5 Unused Jurassic World Concepts That Could Have Been Amazing
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“Jurassic World,” a visual feast for the eyes, captivated audiences in 2015 with its thrilling dinosaur encounters. Yet, a glimpse into the unused concept art from the film hints at an even more spectacular experience that could have unfolded on the big screen. Like most blockbuster films, “Jurassic World” underwent an extensive visual development phase. This process generated a plethora of sketches and artistic designs to help shape the movie’s aesthetic. However, many of these creative ideas—ranging from fantastical creatures to elaborate structures—never transitioned from paper to production.

This unused artwork is a veritable goldmine for die-hard fans of the Jurassic series. The collection includes dynamic images of dinosaurs in both repose and action, ambitious designs for park structures surrounded by verdant greenery, and innovative concepts for how the park would engage its guests. Additionally, there are numerous prop designs and elements that didn’t make the film’s final cut, leaving fans to wonder about the alternative paths the movie might have taken.

All of this unused material amounts to an artistic treasure trove for fans of the franchise. We’re talking about images of dinosaurs on the attack or simply resting in their nests, dramatic arenas sculpted out of gleaming white spires and surrounded by lush foliage, ideas for how the Jurassic World park would present information to its guests, and plenty of prop designs and other ephemera which didn’t make the cut. Here are five pieces of concept art for things that would have been amazing to see in “Jurassic World.”

Among the intriguing creations is the Stegoceratops—a striking hybrid of a Stegosaurus and a Triceratops. This unique creature, imagined by artist Joyner, boasts a dark hide adorned with yellow markings. Its head mirrors that of a Triceratops while its body resembles a Stegosaurus, complete with spiky plates. Although it never appeared in the movie, fans eventually encountered this hybrid in the mobile game “Jurassic World: The Game” and the simulation game “Jurassic World: Evolution.” The latter even reveals that the Stegoceratops possesses beetle DNA, endowing it with a robust, protective armor.

Jurassic World almost had more hybrid dinosaurs

In another piece of concept art, an alternate version of the climactic battle scene in “Jurassic World” is portrayed. Crafted by Gadget-Bot Productions, a Los Angeles-based company renowned for concept art and storyboards, this illustration depicts the Velociraptors Blue, Delta, and Echo engaging the Indominus rex. Meanwhile, a Tyrannosaurus rex, guided by a flare-wielding figure, looms behind them. This depiction diverges from the film’s actual finale, where the battle unfolds on the concourse near the Mosasaurus’ watery domain.

In the movie, the Mosasaurus dramatically intervenes, pulling the Indominus rex into the depths—a moment that has become iconic within the franchise. However, the concept art envisages this confrontation in a Raptor Arena, imbuing it with a gladiatorial atmosphere. Some fans might argue that relying on the Mosasaurus felt like an easy resolution. Instead, a victorious alliance between Owen Grady’s (played by Chris Pratt) trained Velociraptors and the legendary Tyrannosaurus could have provided a more gratifying conclusion.

The final fight took place elsewhere in the concept art

When all hell breaks loose in the park and the dinosaurs escape their respective enclosures, clashes between different species become inevitable, which is exactly what happens at the end of “Jurassic World.” Gadget-Bot Productions (a Los Angeles-based company that specializes not only in concept art, but also storyboards and animatics) came up with some images for the film, and one of them features an early version of the climactic battle. That illustration sees the Velociraptors Blue, Delta, and Echo attacking the Indominus rex. A Tyrannosaurus rex is seen approaching the scrapping quintet from behind, led by a flare-wielding figure. Of course, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) leads the Tyrannosaurus in the direction of the Indominus in the film, but there’s one big difference here.

In the movie, the final fight takes place out on the concourse near the water where the Mosasaurus dwells (it eventually leaps out and drags the unsuspecting Indominus to a watery grave in what’s become one of the most-paused “Jurassic Park” franchise moments). However, in this concept art, the fight takes place in what Gadget-Bot describes as the Raptor Arena, giving it more of a gladiatorial feel. The Mosasaurus suddenly popping up to take down the big bad always felt like a bit of a cop out. Having the Velociraptors who were trained by Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) defeat the beast alongside the franchise’s classic Tyrannosaurus would have been far more satisfying.

The original aviary design was more complex

There are plenty of marvelous buildings on display in “Jurassic World.” The Innovation Center — which is shaped just like a volcano, blending in with the tropical Isla Nublar setting — is among the most eye-catching of those structures, but it’s hard to beat the colossal Jurassic World Lagoon, where the Mosasaurus feeding show takes place. The park as depicted in the film is a feast for the eyes, but, naturally, not every proposed location made it to the screen as it was originally imagined, whether that was down to story alterations, budgetary constraints, or other logistical problems. One such structure is the aviary, the site of a huge turning point in the story.

Dean Sherriff, who was part of the “Jurassic World” art department, created a concept image for the aviary that was different from the one that ended up in the film, depicting it as a white, spindly, and shell-like cage. From an architectural standpoint, there’s a lot more going on in this early version. It’s reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House in its delicate beauty, unlike the enclosure that ended up in the movie, which looks quite utilitarian. While more visually striking as a building, Sherriff’s version likely wasn’t as practical when you consider the big action set piece that takes place at the aviary — when the Indominus rex breaks in, the Pteranodons and Dimorphodons get out. This leads to the brutal death of Claire’s personal assistant Zara Young (Katie McGrath), a scene that many viewers felt went too far.

Claire’s not wearing those high heels in the concept art

Claire’s big scene in “Jurassic World,” where she uses a flare to lure the Tyrannosaurus rex out of its paddock and draw it into battle with the Indominus rex, is well known among fans of the franchise, and not necessarily for good reasons. Yes, it’s a cool callback to the original film, in which Sam Neill’s Dr. Alan Grant uses a flare to distract the Tyrannosaurus, but the scene is infamous because Claire is wearing high heels during the chase.

An early vision for this scene was among the batch of concept images shared by Gadget-Bot Productions. The Tyrannosaurus enclosure itself is more or less the same, but Claire looks very different. At this point in the film, along with her heels, she’s sporting a tank top and a white pencil skirt with a blazer tied around her waist. The concept art has Claire dressed in a much more practical khaki uniform, the kind typically sported by zoo employees. She’s even wearing a pith helmet.

Interestingly, Claire’s look was actually Bryce Dallas Howard’s choice. When her heels became the subject of countless memes, she defended them in several interviews, stating that she believed it would make Claire look even more formidable. Director Colin Trevorrow ultimately gave her the final say on her character’s footwear. “She felt like surrendering the heels felt like surrendering the femininity of the character,” he told Gizmodo.

Dr. Wu’s secret lab was more like an underground lair

After appearing as the scientist that recreates the dinosaurs in the original “Jurassic Park,” BD Wong reprised the role of Dr. Henry Wu in “Jurassic World,” in which he’s once again tasked with bringing dinos back from the dead. The new park sports a facility called the Hammond Creation Lab (named after Richard Attenborough’s Dr. John Hammond, the original park’s creator), a bright and sterile-looking hatchery, faculty, and nursery. When visitors drop by, they can witness baby dinosaurs and see embryos being created. However, Dr. Wu has a secret lab where he carries out work the public aren’t allowed to see, and it looks a lot different.

While it’s as high-tech as anything else in the park, the room is darkly lit, with blue backlights for its specimen containers. What’s interesting is that Wu’s secret area was almost an even bigger contrast to the bright cleanliness of the Hammond Creation Lab. When “Jurassic World” concept artist Craig Shoji came up with the initial designs for Wu’s personal lab, the place was a lot dingier, with exposed pipes and wires giving it the look of a shady basement. It feels a lot more like something set up in secret and would have made Wu feel more like a traditional villain complete with his own secret lair.



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