Chris Pratt drops hints about what to expect in the “scarier, unexpected” Jurassic World 2 from director J.A. Bayona. Pratt in the middle of promoting his next huge franchise film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but that’s not the only blockbuster series in which he is currently starring. The charming Parks & Recreation alum also starred in Jurassic World in 2015, the first film in a reboot of the original Jurassic Park franchise. Pratt plays Owen, a dinosaur trainer and researcher in the park who understands his animals far more than he understands the motives of his bosses.

Pratt will be returning as Owen next year, in the sequel, where the story continues with some government-trained dinosaurs in the offing. At this point in time, not too much more is known about how Owen’s adventures will continue, but the star did begin to hint at some of the things that might be making it onto the big screen next year.

At the press junket for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Screen Rant asked Pratt for anything that he was allowed to reveal about Jurassic World 2, and the star responded by describing the sequel as “scarier, darker, and unexpected.”

Pratt’s comments echo those made by director Bayona in the latter half of last year, when he described the film as “darker” and “shocking.” This makes a lot of sense, when considering the leaked plot details that describe weaponized dinosaurs controlled by the government - which is certainly somewhere new for the franchise to go.

Aw man, J.A. Bayona? Do you know that filmmaker? He’s a remarkable filmmaker. If you haven’t seen The Impossible or A Monster Calls, I mean he’s really visually masterful. Deep emotions and suspense. I think it’s going to be a scarier version. A little bit darker and will continue to expand and carry the story forward in a way that is really unexpected and you wouldn’t have imagined.

It’s fantastic to see that the star and director are very much on the same page, and that Pratt is so enthusiastic about Bayona’s work. Jurassic World is certainly a franchise with fear at its heart, as well, so this is something that absolutely suits a darker, more horror-centric approach, and it will be really interesting to see where Bayona takes it in the sequel.

At the same time, this doesn’t reveal anything in terms of plot, or how the relationships and characters may have changed. There’s no news about what Owen has been up to since the incident at the park, for example, and there’s probably not a whole heap of work for a dinosaur researcher if the owners have finally learned their lesson and the actual dinosaurs are now off-limits. Details are sure to emerge soon, and we’ll keep you up to date when they do.

Next: Jurassic World 2 Director Has Fun with Dinosaur Puppets

  • Jurassic World 2 Release Date: 2018-06-22