'Jurassic World' Easter Eggs, Trivia & 'Jurassic Park' References

Colin Trevorrow not directing Jurassic Park 5

Given just how monumental and beloved the original Jurassic Park turned out to be for an entire generation (if not more than one), it went without saying that those tasked with bringing Jurassic World to life weren't just facing incredible pressure from the outside, but from their own investment and affection for the property. However, it also gave director Colin Trevorrow and the assembled crew the opportunity to show their love for the original film and sequels in ways too numerous - and tiny - for fans to catch on their first viewing.

If you're headed back for a repeat performance, or simply eager to see the easter eggs, trivia and references to past films that slipped by, then our list should cover the bases. To be clear, it's unnecessary to point out each way in which the original film's action is recreated or directly referenced - instead, we're pointing out the connections most viewers are likely to have missed. Needless to say, there will be SPOILERS in our list, so, read at your own risk.



Jurassic World Easter Egg ViewMaster Dinosaurs


When audiences first meet young Gray (Ty Simpkins), his eyes are glued to a View-Master, taking in 3D images of dinosaur figurines embroiled in combat. Though some have reported these images as being taken from The Lost World (1925) based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original novel, they are not. The first image is found in a very real View-Master cartridge titled "Prehistoric Animals," with the second image pulled from Warner Bros.' The Animal World (1956) as a nod to the earliest stop-motion days of big screen dinosaurs.


Jurassic World Easter Egg Malcolm Book

God Creates Dinosaurs

B.D. Wong may be the only member of the original film's cast to make an appearance in the flesh (as Dr. Henry Wu), but Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) does the next best thing. His book entitled "God Creates Dinosaurs" was teased through viral marketing ahead of the film, but appears in the hands of the boys' chaperone, Zara (Katie McGrath). When the kids are shown riding the Jurassic World monorail, Malcolm's face on the rear of the book can be seen between them in the row behind, then later on Lowery's (Jake Johnson) desk.


Jurassic World Easter Egg Gates

The Gates

The park now known as Jurassic World is a long way ahead of the original resort/safari planned by John Hammond, but it hasn't forgotten where it came from. Though the differences between the original film's entry gates and those of the updated resort are obvious, the monorail's PA system claims that they are - at least in the film's fiction - the very same gates, restored (and potentially upgraded). We'll overlook the changes for the sake of nostalgia.


Jurassic World Easter Egg Brad Bird Monorail Voice

Spared No Expense

Speaking of the monorail, the voice informing guests of the gate's legacy is that of director Brad Bird (The IncrediblesMission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol). After acting as something of a mentor for director Colin Trevorrow in his leap to blockbusters - allowing him to observe the production of Tomorrowland - he requested Bird record the voiceover for the monorail welcome. The director was all too happy to oblige.


Jurassic World Easter Egg Winstons Steakhouse

Winston's Steakhouse

Not every person responsible for making Jurassic Park the success it was actually lived to see Jurassic World's release, including Stan Winston, the visionary practical effects and animatronics expert who brought the dinosaurs of all three Jurassic Park movies to life. After passing in 2008, Winston's top four supervisors founded a new studio - Legacy Effects - in memory of his lasting impact on the industry. Putting their efforts to work on Jurassic World, Winston is directly commemorated in the form of Winston's Steakhouse, a restaurant visible in the park's main strip.


Jurassic World Easter Egg Mr DNA Voice


Another somewhat-cameo from the original film comes once Gray and Zach (Nick Robinson) arrive in the Hammond Creation Lab, named for the man who originally dreamed of recreating dinosaurs to delight child and parent alike. The appearance of 'Mr. DNA' on a computer screen is a brief one, but impossible to miss. What even die-hard fans might miss, as /Film discovered, is that the genetic mascot is voiced by Trevorrow himself. the original voice actor Greg Burson having also passed away, Trevorrow recorded a temporary read in his best impersonation. With a few effects added, the impression was so accurate, it was simply left in the film.


Jurassic World Easter Egg Hammond Statue

Hammond Creation Lab

It was a strange twist of fate that after John Hammond was made the namesake of Jurassic World's most exuberant and impressive facility, actor Richard Attenborough's own failing health finally gave out. The statue intended as a monument to the fictional figure - visible when Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) first meets the boys, then later as raptors pursue them out into the street, also allowed Attenborough to return, if only in spirit.


Jurassic World Easter Egg Tennis

Jurassic Tennis

Not every easter egg or nod to the original has to be a substantial one. As Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and the rest of the cast debate the morality of genetically engineering dinosaurs over a dinner of Chilean sea bass, projectors surround them with financial estimates, future attractions, and more. One screen manages to stick out for the detail-obsessed fans - and while "Jurassic Tennis" may sound like a trivial re-branding of tennis, a large video screen in the Creation Lab shows that Jurassic Tennis has, indeed, been made a reality.


Jurassic World Easter Egg Jack Horner Cameo

Jack Horner

American paleontologist Jack Horner made his career on disputed theories - which would turn out to be correct - and has put his expertise on dinosaurs to work as the technical advisor on the Jurassic Park series from the start. He earns his own cameo, fittingly, in the first Velocirapter sequence. After Owen (Chris Pratt) first demonstrates his leadership of the raptor pack, Horner can be seen giving a high five to another park employee, before being patted on the shoulder by Hoskins (Vincent D'Onofrio).


NEXT PAGE: More Celebrity Cameos - Human & Dinosaur...


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