Let's face it - no matter what side of the fence you sit on with regards to Dinosaurs, everybody loves Jurassic Park. At the risk of making you feel like you're ageing five years with each passing day, the original movie came out all the way back in 1993 and the third and final 'original' effort, Jurassic Park III, was released some eight years later in 2001. Despite the fact that the original film franchise is considered one of the finest of its era, the movies are in no way immune to falling by the wayside and becoming obsolete just like many great films have before them.
To the credit of Universal Studios, (who bought the rights to Michael Crichton's novel all the way back in 1990, before it was even published) they quickly recognized this fact and consequently pushed hard for the release of 2015's Jurassic World, which was in fact, originally scheduled to be released 10 years earlier in 2005. The movie became the first in the history of the industry to gross $500m in its opening weekend and has received widespread critical acclaim, specifically for its visual effects and for the performances of lead actors Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. With Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom set for release in June later this year, below is a brief look at just how the franchise has made itself relevant again in the current climate of millennials and the internet.
Video Games
It's fair to say that video games that are based on movies are largely hit and miss but it has been proven time and time again that a well-done movie-themed video game can do wonders for the success of a franchise. Along with an upcoming Jurassic World Evolution game, where users can build their own Dino based theme park, the Lego Jurassic World game for the current crop of next-generation consoles has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and has helped the franchise reach a completely different audience to the one that watched the original movie some 25 years ago.
In addition to this, the reboot of the franchise has spawned a spin-off online slot game over at 32Red slots, where users must roam Isla Nubar and avoid T-Rex and the like in order to complete various quests and land progressive jackpots. Jurassic World is one of many slot games based on popular movies available at online casinos and these games have undoubtedly helped maintain interest in franchises such as Terminator, which has a playable game at Spin and Win.
The Rise Of The Internet and Memes
If you're still not quite sure exactly what a meme was then don't worry about it too much - the whole thing can be slightly difficult to get your head around. The technological era we currently find ourselves in means that the internet basically decides what's hot and what's not and the chances are that if something is considered hot, then someone out there will make a meme out of it.
With regards to Jurassic World, the memes have come in the shape of editing the iconic Velociraptor scene where all round good guy Chris Pratt attempts a standoff with a bunch of hungry looking dinosaurs. However, the original movie has also got in on the act and there are various clips floating around YouTube of edited footage that will undoubtedly make you smile if you're a fan of the 1993 epic.
Timing
Whether it was purely down to luck or good management, the timing of the release of Jurassic World just felt right. As a race, we are now arguably more curious than ever thanks to the sheer amount of information available at our fingertips and the movie tapped into a new generation of movie watchers who perhaps weren't particularly aware of the wonder and mystique surrounding Dinosaurs beforehand.
In terms of casting, timing and luck were also of great importance. Suppose Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard were busy at the time that auditions were taking place - how much would the movie have suffered? Of course, we can't really answer that but the on-screen chemistry between the two is something special and it's hard to imagine two other actors who could have filled the roles so perfectly.
Dinosaurs Are Alive, Once Again
Whether you're taking advantage of themed slots from 32Red, or simply indulging in the Jurassic Park memes and memorabilia scattered throughout the internet, Dinosaurs are definitely back in the public eye and are arguably bigger than ever. The fact that the original movies came out when the internet was in its infancy certainly worked against them but Jurassic World and this summer's sequel will undoubtedly more than make up for this and 2018 looks like it could yet again belong to Mr. T-Rex and his pals.
