

The movie that started it all

Based on the novel by Michael Crichton and directed by Stephen Spielberg, Jurassic Park was released in 1993 and became the highest-grossing film of all time until Titanic took its spot. It follows the owner of Jurassic Park, John Hammond (played by Richard Attenborough), forced to recruit a team of scientists and specialists to evaluate his new theme park and ensure that it is truly safe before it is officially opened to the public.

The team includes archeologists Dr. Alan Grant (played by Sam Neill) and, Dr Elliot Sattler (played by Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (played by Jeff Goldblum). One interesting internet theory we’ll mention before we move on: Remember the child that Dr Grant traumatizes with the story of how velociraptors would hunt him? Well, maybe he wasn’t so traumatized because Jurassic theorists believe he’s Chris Pratt’s Jurassic World character all grown up.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

There’s another island with dinosaurs

The second entry in the series picks up four years after the first film. Spielberg returns as the director.

Hammond has lost control of his company InGen but managed to keep the existence of a second island, which was used for the breeding of the dinosaurs, a secret. It was part of a coverup that stopped the entire world from knowing about the first film’s events. Following an accident on the second island, Hammond recruits Ian Malcolm (again played by Jeff Goldblum) to visit it with a new team. While Malcolm has his own reasons for going, they’re quickly changed when the new leadership of InGen arrives at the island and begins to capture dinosaurs for a new Jurassic Park in San Diego.

Jurassic Park III

Alan Grant returns to Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park III has Sam Neill back as Dr Alan Grant. He has been busy researching the intelligence of Velociraptors but has been unable to find funding for his new project until he meets Paul and Amanda Kirby (played by William H. Macy and Tea Leoni). The couple promises to completely fund Grant’s research if he gives them an aerial tour of Isla Sorna. Unbeknownst to Grant, the Kirbys want to land in order to search for their son, who has gone missing on the island.

Jurassic World

A new dinosaur park has operated for ten years

Jurassic World revived the franchise after it sat dormant for 14 years. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Jurassic World reveals that Simon Masrani, CEO of the Masrani Global Corporation, bought InGen in 1997 to create his own theme park, Jurassic World, which has operated for almost 10 years at the film’s opening.

The film begins with what seems to be a normal day, with brothers Zach and Gray visiting the theme park, where their aunt, Claire Dearing (played by Bryce Dallas Howard), is in charge. Things begin to go haywire when the park’s newest attraction, a genetically engineered hybrid known as Indominus Rex, escapes from its enclosure. As the park is falling apart, Claire is forced to turn to the park’s Velociraptor specialist, Owen Grady (played by Chris Pratt), in order to help save her nephews.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

An erupting volcano threatens the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar

Fallen Kingdom picks up four years after Jurassic World. Directed by JA Bayona, the film sees the dinosaurs have once again regained control of Isla Nublar. They have spent the previous four years living peacefully without humans on the island, but an impending volcanic eruption will wipe them out if they stay there.

Claire Dearing (again played by Bryce Dallas Howard) has taken up the cause of saving the dinosaurs from the island with the help of one of John Hammond’s former partners, Sir Benjamin Lockwood (played by James Cromwell). Claire recruits Owen Grady (again played by Chris Pratt) to return and help save his Velociraptor, Blue.

Battle at Big Rock

A short film directed by Colin Trevorrow

Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow directed this short film. It takes place after the events of Fallen Kingdom, which sees the dinosaurs released worldwide. The film focuses on a family camping at a park known as Big Rock. They’re surprised by a couple of Nasutoceratops. The awe-inspiring meeting between the family and the dinosaurs is spoiled by an Allosaurusm, who wants the baby for lunch. Suddenly, the family is stuck inside their camper as the dinosaurs battle.

The short film is available on YouTube.

Jurassic World: Dominion

Dinosaurs have spread to every environment on Earth

The most recent entry in the Jurassic franchise finds a ton of old favorites returning. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are back as their characters from the previous Jurassic World films, while Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern make appearances as their characters from the original film.

Dominion picks up where Fallen Kingdom left off — the world is now filled with dinosaurs after the events of Fallen Kingdom, and each of the former Jurassic Park characters works to lessen the harm that humans and dinosaurs inflict on one another. When a company called Biosyn opens a preserve for the dinosaurs hidden away in the Italian Dolemite mountains, signs quickly point to the company using genetic engineering to harm not only dinosaurs but the global food chain.

The casts of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World are the only hopes of stopping Biosyn’s plans.

Jurassic World Rebirth

Hitting theaters in 2025

Jurassic World Dominion was billed as the final film in a trilogy, but of course, there’s another new Jurassic World movie in the works.

This one will star Scarlett Johansson and Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali. The film is slated to take place five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, with most of the dinosaurs having died off after being unable to make it in our modern ecosystems. There are a few pockets along the equator where the dinos have been able to survive, and hidden within those dinosaurs is a medical breakthrough that could change human life forever.

The film will be directed by Gareth Edwards, while the script is being written by David Koepp, who also wrote the first two Jurassic Park films. There’s rumors that the film will be the first entry rated R in the Jurassic franchise, but there’s nothing concrete about the films rating yet.

FAQ

Q: Where does Jurassic Park Rebirth fit in the Jurassic Park timeline?

Jurassic Park Rebirth is the latest movie in the Jurassic Park universe. It’s slated to take place five years after the most recent film, Jurassic Park Dominion