Rupert Friend joins cast of new 'Jurassic World' film

Los Angeles, May 23 (PTI) British actor Rupert Friend is the latest addition to the next installment in the "Jurassic World" franchise.

Friend, known for his performances in films such as "Pride & Prejudice", "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas", "The Death of Stalin" and "At Eternity's Gate", will feature alongside Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in the project.

Hollywood studio Universal Pictures has set the new film for theatrical release on July 2, 2025.

Gareth Edwards of "The Creator" fame is attached as a director with the project, after David Leitch's exited the project.

David Koepp, the screenwriter of 1993 original "Jurassic Park" and its 1997 sequel "Jurassic Park: The Lost World", will pen the script for the new movie.

The project will mark the beginning of a fresh storyline in the juggernaut series, which has spanned three decades.

The franchise started with Steven Speilberg's "Jurassic Park" trilogy, which also included "Jurassic Park III" (2001).

A new trilogy, set 22 years after the events of "Jurassic Park", began with 2015's "Jurassic World", followed by sequels - "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" (2018) and "Jurassic World Dominion" (2022).

Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley will produce the new movie through Kennedy-Marshall. Spielberg is executive producing through Amblin Entertainment. PTI RB RB