How to Watch the Jurassic Park Movies in Chronological Order

The Jurassic Park saga, born from Michael Crichton's imaginative novel and Steven Spielberg's cinematic genius, captivated audiences in the 1990s. Decades later, the Jurassic World trilogy reignited the franchise, generating an additional $4 billion at the box office across three films. With Jurassic World: Rebirth hitting theaters in July, we present a viewing guide to navigate this sprawling dinosaur adventure. Explore the series chronologically or by release date.

Jurassic Park Films: A Complete Guide

How Many Jurassic Park Movies Exist?

Six feature-length films comprise the Jurassic franchise – three Jurassic Park installments and three Jurassic World entries. Jurassic World: Rebirth will be the seventh. The extended universe includes two short films and a Netflix animated series, incorporated into the chronological order below.

Jurassic Park: Chronological Viewing Order

(Minor spoilers regarding characters, settings, and plot points are included below.)

1. Jurassic Park (1993)

The main film chronology closely mirrors release order; only the shorts and series require additional guidance. Jurassic Park adapts Crichton's novel, introducing the core concept: cloned dinosaurs populate a theme park (Isla Nublar) owned by a reckless entrepreneur (Richard Attenborough).

Paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill), paleobotanist Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) assess the park's safety alongside John Hammond's grandchildren, Lex and Tim Murphy. A storm and sabotage disable security, unleashing the dinosaurs and triggering a thrilling escape.

Read IGN's Jurassic Park review or preorder the 4K Edition.

Jurassic Park, Universal Pictures, June 11, 1993, PG-13

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(The rest of the film descriptions will follow a similar shortened format to save space while maintaining the core information and image placement.)

2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Four years later, Ian Malcolm (Goldblum) and John Hammond (Attenborough) return alongside Sarah Harding (Julianne Moore) to Isla Sorna, an abandoned island teeming with dinosaurs. A corporate power struggle leads to a conflict between those seeking to exploit the dinosaurs and those aiming for preservation. A captured T-Rex escapes to San Diego, creating chaos.

Read IGN's review.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Universal Pictures, May 23, 1997, PG-13

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3. Jurassic Park 3 (2001)

Alan Grant (Neill) returns, with a smaller appearance from Ellie Sattler (Dern). Four years later, on Isla Sorna, Grant leads a rescue mission for a missing boy, encountering hostile velociraptors.

Read IGN's review.

Jurassic Park III, Amblin, July 18, 2001, PG-13

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4. Jurassic World (2015)

Twenty-two years later, a new park opens on Isla Nublar. Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) must contend with a genetically modified Indominus rex and other escaped dinosaurs.

Read IGN's review.

Jurassic World, Amblin, June 12, 2015

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4a. Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (TV Series - 2020)

A family-friendly animated series set during the Jurassic World trilogy. Six kids attending Camp Cretaceous on Isla Nublar must survive when the dinosaurs escape.

Read IGN's review.

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Netflix, September 18, 2020

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5. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

Three years later, a volcanic eruption threatens Isla Nublar's dinosaurs. Claire Dearing and Owen Grady attempt a rescue mission, uncovering hidden agendas and releasing dinosaurs into the wider world. Ian Malcolm (Goldblum) returns.

Read IGN's review.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Legendary Pictures, June 22, 2018

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6. Battle at Big Rock (Short Film - 2019)

A 10-minute short film set between Fallen Kingdom and Dominion, depicting early human-dinosaur conflicts.

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7. Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (TV Series - 2024)

A sequel to Camp Cretaceous, set six years later, just before Dominion.

Read IGN's review.

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, Netflix, May 24, 2024

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8. Jurassic World Dominion: The Prologue (Short Film - 2021)

A 5-minute short, originally part of Dominion, showing a prehistoric battle and a modern-day T-Rex encounter.

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9. Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Four years after Fallen Kingdom, humans and dinosaurs coexist, leading to ecological and ethical challenges. Characters from both trilogies unite.

Read IGN's review.

Jurassic World Dominion, Universal Pictures, June 10, 2022

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Jurassic Park Films: Release Order

Jurassic Park (1993) The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) Jurassic Park 3 (2001) Jurassic World (2015) Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) Battle at Big Rock (2019) Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (2020) Jurassic World Dominion: The Prologue (2021) Jurassic World Dominion (2022) Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (2024)

Future Jurassic Park Installments

Jurassic World: Rebirth, releasing July 2nd, is set five years after Dominion, focusing on a team securing dinosaur DNA samples. Directed by Gareth Edwards, it stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey. The film reportedly draws inspiration from the original novel. Remember to replace the bracketed placeholders with actual links.