Universal’s new Jurassic World movie is coming together at a blistering pace. Even though we just learned of the project’s existence a few months ago, the studio has been busy putting an impressive ensemble cast together, as well as securing Godzilla and The Creator director Gareth Edwards to take the helm. Now, we have word that an up-and-coming actor has helped round out the cast, with Manifest star Luna Blaise being added in a key role.
According to Deadline, Blaise has signed on for a mystery role in the currently untitled seventh film in the Jurassic franchise. While most of the other big names, such as Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson, simply accepted offers for their roles, Blaise had to audition, and she apparently beat out quite a few other interested parties to land the highly coveted part. Filming is expected to begin in mid-June in the U.K. So she will be getting to work pretty dang soon.
Blaise joins a cast that will be led by Johansson, with Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali also recently signing on for a role. The ensemble also currently includes Rupert Friend (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Jonathan Bailey (Jack Ryan) and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (Murder on the Orient Express). Plot details are being kept totally under wraps, but David Koepp, who penned the original Jurassic Park, returned to write the screenplay. That remains the most intriguing part about the movie at this stage. The whole thing seemingly came together fast, with that script presumably driving Universal’s interest in striking quickly. This is the opposite of being stuck in development hell.
For Blaise, it’s by far her biggest role in a movie to date. The actress is known best for her role in the hit series Manifest, which exploded in popularity on Netflix. Some of her other roles include Fresh Off the Boat and Deltopia. Given that this is a $6 billion franchise for Universal, they take the franchise seriously. So it will be interesting to see what she can bring to the movie, which is said to be a fresh start for Jurassic. None of the actors from the previous two trilogies are expected to return.
Franchise shepherds Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley are on board to produce, with Steven Spielberg returning as an executive producer. Spielberg is the man who started it all by brilliantly adapting Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park for the big screen in 1993. That, in turn, led to one of the most reliably popular franchises in history, with 2015’s Jurassic World ranking as one of the biggest box office hits of all time. Here’s hoping this new entry can recapture some of the old magic.
The new Jurassic World movie is currently set to hit theaters on July 2, 2025. For more, check out FANGORIA #126 from the archives, which featured Jurassic Park on the cover as well as interviews with the crew behind the blockbuster classic.
