‘Jurassic Park IV’ Gets ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ Writers

Universal Pictures has been very quietly trying to reboot the "Jurassic Park" franchise for the last year in hopes of having more bankable properties in its arsenal than the "Fast and Furious" franchise. Now, the studio has finally taken a big step by hiring Rise of the Planet of the Apes scribes Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver to write a new treatment for the dangerous dinosaurs.

Talk of Jurassic Park IV began more than a year ago when we learned that Steven Spielberg had begun discussions with writer Mark Protosevich about what a new "Jurassic Park" movie would look like. The move to hire Jaffa and Silver to bring that vision to life sounds like a decision to bring the franchise back to its roots with more of an organic origin story.


Rise of the Planet of the Apes was one of if not the most successful attempt we've seen thus far to resuscitate a dead franchise. Considering it's been more than 10 years since Jurassic Park III,  "dead" shouldn't be considered an off-based adjective.  A direct sequel to the original films seems out of the question.

Deadline reports that Spielberg will definitely not direct the film, but Protosevich is not mentioned. The two most recently worked together on the American remake of the Korean thriller Oldboy, which will be directed by Spike Lee. Jaffa and Silver have been working on the sequel to "Apes," Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

Universal seems to be orchestrating a certain timing to the announcement, as Jurassic Park will be rereleased in 3D on July 19, 2013. That will give the studio a gauge as to how much vitality the brand currently has, or at least possibly invigorate the franchise.