After director’s exit, Jurassic World 5 fans pick who they don’t want back

So, Jurassic World 5 is having a bit of a wobble before it's even really ramped up. Universal's next Jurassic outing just lost its director, which never bodes well, and the fandom is already bracing for the worst possible replacement.

The Director Shuffle

Gareth Edwards – yes, the chap behind last year's Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) – has now exited the sequel. Official line is 'creative differences', which as anyone who follows Hollywood knows, could mean absolutely anything from a shouting match to someone refusing to make a dinosaur tap dance. Universal made a vague attempt at cheer in a statement sent to Deadline, giving a standard corporate pat on the back rather than providing an actual explanation. Here's what they had to say:

Universal said, 'We had an incredible experience working with Gareth on Jurassic World Rebirth.'

That's lovely, but not exactly illuminating.

So with Edwards gone, social media has already kicked off. The big fear? That Colin Trevorrow – who started the Jurassic World run – might be brought back to steer the next film. Given the way his last instalments went down with some fans, this would be a controversial move. Just look at these responses:

• One fan reckons, 'If Colin Trevorrow was coming back for the Rebirth sequel, the Jurassic World fandom would have a heart attack.'
• Someone else jokes, 'The funniest thing ever would be if they went back to Colin Trevorrow.'
• Another weighs in: 'Colin Trevorrow as an executive producer, fine. Writer or director? Nah.'
• There are even people already missing Edwards: 'Rebirth is so much more successful than Colin Trevorrow's trilogy. Shame Gareth Edwards isn't coming back.'

Trevorrow's Jurassic Track Record

Colin Trevorrow kicked off the new dino era with Jurassic World in 2015 and ended up back in the chair for Dominion (2022). In between, he co-wrote Fallen Kingdom (2018). Now, money-wise, all three made a fortune – no one can knock the box office performance. But film critics? Far chillier. Fans have argued Trevorrow never quite recaptured that Spielberg–Crichton magic, most notably in terms of writing and character stuff, which fell flatter with each sequel.

The Sequel: Where Does It Stand?

There's no director at the moment. David Koepp – who worked on the original Jurassic Park scripts – is handling writing duties for what's actually the eighth film in the whole Jurassic franchise. The high-profile cast for Rebirth – Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey – are rumoured to return, but as yet, absolutely nothing's officially locked in.

With Gareth Edwards out and no replacement confirmed, Jurassic World 5 has no director attached as of 2026.