Jurassic World Rebirth Director Addressed Whether T. Rex’s Fate Sets Up A Sequel

Jurassic World Rebirth director Gareth Edwards has addressed the movie’s climactic decision regarding a franchise-favorite ending, and clarifies if it sets up a sequel. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Mahershala Ali, and Rupert Friend, this marks the seventh installment in the sci-fi franchise and introduces a terrifying new dinosaur called the Distortus Rex.

Jurassic World Rebirth ends with the mutated dinosaur still alive, a major deviation from past endings where the T. Rex usually saves the day. In a recent interview with USA Today, Edwards admitted that he briefly considered a surprise T. Rex return to defeat the Distortus Rex at the end of the film, and even consulted the crew on whether it was the right move.

The director revealed that it was the visual effects supervisor who talked him out of it, saying: “That’s what happens in all the movies, Gareth! The T. Rex turns up and saves the day, and everyone’s expecting that. I was so pleased when you didn’t do that.”

Edwards also explained that the ending isn’t meant to set up the Distortus Rex’s return in a sequel, but rather set the movie apart from others in the franchise. Read his comments below:

It’s hard to kill that thing unless it was another animal that did it.

There’s that phrase “ex machina,” where God comes and saves everyone. In Jurassic, there’s something I call “rex machina,” where a T. Rex comes and saves everyone. I felt like, maybe we don’t do that. Maybe that’s one of our differences.

What The Distortus Rex’s Fate Means For Jurassic World

The Franchise Is Evolving Past Its Classic Formula

Edwards’ decision to ditch the classic T. Rex ending is a significant departure from the Jurassic Park formula audiences know and love, introducing a new tone and priorities. Past Jurassic films have relied heavily on the last-minute T. Rex at the rescue moment to offer relief and a closed conclusion, but Rebirth defies that presumption by refusing to give in to audience expectations.

Letting the Distortus Rex live amplifies the threat and creates an ongoing tension that could carry over a potential sequel, although it is not its intention. Jurassic World Rebirth is not a story about heroic dinosaurs, but about the unpredictable consequences of human greed and genetic mutation, and Edwards clearly wanted a film that reflected the uneasiness of those themes rather than resolving them.

By acknowledging the overuse of what he calls the “Rex machina,” Edwards is also showing his knowledge of the franchise and its expectations. The creative decision to stray from the usual Jurassic ending marks a turning point for the franchise and leans into the uncertainty and danger, reshaping Jurassic World into what seems to be something darker and more mature.

Jurassic World Rebirth’s Ending Is The Franchise Shake-Up It Needed

Edwards’ rejection of continuing the T. Rex tradition makes Jurassic World Rebirth one of the most refreshing entries in the series. While the T. Rex has been a beloved symbol in the franchise since its beginnings, using it as a narrative crutch so repeatedly reduces each movie’s stakes. By ending on a lingering note of danger, the film shows an evolution fitting for a series all about nature refusing to stay contained.

It gives Jurassic World Rebirth a distinct identity while still following the steps of its predecessors. The threat of the Distortus Rex is more than a tease for a potential sequel; it is a reminder that not every loose end needs to be tied up for a film’s ending to be satisfying.

Source: USA Today