‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Reimagines the Mesozoic Era’s Predators

Jurassic World Rebirth‘s Distortus Rex is stealing the show for now, but fans have spotted several other apex predators in the film’s trailer. None might be as genetically modified as Distortus, but they’ve been created with many different mutations. Some, like the velociraptor and Tyrannosaurus rex, are inspired by real-life dinosaurs. Others, like the aquatic predator Mosasaur, have been reimagined as apex carnivores at the top of the food chain. Additionally, several more appear capable of causing significant havoc.

Quetzalcoatlus, a Bird-Like Reimagining

Quetzalcoatlus is a pterosaur genus and a very real creature. Its name comes from the Aztec god Quetzalcóatl, which refers to this pterosaur’s power and dominance over the skies. During the Late Cretaceous period, it inhabited the region today known as North America. Despite not having teeth, this carnivore still managed to prey on fish and other small animals. It likely terrified small marine animals, but the size of this pterosaur would have spooked other dinosaurs, too. It’s estimated that the wingspan of the Quetzalcoatlus had the potential to reach 36 feet. That’s the largest of any winged animal in history, including modern-day raptors.

There’s still much to learn about Quetzalcoatlus, and one mystery still confounds paleontologists. Given its wingspan and weight of up to 500 pounds, scientists are unsure how this pterosaur was able to take flight. According to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, some experts theorize it may have been capable of flying short distances. Others believe its stork-like legs kept it mostly grounded, though it may have been able to fly in short bursts. While flight may have been challenging for the real Quetzalcoatlus, the version seen in Jurassic World Rebirth appears to have no such limitations.

The trailer shows a pterosaur resembling Quetzalcoatlus climbing down a steep rockface. This could be a callback to Jurassic World Dominion, where this enormous bird attacks Owen’s plane midair. Given the sheer size of this creature, it’s not out of the realm of possibility. However, its inability to take off naturally would inhibit any sort of surprise attack. Another inconsistency fans have found with Jurassic World Rebirth’s Quetzalcoatlus is its size. While the Quetzalcoatlus in Dominion was pure pterosaur DNA, fans wonder if a mutation in Rebirth is responsible for the smaller size of the new species.

Dilophosaurus, Still a Venomous Predator

Dilophosaurus may have been one of the most remarkable dinosaur species in Jurassic Park. It appears in one of the most memorable scenes from the first film. When we see this predator, it’s roughly five feet in height and sporting a pair of wing flaps on either side of its head. Black, toxic venom spews from its mouth, blinding anyone who gets too close. As incredible as this would have been in real life, this portrayal is far from accurate, but still pretty epic. Surprisingly, Dilophosaurus was larger than its on-screen counterpart.

It lived during the Jurassic period, making its Jurassic Park appearance relatively accurate. However, it grew to 20 feet long and would have dominated the smaller version we see in the film. The original villain of Jurassic Park, Dennis Nedry, comes face to face with this unfortunate creature. It compensates for its smaller size with a terrifying screech, dragon-like flaps, and acidic venom. It’s the most dramatized of all the Jurassic Park dinosaurs, and it’s making a comeback in Jurassic World Rebirth. Unfortunately for fans of this dinosaur, there’s no evidence to support real-life Dilophosaurus having intimidating frills or toxic venom. New studies say it may have been a respectable apex predator, but nothing similar to what the films portray. If anything, the size, speed, and jaw power of Dilophosaurus are what made it so formidable.

In the trailer, we see the same lizard-like frill that automatically tells us everything we need to know. While Dilophosaurus was also seen in Jurassic World: Dominion, this new version looks to combine that with the original Jurassic Park design. We see various brown spots on its frills, with a lithe body and agile limbs. Based on early impressions, fans believe that Dilophosaurus will be just as much of a threat, if not more so, as an apex predator in Jurassic World Rebirth. Other notable new features include the vibrant color of Dilophosaurus‘s frill and prominent teeth that stick out more than its predecessors. Its neck also looks more buff, making it a stronger-looking predator than in previous movies. Interestingly, the real-life Dilophosaurus may also have had strong jaws. This is evidenced by bite marks found in a nearby fossil, implying Dilophosaurus took a bite of another dinosaur.