Jurassic Park IV...?

People! Are you all well? Good! Because here's something that'll make you have a turn...

At the magic of the San Diego Comic-Con, they were bedazzled by the appearence of none other than Mr. Steven Spielberg! Almost as historic as Harrison Ford appearing last year to talk Star Wars for the first time!

However, a bombshell was dropped...And not necessarily a good one...He has announced that a fourth installment of the Jurassic Park films would be made within the next two or three years.

Don't get me wrong; the Jurassic Park trilogy is one of my favourite trilogies (along with Back to the Future & The Matrix) and aside from Star Wars, one of my first great celluloid loves...But that's what it has always been; a trilogy. The first was a cinematic piece of magic that only Spielberg could deliver and The Lost World: Jurassic Park followed with a completely different tone packed with more thrills than the first and Jurassic Park III was a fun ride with some awesome new dino-action and a great ending for the trilogy (and that's ONE reason #4 isn't a great idea).

The news is also worrying because of the last time Spielberg added a 'fourth to the trilogy'...And to be fair, he hasn't been on top form since the turn of the millennium (so far Catch Me if You Can and Munich have been the only decent pictures since) and seems to have had a recently-developed (but major) handicap with Third Acts and endings (A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report, War of the Worlds, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, etc).

Anyway, I remember soon after Jurassic Park III was released and heard reports that they were to introduce the aquatic prehistoric creatures for a fourth film...Then a few years later I remember some barmy ideas floating around (militarised/weaponised Raptors, for instance). After a period of silence, it was reported around 2006/2007 that Spielbarg had a story and Joe Johnston was on board to direct again with both Sam Neill AND Jeff Goldblum returning; very promising news!

Unfortunately tragedy struck in 2008 when Michael Crichton, author of the original Jurassic Park and The Lost World novels, passed away. By this time, the franchise was floating in limbo anyway and soon afterwards, they announced that they would lay it to rest in memory of Crichton; along with the passing of Bob Peck (Robert Muldoon, Jurassic Park) in 1999 and the great Pete Postlethwaite (Roland Tembo, The Lost World: Jurassic Park) earlier this year, I still maintain that the franchise remaining as a trilogy is the best choice.

Now for your benefit, I give you the report of the bombshell itself...

http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/steven-spielberg-jurassic-park-4-comic-con/

Not one mention of Crichton either from the reporter or Spielberg himself (and if the film was to be dedicated to MC, I'd be happier about the whole thing), however the reporter finishes with this self-satisfying flourish; "And that's about the best news we've heard since they invented the electric car."

I plead just one question; is it...?

AM


IN MEMORIAM:

Bob Peck
Michael Crichton
Pete Postlethwaite

You three brought so much to so many...