HOLLYWOOD – Universal Pictures has announced it is producing another installment of the Jurassic World franchise, just two years after Jurassic World Dominion hit the big screen and the studio has once again turn to Chris Pratt to star in the film, albeit in a new and unexpected role.

Pratt is expected to return as gruff velociraptor trainer Owen Grady but is also being tapped to do something that no other title in the Jurassic Park saga has done: provide a voice for the ancient reptilians.

“We’re looking to do something we’ve never done before,” said Stan Cameron, a producer on the untitled new film. “We’ve brought back characters from the original franchise, invented new and terrifying dinosaurs thanks to our very vague understanding of DNA sequencing, so in order to create a movie that fans won’t feel completely disappointed for spending their money on, we need to do something fresh.”

Critics of the decision to give the CGI-created creatures a human voice said they’re willing to suspend their disbelief but wish the studio would’ve given the opportunity to voice the characters to someone other than Pratt.

“Look, I love Chris and think he’s a wonderful actor, but do we really need him to play another animated character?” asked Sarah Garamond, a life-long Jurassic Park fan and Chris Pratt groupie. “He played Emmet in the Lego movie, Mario in the Super Mario movie, and he’s also slated to play Garfield. My entire childhood has basically been replaced by Pratt.”

“We’re just trying to strike while the iron is hot,” said Cameron, in defense of his decision to cast Pratt as the dinosaurs. “The Super Mario Bros. movie made more than $1 billion dollars and that was a kids movie. Sure, our last Jurassic movie make more than a billion dollars, too, but imagine how much more money we can steal from the viewers if Chris lent his voice to the dinos? We should’ve done this years ago.”

While there are some people who seem genuinely interested in this new installment of the franchise, namely the Jurassic Park superfans, many fans have been skeptical about whether the move will motivate them to see the film, particularly about the divided reception to Dominion.

“The last Jurassic World movie took all the excitement out of dinosaurs,” said Herb Victorino, a movie critic for the Boston Globe. “There were so many dinosaur encounters that it felt more routine than exhilarating. Even the actors in the movie looked like they were dialing it in. They couldn’t even feign any sort of enthusiasm or fear. I’m not sure how adding a human voice to them will make people want to see this movie. The franchise should’ve gone extinct years ago.”

Those who are holding out hope, however, point to the fact the studio has hired David Koepp as its writer. Koepp wrote the original Jurassic Park screenplay as well as its sequel, Jurassic Park: The Lost World and is credited as the nineth most successful screenwriter of all time in regard to box office receipts, with his movies raking in more than $2.3 billion dollars. Some of his other notable works include: Carlito’s Way, Mission: Impossible, Spider-Man, War of the Worlds, and multiple Indiana Jones titles.

No director has been selected for this new installment of the Jurassic World saga, but the studio has brought back Frank Marshall, who oversaw the other movies in the reboot franchise, as producer. Little other facts about the film are known at this time as it’s still early in the pre-production phase, but in addition to Pratt’s return, it’s believed Bryce Dallas Howard will also reprise her role as Claire Dearing. It is not believed anyone from the original series, such as Sam Neill, Laura Dern, or Jeff Goldblum will return.

“Right now, the OG cast is probably out,” said Cameron. “But we’re not holding back on any idea. Don’t be surprised if Wayne Knight makes a cameo as some sort of dino-human hybrid abomination. That would be cool, wouldn’t it?”

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