The trailer for Jurassic World: Rebirth has unveiled a terrifying new ability for the Tyrannosaurus Rex. In an effort to revitalize the franchise’s iconic character, the film introduces a range of mutant dinosaurs, including a T-Rex with a fresh skillset. The T-Rex has been a cornerstone of Universal’s Jurassic Park franchise, often posing a significant threat to human characters or occasionally serving as a savior.
Jurassic World: Rebirth takes place on the island that housed the original Jurassic Park testing facility, providing an opportunity for the franchise to reimagine its classic creatures. The upcoming seventh installment in the Jurassic World series boasts an impressive cast, including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathon Bailey, and Mahershala Ali, who play a team of skilled operatives tasked with infiltrating the dinosaur-infested island and extracting valuable DNA.
The recent trailer showcases several new creatures, including the formidable D-Rex, as well as familiar faces like the T-Rex. The footage reveals the T-Rex pursuing a boatload of humans down a river, highlighting its newfound ability to swim. The T-Rex is depicted as a proficient swimmer, fully submerging itself and effortlessly overtaking the raft before terrorizing the humans in the water.
Fans have been eagerly anticipating the on-screen debut of a swimming T-Rex since Michael Crichton’s original Jurassic Park novel. The novel’s river raft attack scene is replicated in the Jurassic World: Rebirth trailer, suggesting a faithful adaptation. Although the scene was considered for the original Jurassic Park film, it was ultimately not included.
It’s surprising that the franchise has taken six films to incorporate the T-Rex’s swimming abilities. However, recent research has shed light on the likelihood of T-Rexes being able to swim in real life, citing their muscular and bone structure as evidence. The fossil record has also revealed claw marks on riverbeds, likely made by large theropods like the T-Rex.
The film may justify the T-Rex’s swimming abilities by virtue of it being a mutant version of the species, having evolved in the original Jurassic Park testing facility. Typically, T-Rexes are at the top of the food chain, posing a threat to humans and other dinosaurs. The franchise has often utilized the same T-Rex, nicknamed Rexy, in its stories. By introducing new powers to the T-Rex, Jurassic World: Rebirth aims to revitalize the creature and make it even more formidable and unpredictable.
Jurassic World: Rebirth is releasing on July 2, 2025.