Jurassic World: Dominion Director Claims Coronavirus Shutdown Helped the Movie

Fans were disappointed to learn that a number of highly anticipated movie and TV productions shut [...]

By Patrick Cavanaugh

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(Photo: Universal Pictures)

Fans were disappointed to learn that a number of highly anticipated movie and TV productions shut down earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in some of those endeavors getting delayed for long periods of time, though Jurassic World: Dominion director Colin Trevorrow revealed that those production delays actually helped the film in some ways, as it allowed the visual effects teams to work on what they had already shot before the shutdown. Luckily, the scheduling of the shoot and the distance from its planned release date means the studio didn't have to shift its release, as the film is still slated to debut on June 11, 2021.

"For many of us, Dominion was already the biggest creative challenge of our lives, before the lockdown," Trevorrow shared with Empire. "The shooting schedule really worked to our advantage – the first four weeks we put to film were mostly sequences with dinosaurs in them. So that allowed us to get a head start on VFX and workshop some of the newer elements without the pressure of a looming deadline."

Here in the United States, recent efforts to reopen businesses has resulted in massive surges in confirmed coronavirus cases, with movie theater chains delaying their reopenings by weeks in the interests of public safety. Other parts of the world managed to control the pandemic more effectively, with Dominion being one of the many international productions that has been approved to resume shooting.

"I'm confident our guidelines will keep us safe," Trevorrow ensured of the new protocols. "The hard part will be constructing a creative environment within all the precautions. Once the cameras roll, we have to forget our world and live in the world of the movie. That may take some practice."

Despite the trepidation that people in all industries around the world feel about getting back to work, Trevorrow noted that the cast is in good spirits about the endeavor, likely confirming the faith they have in the new safety guidelines and excitement about the sequel.

"I've been really moved by the way everyone has shown support for each other," the filmmaker admitted. "We're all fired up to get back to work. This is what we do, and we're all eager to get back out there and do it."

Stay tuned for details on Jurassic World: Dominion, which is set to hit theaters on June 11, 2021.

Are you looking forward to the new film? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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