Stars of 'Jurassic World Rebirth' in Seoul ahead of theatrical rollout of seventh entry in the saga

Cast of "Jurassic World Rebirth” (from left) Rupert Friend, Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey pose for a photo during a press conference held in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. (Yonhap)
Cast of "Jurassic World Rebirth” (from left) Rupert Friend, Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey pose for a photo during a press conference held in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Tuesday. (Yonhap)

With dinosaurs stomping back onto the big screen this summer, the stars of "Jurassic World Rebirth" made a promotional stop in Korea.

Actors Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend and director Gareth Edwards landed in Seoul on Tuesday to meet fans and press ahead of the film’s theatrical rollout the next day.

The new installment — the seventh in the "Jurassic Park" franchise — follows an expedition into remote equatorial zones, where a team seeks to extract prehistoric DNA in a bid to unlock a revolutionary medical breakthrough.

Speaking at a press conference in Seoul, Edwards reflected on the enduring appeal of the franchise.

“I feel like the reason 'Jurassic' works so well is because for millions of years, we were mammals and you have a bunch of instincts like eat, sleep, reproduce — and every day, something might come and eat you or your family,” said Edwards.

“And then in the modern world, we push to make sure we have buildings and cities, and so that instinct seems to have disappeared, but the second you go to the cinema and watch this film, it comes straight back to you. I think it's a very primal thing in human nature to be afraid of the big animals that might come and kill us or someone we love,” he said.

“And so I think these films work on that level and it's never going to go away. I think you're always going to have monster movies for as long as there are people in the world,” he added.

Asked about how he approached honoring the franchise’s DNA while pushing it into uncharted territory, Edwards said his love of the series was central.

“Basically, I don't know the answer to the question because I'm still trying to figure out myself," he said. "I think the main key to making a film like this is to be a fan."

He continued, “The journey in making a movie is that you're making what feels like hundreds of decisions a day. ... If you go left, you're just copying the original 'Jurassic'. If you go right, then it's not 'Jurassic.' It's a very fine line," he said.

“I think the most important thing is this was a very selfish show. I made it for myself because I love Jurassic (films) — and this is my love letter to Spielberg.”

Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in "Jurassic World Rebirth" (Universal Pictures)
Scarlett Johansson as skilled covert operations expert Zora Bennett in "Jurassic World Rebirth" (Universal Pictures)

Meanwhile, Johansson, who stars as Zora Bennett, a covert ops specialist leading a mission to retrieve dinosaur genetic material, described the unique physical demands of the role.

“One of the hardest parts, I think, of making the movie is that we're not really fighting against the dinosaurs — we're fighting against a tennis ball on a stick,” said Johansson.

“I think trying to keep up the stamina of the terror and determination and just the stakes being so high in those sequences (was the hardest thing). If they say action, you have to give this very determined look or very terrified look, so it's a lot of ups and downs. Just keeping that stamina on (was) one of the most challenging things,” she said.

"Jurassic World Rebirth" opens in theaters Wednesday.


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