Jurassic World: Chaos Theory is an American science fiction action-adventure animated television series on Netflix and is the second television series in the Jurassic Park franchise. It serves as a direct sequel to Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous, while also taking place between Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Jurassic World: Dominion. Aaron Hammersley and Scott Kreamer serve as showrunners and executive produce the series along with Steven Spielberg, Colin Trevorrow, and Frank Marshall. It features Paul-Mikél Williams, Sean Giambrone, Kausar Mohammed and Raini Rodriguez reprising their voice roles from Camp Cretaceous, with Darren Barnet joining the main cast.
| Jurassic World: Chaos Theory | |
|---|---|
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| Genre | |
| Based on | Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton |
| Developed by |
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| Showrunners |
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| Voices of |
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| Theme music composer | John Williams |
| Composer | Leo Birenberg |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Mathias Dougherty |
| Running time | 23–24 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | May 24, 2024 – present |
| Related | |
| Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous | |
The first season premiered on May 24, 2024.[1][2] In June 2024, a second season was announced with it set to premiere on October 17, 2024.[3][4]
Premise
editSix years after Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous, members of "The Nublar Six" reunite and find themselves on an adventure to unravel a conspiracy that threatens dinosaurs and humankind alike and learn the truth about what happened to one of their own.[1][2][5]
Voice cast and characters
editMain
edit- Paul-Mikél Williams as Darius Bowman, a member of the Nublar Six and a dinosaur fanatic who aids the DPW (Department of Prehistoric Wildlife) in capturing and protecting dinosaurs[1]
- Darren Barnet as Kenji Kon, a member of the Nublar Six, Darius' adoptive brother who is a skilled climbing instructor[6]
- Sean Giambrone as Ben Pincus, a member of the Nublar Six who became a conspiracy theorist after discovering that his friends are in danger and attempts to bring them back together[2]
- Kausar Mohammed as Yasmina "Yaz" Fadoula, a member of the Nublar Six who is recovering from severe PTSD while attending college following her encounters with dinosaurs on Isla Nublar[6]
- Raini Rodriguez as Sammy Gutierrez, a member of the Nublar Six and Yaz's girlfriend who runs her family's ranch[6]
Recurring
edit- Kiersten Kelly as Brooklynn, a member of the Nublar Six and Kenji's ex-girlfriend who is presumed to have been killed by an Allosaurus under suspicious circumstances while conducting an investigation
- Sumalee Montano as The Handler, a woman hired to kill the Nublar Six using a trio of Atrociraptors under her control
- Eugene Cordero as Mateo, a DPW truck driver who aids the Nublar Six
- Philip Anthony-Rodriguez as Dudley Cabrera, a regional manager for the DPW
Guest
edit- Benjamin Flores Jr. as Brandon Bowman, Darius' older brother
- Carmen Moore as Ronnie, Darius' former boss in the DPW
- Alan Trinca as Mike, Ronnie's partner
- Brock Powell as Mo, a gas station attendant in Texas
- Steve Blum as Carl, Sammy's neighbor
- Blum also voices Jensen, a corrupt DPW officer who illegally transports dinosaurs to sell on the black market
- Andrew Kishino as Daniel Kon, Kenji's estranged father and the former president of Mantah Corp who was placed under house arrest following the end of Camp Cretaceous
- Luis Bermudez as Bobby Nublar, the proprietor of a dinosaur-themed roadside attraction
- Chris Jai Alex as Jared, a corrupt DPW officer working with Jensen
Some of the notable dinosaurs that appear in the series include a blind-eyed Allosaurus that is supposedly responsible for Brooklynn's death and the trio of trained Atrociraptors Ghost, Panthera, and Tiger who are obedient to The Handler who were first introduced in Jurassic World Dominion. The dinosaurs Bumpy, an Ankylosaurus with an asymmetrical face who befriended Ben, and Big Eatie, a mother Tyrannosaurus rex from Mantah Corp Island, were first introduced in Camp Cretaceous.
Episodes
edit| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Aftershock" | Michael Mullen | Scott Kreamer | May 24, 2024 | |
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Six years after escaping Isla Nublar, the Nublar Six have lost touch with one another after their friend Brooklynn was seemingly killed by a blind-eyed Allosaurus. Darius Bowman, feeling guilty about Brooklynn's death, works with the Department of Prehistoric Wildlife (DPW) to capture dinosaurs, specifically searching for the Allosaurus, but fails after the latter attacks and fights a Pachyrhinosaurus. At night at his cabin, Darius reunites with his friend Ben Pincus who reveals that Brooklynn's death was no accident and someone is tracking them. As Ben tries to explain further details, a pack of Atrociraptors attack them and cut off the security system, but they manage to escape in Ben's van. | |||||
| 2 | "Rest Stop" | Zesung Kang | Bethany Armstrong Johnson | May 24, 2024 | |
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After escaping from the Atrociraptors, Ben and Darius decide to drive to Texas to reunite with their friend Sammy Gutierrez and warn her about the danger, as well as obtain the locations of the other members of the Nublar Six. Ben soon feels paranoid about their pursuers as they stop at the gas station for supplies and but juvenile Nasutoceratops is woken up and becomes stuck, threatening to set the entire station ablaze. Darius and Ben successfully free the juvenile and extinguish the fire. Ben and Darius then travel onward to visit Sammy, unaware that someone is following them. | |||||
| 3 | "Down on the Ranch" | Dan Forgione Zesung Kang | Travis Gunn | May 24, 2024 | |
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Darius and Ben arrive at Sammy's ranch and reunite with her, who is also safeguarding Ben's old companion, Bumpy the Ankylosaurus, after she was discreetly shipped off Mantah Corp Island. Sammy is distracted and unable to focus on the matter at hand; she later admits this is a result of her concern for her girlfriend Yaz Fadoula, estrangement from her parents, and mourning Brooklynn's death. Darius and Ben explain how the incident was set up and Sammy reveals that Brooklynn left a map when she last saw her. The pack of Atrociraptors arrive and the trio quickly escapes after freeing Bumpy but she is later captured by the DPW. | |||||
| 4 | "Brothers" | Michael Mullen | Sara Karimipour | May 24, 2024 | |
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Upon witnessing the DPW transporting dinosaurs with Darius witnessing the Allosaurus captured, the trio meets up with their friend Kenji Kon, though he still resents Darius for not being present during Brooklynn's death. The trio reveals the map to Kenji and learns that Brooklynn had visited his father, Daniel Kon, who remained under house arrest without informing Kenji, who refused to visit him. Having grown concerned about Yaz's safety, Sammy and Ben decide to go find her, leaving a disgruntled Darius to handle Kenji alone. Upon climbing to the top of the cliff where Kenji reveals he broke up with Brooklynn, Darius expresses to Kenji about Brooklynn's guilt after what happened. Reluctantly, Kenji decides to visit his father to find out more. | |||||
| 5 | "Halfway Home" | Robert Briggs Zesung Kang | Nick "Rocket" Rodriguez | May 24, 2024 | |
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As Ben and Sammy travel to pick up Yaz, the duo visit a dinosaur-themed roadside attraction and witness three Stygimolochs mistreated by their owner and decide to free them. But as they leave, the owner reports them to his mysterious contact. Darius and Kenji visit Daniel and question him about Brooklynn. During a private conversation about a family matter, Daniel persuades Kenji to continue his legacy of restoring his company Mantah Corp to its former glory but Kenji quickly declines upon realizing his father's deception and negligence. Daniel relents and tells Kenji and Darius about Brooklynn's visit and reveals that she was investigating the illegal trafficking of dinosaurs. The security system is later cut off and the pack of Atrociraptors commanded by their mysterious handler using a whistle, attacks them. After being cornered, Daniel sacrifices himself allowing Darius and Kenji to escape with an unknown rescuer. | |||||
| 6 | "Free Fall" | Dan Forgione | Travis Gunn | May 24, 2024 | |
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Upon arrival at a college campus on a dinosaur-free island, Ben and Sammy reunite with Yaz, who is recovering from PTSD following her experiences on Isla Nublar. She reveals a Ben and Sammy that she was working on a hologram system designed to help people with dinosaur-induced PTSD like herself. They reveal the truth to Yaz about Brooklynn's death and Sammy expresses her frustration with Yaz having been distant from her. They are soon interrupted when a pair of Becklespinaxes attack the campus and chase Ben, Yaz, and Sammy off the island. A pair of DPW officers arrive and shoot out the tires of Ben's van, causing the Becklespinax to have the opportunity to push them off the bridge. | |||||
| 7 | "That Night" | Michael Mullen | Sara Karimipour | May 24, 2024 | |
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After falling off the bridge, Ben, Sammy, and Yaz escape from Ben's sinking van. They spot the DPW transporting the Becklespinax and decide to follow them. As Kenji emotionally grieves his father, Darius recognizes the driver who saved them as Mateo, a former DPW truck driver who reveals that he was at the scene the night Brooklynn died. Mateo explains that he was transporting the Allosaurus when the security lock was deactivated automatically and the dinosaur escaped, leading to Brooklynn's death. Having felt ashamed about the incident, Mateo returns Brooklynn's phone to Darius to make amends, having kept it since that night. Darius and Kenji unlock the phone and find Brooklynn's secret apartment in Colorado. After parting ways with Mateo, Darius and Kenji investigate the apartment and discover a duffel bag full of Daniel's money, and that Brooklynn was involved in a conspiracy website called "Dark Jurassic", which causes them to grow more suspicious about her. | |||||
| 8 | "The Drop" | Robert Briggs Zesung Kang | Nick "Rocket" Rodriguez | May 24, 2024 | |
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After leaving the apartment with Kenji, Darius manages to locate the drop point where the DPW trades dinosaurs for illegal smuggling. While waiting, Darius and Kenji look through Brooklynn's phone and Darius is forced to admit they he had an unrequited crush on Brooklynn after sending her countless voicemails after her death. Darius admits to Kenji that she visited him at his cabin and she sent him a final video moments before she died, to which Darius failed to respond. Despite this, they find the DPW officers trading a Baryonyx and follow the driver who transports it away. Ben, Sammy, and Yaz arrive at a DPW facility, only to discover that the DPW regional manager, Dudley Cabrera, is corrupt and secretly works with the smugglers for profit. After knocking out Cabrera, the trio finds Bumpy in a container but fails to free her after she displays erratic behavior. Ben sneaks into the containment truck to stay with Bumpy, with Sammy and Yaz following behind. | |||||
| 9 | "Into the Fog" | Dan Forgione | Annie Arjarasumpun | May 24, 2024 | |
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With Ben safeguarding Bumpy, they arrive at a large loading dock that is offloading dinosaurs captured by the DPW to be illegally shipped worldwide and Sammy and Yaz sneak inside. Having followed the DPW truck there, Darius and Kenji soon arrive at the docks and break into a large warehouse where the Nublar Six reunite. Upon finding the Allosaurus in one of the containers, Kenji decudes that Brooklynn planned to use Daniel's money to buy the Allosaurus as part of her investigation into the smuggling ring to understand how they operate. With Bumpy's condition worsening, Sammy tries to help calm her and soon discovers that Bumpy is pregnant after she lays an egg. As the group celebrates the birth, Cabrera appears and corners them. | |||||
| 10 | "The End of the Beginning" | Michael Mullen | Bethany Armstrong Johnson | May 24, 2024 | |
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Cabrera reveals that he sent the Allosaurus to scare Brooklynn but that her death wasn't planned and that the mysterious handler likely had her killed as Brooklynn's actions threatened to expose the smuggling ring, and their leader known as "the Broker". The handler arrives and orders her Atrociraptors to kill Cabrera and then targets the Nublar Six, but Mateo arrives and helps rescue them. In the chaos, several dinosaurs are released from their containers, including the Tyrannosaurus rex Big Eatie, who manages to hold off raptors alongside the Allosaurus after Darius reluctantly chooses to release it. With her raptors injured, the handler decides to retreat but a cargo ship transporting numerous dinosaurs prepares to leave before the authorities arrive. Mateo decides to remain behind to inform the authorities and the Nublar Six board the ship hoping to expose the smuggling ring. Sometime later, Darius's former boss Ronnie sends an article about Cabrera's death to Brooklynn, who is revealed to still be alive, albeit missing her left hand, and is continuing her investigation in secret. | |||||
Production
editDevelopment
editAs Camp Cretaceous finished production, executives at DreamWorks Animation Television and Netflix were interested in developing a follow-up. While Camp Cretaceous showrunner Scott Kreamer initially turned down the offer, he decided to work on a second series after he and co-showrunner Aaron Hammersley were given "an early rundown" of the film Jurassic World Dominion (2022), which inspired him to create a direct sequel starring older versions of the Camp Cretaceous cast in the vein of the later Harry Potter films.[7][8] After deciding to work on the series, they reunited with story editor Bethany Armstrong Johnson to conceive the story for the series.[8]
In November 2023, at Netflix's Geeked Week virtual event, the follow up titled Jurassic World: Chaos Theory was announced.[1] In June 2024, Netflix announced a second season of the series.[3]
Writing
editThe series is set shortly before the events of Jurassic World Dominion. Kreamer was intrigued by the world depicted in the film, in which dinosaurs have established themselves on the mainland, and wanted to explore "what does that look like for an everyday person?"[7] The producers also wanted to emphasize the characters now being older and "at that uncertain age where one is trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in the world," while facing their trauma, the proliferation of dinosaurs on the mainland, and a recent loss.[8] The writers also made the show a conspiracy thriller in contrast to the more adventurous tone of Camp Cretaceous.[5][8]
The series starts with the assumed death of Brooklynn, which the showrunners wrote into the story in response to criticism that Camp Cretaceous didn't put its main characters in enough danger.[5] The series introduces holographic immersion technology that serves as "a great way to expose people to their fears [of dinosaurs] without having to face them up close and personal". The main intention of including this aspect was to explore Yaz's post-traumatic stress disorder from her time on Isla Nublar and how she copes with it as dinosaurs enter the mainland. The showrunners also established Yaz as having studied psychology because they liked the idea of her using the immersion technology to "help herself and others".[5]
Casting
editIn November 2023, alongside the announcement of the series, Paul-Mikél Williams was confirmed to reprise his role from Camp Cretaceous as Darius Bowman.[1] In March 2024, it was announced that Sean Giambrone would reprise his role as Ben Pincus.[2] In April, it was announced that Raini Rodriguez and Kausar Mohammed would be reprising their roles as Sammy Gutierrez and Yasmina "Yaz" Fadoula respectively, with Darren Barnet replacing Ryan Potter as Kenji Kon.[6] The showrunners originally wanted Jenna Ortega to reprise her role as Brooklynn, but she was unable to commit due to scheduling issues.[5]
Animation
editAnimation services were provided by CGCG in Taipei, Taiwan. Production on a single episode took place over 17 months, with 12 weeks of animation.[8] Visual inspirations for the series include conspiracy thrillers such as The Parallax View and All the President's Men, seeking to "evoke a similar uneasy vibe, putting the main characters at a disadvantage as they try to figure out what's coming next before it's too late".[8]
Release
editJurassic World: Chaos Theory premiered on May 24, 2024 on Netflix.[2] The second season is set to premiere on October 17, 2024.[3][4]
Reception
editThe review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.9/10, based on 6 critic reviews.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Petski, Denise (November 9, 2023). "'Jurassic World: Chaos Theory': First Look At Netflix's 'Camp Cretaceous' Animated Sequel Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Milligan, Mercedes (March 28, 2024). "Netflix Teases a Ferocious New Chapter in 'Jurassic World: Chaos Theory'". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
- ^ a b c Campione, Katie (June 6, 2024). "'Jurassic World: Chaos Theory' Season 2 Set For Fall; Netflix Releases First Look Photos". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ a b Massoto, Erick (July 28, 2024). "Darius Has a Giant Problem in New 'Jurassic World: Chaos Theory' Season 2 Trailer". Collider. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Vejvoda, Jim (May 16, 2024). "Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Showrunners on Why Jenna Ortega Isn't Back as Brooklynn for New Series". IGN. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Milligan, Mercedes (April 30, 2024). "Trailer: 'Jurassic World: Chaos Theory' Roars to Netflix Debut in May". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ a b "'Jurassic World: Chaos Theory' trailer reveals 'Camp Cretaceous' stars". EW.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Zahed, Ramin. "The Return of the Nublar Six: 'Jurassic Park: Chaos Theory' Heightens the Stakes for the DreamWorks Animation Franchise". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
- ^ "Jurassic World: Chaos Theory: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 3, 2024.