The new chapter of the 'Jurassic' series, 'Jurassic World,' unveils itself.
A press conference for the movie 'Jurassic World: A New Beginning' (directed by Gareth Edwards, screenplay by David Koepp, distributed by Universal Pictures) was held on July 1 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul.
'Jurassic World: A New Beginning,' considered a must-see film this summer, follows the characters 'Zora' (Scarlett Johansson) and 'Dr. Henry' (Jonathan Bailey) as they enter the most dangerous island on Earth, home to the secret laboratories of the former Jurassic Park, to save humanity and discover shocking truths that have been hidden while surviving the threat of dinosaurs. It will be released in theaters nationwide on July 2.
Especially, for the first time in the series, the director and leading actors visited Korea, and the event was attended by Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and director Gareth Edwards.
Gareth Edwards, the director, shared his thoughts on visiting Korea, saying, "My first film was 'Monsters.' It had a low budget, but I received an invitation to the Bucheon Fantastic Film Festival and even won an award. At that time, I realized that Korea has the best taste since I won an award." He playfully added, "I was very happy to see the shooting location of 'The Host' back then."
The director noted, "One of the reasons the Jurassic series has been successful is that for millions of years we have been mammals with instincts to eat and sleep. We have evolved while living in the threat of predators attacking us every day. While it seems that such natural instincts may have disappeared, the moment we watch the movie, that instinct returns. I believe that the human instinct is to fear large animals. As long as we have this instinct, I think monster movies will continue to survive." He also answered a question about how he maintained the balance between the legacy of the series and newness.
He remarked, "The definitive answer to this question is something I'm finding out for myself. The important thing in making this kind of film is that I become a fan myself. When someone comes to me and asks me to 'successfully make a Jurassic film,' I find it hard to respond. Films transcend language, making everyone feel, so it's difficult to articulate. Every day, I have to make hundreds of decisions; going left would mean overly repeating the series, while going right wouldn't feel Jurassic enough. I had to find the balance in between and seek the perfect middle path. After the movie comes out, I see the fans' reactions and feel it too. If I had a secret, I would ask director Steven Spielberg, but I think no one knows. I also selfishly made it for myself because I am a huge fan of the series, so I made it like a love letter to director Spielberg."
He also shared an anecdote about Steven Spielberg. He said, "Director Spielberg is my hero. He's like Santa Claus. It's amazing that he exists. Since I admire him so much, it's always surreal to have meetings with him. One night, while filming, the producer handed me his cellphone. When an older person gives you their phone, it usually means they need help, right? I asked if it was for Wi-Fi, and it turned out the screensaver was Spielberg. I was surprised and nervous because I was talking to my hero. I also showed it to others; I remember everyone feeling a little shy about it."
He also talked about filming behind-the-scenes. Director Gareth said, "When we were filming, it was bound to be secret, so I couldn't tell the actors as they might worry about it. There's a scene where Scarlett and others are in swamps up to their waists. When we were filming that scene, some people were screaming. I went to check, and there was a person handling snakes, pulling out venomous snakes. I had to say not to tell the actors about that; I thought they wouldn't want to film it, so I asked not to mention it. I lied. I'm sorry," he admitted, causing laughter.
Additionally, regarding the message the film aims to convey, he said, "I heard that currently, 99.99% of most living creatures on Earth are extinct. What our film conveys isn't that since the Earth is fine, people will be fine too. Of course, while 'Jurassic World' is an entertaining film, I wanted to hide an important message within it. I wanted to explain the relationship between humans and nature, and the reasons we need to be cautious."
Scarlett Johansson expressed her excitement about visiting Korea for the second time in 8 years, saying, "I'm so thrilled to be in Korea. I'm happy to be back. I wish I had more time. This morning, I bought many skincare products in Myeongdong. That's something I had to do, so I went there from morning. I think I had seven kinds of kimchi for breakfast." She continued, "I'm looking forward to meeting fans today. Korean fans always give so much hospitality, so I'm really looking forward to it."
Regarding the acting behind the scenes, she recalled, "The most difficult part was that we couldn't actually see the dinosaurs; instead, we had to act as if we were looking at a tennis ball on a stick. So, we had to maintain our stamina and the feelings of fear. There were high levels of tension with the continuous action. As soon as the cue sign dropped, I had to show a fearful look, and then if a camera issue happened and I had to wait for a few minutes, I would relax and then have to get tense again. Those parts of lowering and raising my tension were the most difficult." However, she added, "But our fellow actors are amazing, and we depended on each other to maintain immersion. I think trusting and relying on my co-actors is really important. I could maintain the belief that everyone would perform excellently, and we felt that mutually. We were lucky that it turned out well."
Scarlett further commented, "I feel really lucky. After reading the script that the director wrote, I understood it, and I consider it a great honor to be part of the Jurassic universe. I was so happy and honored. I knew that the producer and director Spielberg were constantly discussing the project, but I also kept thinking about the character 'Zora'. I hoped that the character Zora would feel vividly human. I didn't expect that they would have open discussions about the character, but the production team frequently asked for my opinions on how I thought the character should be. It was a very productive conversation. I was curious to see how this would actually come out, and a few weeks later, David gave me a revised script that reflected everyone's opinions. They listened to my opinions and respected them, adding to it. Seeing this, I thought that across all dimensions, my dream had come true. I can hardly believe that I influenced something like this, and I'm still trying to process it. My childhood dream has become a reality."
Jonathan Bailey said, "I'm so excited. I've heard that Korean fans are the best in the world. There are many movie-loving fans in Korea. I know the Jurassic series is quite popular, and I'm happy to be able to come here. I have to leave tomorrow morning, so I'll do my best to enjoy it."
'Playing 'Dr. Henry,' Jonathan recalled, "I remember watching the first series of 'Jurassic Park' when I was 5 years old. What really surprised me was that even for such large productions, without a script, we could change the camera and play music. The director made it very beautifully. Scarlett was able to showcase her honed talents. There was also teamwork in creating things that weren't in the script. Those moments are what I really loved, and I want to express my gratitude to Scarlett and the director for allowing me to join this."
He continued, "When I learned that I would play the role of the paleontologist, I understood the beauty of portraying a character with such great passion. To portray this character well, I had to express his curiosity and wonder. I think those called 'nerds' are amazing because they research one subject for a lifetime. However, I found acting to be very easy. Because simply being a part of this series felt like an experience of actually meeting dinosaurs."
Rupert Friend, who plays the role of a representative from a pharmaceutical company, said, "I came to Seoul to give a speech with my wife. I had a really fun time then. I met politicians and fans. I have fond memories of eating gochujang, which remains beautifully in my mind."
Furthermore, he shared, "There's a scene in the movie where characters encounter the Titanosaurus in a beautiful sight. Standing at the back, Jonathan appears as a paleontologist who loves dinosaurs. Watching that person gave me chills. It was the first time I touched a dinosaur, and it was such a marvelous scene that I felt like I was going to cry. Watching them act, I think it shows the power of imagination. I believe that the power of the 'Jurassic' series shows the strength of imagination in a transitional moment. Every character that appears in the film is different. Their motivations are also different. However, it's a mission that can only be successful if we come together as a team. My character has a uniquely isolating nature, but as we developed the story, I felt camaraderie, teamwork, and familial love. It's important that, even though everyone is different and has different motivations, we become one as a cast."
Finally, Scarlett said, "I vividly remember watching the Jurassic series with my family at the movie theater. I think the collective experience with other audience members was an incredible time. It's also a wonderful experience. This movie is great visually and aurally, but I think you can't replicate that in a home theater. It's an experience that can only be vibrant when watched collectively. The popcorn will fly. These days, there's a trend in the U.S. of throwing popcorn on the screen. It will be a movie where popcorn scatters in the air," she laughed, adding, "I'm also a huge fan of the series, and I'm happy to meet other passionate fans. I hope Korean Jurassic fans watch this movie, in which I take pride in being involved. When I was 9 or 10 years old, I saw Jurassic in the theater, and now I'm excited that kids around that age will experience the first Jurassic series."
[Photo] OSEN DB
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