As we draw closer to actual production on Jurassic World 2, casting announcements are beginning to increase in frequency, and significance. We already knew that Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard – stars of Jurassic World – will be reprising their roles. We also already knew that Rafe Spall (The Big Short), Toby Jones (Sherlock), and Justice Smith (The Get Down) are set to join them. Now, however, we’re told that Daniella Pineda (The Detour) has been cast as “one of” the female leads.
It is this “female lead” part that is notable. Now, clearly, when a Hollywood film features a cast that is largely male, then any part for a woman that involves more than a handful of lines can legitimately be described as ‘one of the female leads’ – it doesn’t necessarily mean that her role is as significant as that of actual lead Bryce Dallas Howard. But, what it does mean is that Jurassic World 2 is already setting itself up as a film that will have more than one consequential female role in it – and that is something to which we should look forward.
Jurassic World 2 will be directed by J.A Bayona (A Monster Calls), who will be using a script written by Colin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly – the regular collaborators responsible for the vast success of Jurassic World in 2015. That film stormed to a global box office haul of $1.67 billion – and the team are surely hoping to replicate that record-breaking release when the sequel arrives on June 22nd, 2018. In the meantime, we’ll be watching for more casting announcements, and any clues as to the direction this upcoming franchise instalment might take.