Jurassic Park III on Italia 1: plot, cast, and box office receipts

Jurassic Park III come on Italia 1 Saturday 1st August in prime time: the third chapter of the saga that in 1993 made the world fall in love with dinosaurs returns to TV directed by Joe johnstonHere is the plot, cast, production curiosities and numbers of the film released in 2001.

Saturday night's appointment on Italia 1

On Saturday 1st August, in prime time, Italia 1's schedule turns the spotlight on Jurassic Park III, the third chapter of the saga that brought dinosaurs to the big screen in 1993. Directed by Joe johnston and was released in theaters in 2001, the film closes the original trilogy and, after more than twenty years, remains one of the most reruns on television. It lasts 92 minutes, mixes action, adventure and science fiction and brings back to the screen the paleontologist Alan Grant played by Sam neillIt is also the first film in the series not to be based on a novel by Michael Crichton and the last to bear the name Jurassic Park: after him, in 2015, the franchise would be reborn as Jurassic World. For those who follow the evening programming, this appointment is part of a week full of offers: the column dedicated to what's on TV tonight It helps you find your way around the channels and not miss the best titles.

The plot: Grant returns to the Forbidden Island

The story picks up about four years after the San Diego incident: the existence of cloned dinosaurs is now public knowledge, but Isla Sorna has been declared restricted area After the failure of the previous expedition, Alan Grant, who escaped the Jurassic Park disaster, continues to search for fossils together with his young student Billy Brennan, played by Alessandro nivola, but research funds are scarce. The two have just purchased a machine capable of scanning a fossil and sculpting a three-dimensional reproduction: with it, Billy creates the sound box of a Velociraptor, the species that Grant has discovered possesses astonishing communication and organizational skills. This is where the couple enters the picture. Paul and Amanda Kirby, played by William H. Macy and Téa Leoni, who offer the paleontologist a flyover of Isla Sorna in exchange for a generous grant for the excavations. Grant reluctantly accepts, urged on by his student, and only later discovers the truth: the Kirbys are not rich, they are divorced and are looking for their twelve-year-old son Eric, missing on the island for eight weeks after an illegal paragliding. The mission thus becomes a race against time between the Spinosaurus, the new predator at the top of the food chain, the clash with the T. rex and the pteranodon aviary, up to the rescue orchestrated by Ellie Sattler, Laura Dern's character who returns in the third chapter.

From Spielberg to Johnston, a passing of the baton

Behind the camera, Jurassic Park III marks an important change: Steven Spielberg, director of the first two films, gives way to Joe johnston and remains on board as executive producer. Johnston had also been considered to direct the second chapter and, once chosen, brought a different sensibility to the project. Production began in 2000, even before the script was completed: the basic idea, a rescue mission to Isla Sorna, was born from David Koepp, screenwriter of the two previous films, and was developed by Peter Buchman, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor. Before arriving at the final title, the project changed names several times, going through Jurassic Park: Extinction and Jurassic Park: Breakout. Principal photography began on August 30, 2000 between California and Hawaii, on the islands of Oahu and Molokai, with the jungle deliberately wilder and more "rotten" than in the previous films. A curious anecdote concerns Jeff GoldblumIan Malcolm, the character played by the actor, was also supposed to appear in this chapter, but a leg injury, a few days before filming, forced the producers to abandon it.

Spinosaurus vs. T. rex, the match that divided fans

The most discussed novelty of the film is the entrance of the Spinosaurus as the main antagonist, instead of the T. rex that had dominated the first two chapters. The paleontologist convinced the producers Jack Horner, a consultant on the franchise since the very beginning: Baryonyx was initially considered, but the choice fell on the dinosaur with the distinctive sail on its back, larger than the Tyrannosaurus, 15 meters versus 13, and with an instantly recognizable silhouette. The clash between the two giants, which ends with the victory of the Spinosaurus, has become one of the most debated moments in the series, also because many fans have never accepted the outcome: according to the most recent studies, the Spinosaurus was primarily a fish eater and would have been unlikely to have faced a carnivore of its same size. On a technical level, the film marks a step forward in terms of visual effects: Industrial Light & Magic handled the CGI, while Stan Winston and his team created the animatronics, with the Velociraptors redesigned according to new paleontological theories. The bestiary also includes the Ankylosaurus, the Ceratosaurus, and the Corythosaurus, three species that never appeared in previous installments.

Cast, box office, and reception: the film's numbers

Alongside Sam Neill, who returns as Alan Grant after eight years, the film stars William H. Macy e Tea Leoni in the Kirby roles, Alessandro Nivola as Billy Brennan, Trevor Morgan as the young Eric and Laura Dern who reprises the character of Ellie Sattler. With a budget of 93 million dollars, the film grossed $50,3 million in its opening weekend alone and closed with approximately 368,7 million dollars Worldwide, it was the eighth-highest-grossing film of the year, though it remained the lowest-grossing film of the franchise. Critics were divided: Rotten Tomatoes recorded a 49% approval rating, while Metacritic stood at 42 out of 100. However, Roger Ebert called it the best blockbuster of the summer, and the film received Saturn Award nominations. In 2002, Michael Crichton admitted he had never seen the film, while the most devoted fans never forgave the fate of the T. rex. Years later, those who want to rediscover the world of dinosaurs can also count on initiatives in Campania, such as the adventure park Jurassic Samnium, dedicated to both young and old enthusiasts.