Ian Malcolm ‘Rode Off Into the Sunset’

Jeff Goldblum believes he’s faced off with his last dinosaur. In an interview with Total Film for the publication’s final issue, the actor shares that he thinks his “Jurassic Park” character, the celebrity mathematician Dr. Ian Malcolm, may be finished, as the franchise prepares to relaunch next summer with the release of “Jurassic World Rebirth,” starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali.

“I think Ian Malcolm may have ridden off into the sunset. Maybe,” says Goldblum. “Because this next one — my friend, Scarlett Johansson, and my new friend, Jonathan Bailey from ‘Wicked,’ I think, are taking up the reins. And I can’t wait to see what they do. I think that’s a good idea.”

Goldblum appeared in four of the six “Jurassic” entries, starring in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 original alongside Sam Neill and Laura Dern. Goldblum then led the filmmaker’s 1997 sequel “The Lost World.” More than 20 years later, the actor returned to the franchise in “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” which featured a framing device of Dr. Ian Malcolm testifying before a panel about how bad of an idea it is to attempt to resurrect and control gigantic prehistoric creatures for tourist traps. Goldblum then reunited with Neill and Dern for “Jurassic World Dominion” in 2022, which served as the conclusion of the “Jurassic World” trilogy led by Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. That entry grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, but garnered particularly negative reviews from critics.

“I was concentrating on trying to make our responsibility there a success, and fulfill our part of the bargain,” Goldblum told Total Film about his reunion with Dern and Neill, calling it a “very enjoyable experience.” “I enjoyed working on it and enjoyed trying to make it good. I think it sold a bunch of tickets. But, you know… Everybody’s got an opinion about it. It’s tough to make a good movie.”

Only three years after that alleged franchise-capper, Universal is resurrecting the property for “Jurassic World Rebirth,” set to hit theaters on July 2, 2025. Alongside Johansson, Bailey and Ali, the cast also includes Rupert Friend, Philippine Velge, Bechir Sylvain, Ed Skrein, Manuel Garcia-Rulf, Luna Blaise, David Iacono and Audrina Miranda. Gareth Edwards directs a script by David Koepp.