J.A. Bayona, who directed Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in 2018, has reportedly emerged as the top choice to direct Universal’s sequel to Jurassic World Rebirth, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The search for a new director began after Gareth Edwards departed the project.
Gareth Edwards, who directed 2025’s Jurassic World Rebirth, was originally expected to return for its sequel before exiting over creative differences with Universal. In a statement, the studio said, “We had an incredible experience working with Gareth on Jurassic World Rebirth,” without elaborating on the reasons behind his departure. Edwards’ exit marks the second time the sequel has lost a director, after David Leitch left the original Rebirth project over creative differences before Edwards stepped in to replace him in 2024.
Jurassic World Rebirth revolved around a covert mission to retrieve dinosaur DNA for a miracle drug and went on to earn roughly $870 million worldwide. For the follow-up, David Koepp, who wrote both Rebirth and the original 1993 Jurassic Park, is returning to write the script. Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali are all expected to reprise their roles, while Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall remain attached as producers. Plot details for the sequel are being kept tightly under wraps, and Universal is hoping to begin filming in 2027.
This would not be J.A. Bayona’s first time steering the Jurassic franchise. He previously directed Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in 2018, the fifth installment overall, which grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide despite receiving the weakest reviews in the series at the time, a distinction later overtaken by Jurassic World: Dominion.
The film followed Owen and Claire, played by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, as they returned to Isla Nublar to rescue dinosaurs from a volcanic eruption, only to discover that the rescue mission had ulterior motives tied to a dinosaur auction at a private estate.
Beyond his Jurassic World work, the Spanish filmmaker is known for a string of acclaimed dramas, including his 2007 debut The Orphanage, the 2012 survival drama The Impossible, starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, and the fantasy drama A Monster Calls in 2016. He also directed the first two episodes of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in 2022.
His most recent film, Society of the Snow, premiered at the Venice Film Festival before reaching an estimated 150 million viewers on Netflix. The film won 12 Goya Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and earned two Academy Award nominations, including a nomination for Best International Feature Film.
For now, J.A. Bayona’s return to the franchise remains a possibility rather than a confirmed deal. Universal has not officially announced him as director, and no formal timeline has been given for when a decision might be made.
J.A. Bayona’s potential return would continue a long pattern of shifting directors across the Jurassic franchise. Steven Spielberg directed the original 1993 film and its 1997 sequel, The Lost World, before Joe Johnston took over for Jurassic Park III in 2001. Colin Trevorrow later helmed the first Jurassic World trilogy, followed by Leitch and then Edwards, both of whom departed the Rebirth sequel before production could properly get underway.
With Universal still weighing its options and J.A. Bayona sitting atop the list, the next chapter of the Jurassic franchise remains in flux, though a familiar face at the helm could offer some continuity after two consecutive directorial departures.
