How Do You Watch the Jurassic Park Movies in Order?

By ReelVerse Editorial TeamPublished 6 min read

Abstract cinematic art of generic dinosaur silhouettes in a misty jungle under gold light beams and magenta haze

Quick Answer

Watch the seven Jurassic Park movies in release order, which is also story order: Jurassic Park (1993), The Lost World (1997), Jurassic Park III (2001), Jurassic World (2015), Fallen Kingdom (2018), Dominion (2022), and Jurassic World Rebirth (2025). Rebirth is set five years after Dominion: a loose sequel, not a reboot.

On this page
  1. The Jurassic Park watch order
  2. What are the three eras of Jurassic Park?
  3. Is Jurassic World Rebirth a reboot?
  4. Do you need to watch every Jurassic Park movie?
  5. Which actors return across the Jurassic Park movies?
  6. Are the Jurassic Park movies based on books?
  7. What about the Jurassic Park shorts and TV series?
  8. Jurassic Park runtimes and directors
  9. Is there a Jurassic Park movie for every age?
  10. Are the Jurassic Park movies OK for kids?
  11. Frequently Asked Questions
  12. Our Take
  13. Sources

Key Takeaways

  • There are seven films, and release order is the same as story order.
  • The series has three eras: the Park trilogy, the World trilogy, and Rebirth.
  • Jurassic World Rebirth is a loose sequel, not a reboot; it is set five years after Dominion with a new cast.
  • All seven run 878 minutes in total and are rated PG-13.

The Jurassic Park watch order

There are seven films in the Jurassic Park series. Release order is also story order, so you can watch them straight through from 1993 to 2025. TheWrap's guide makes the same point: there are no timeline tricks in this franchise [2]. Release dates, runtimes, directors, and ratings come from Wikidata [1].

  1. Jurassic Park (1993)
  2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
  3. Jurassic Park III (2001)
  4. Jurassic World (2015)
  5. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
  6. Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
  7. Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)
The three eras of Jurassic Park films Timeline: the Jurassic Park trilogy in 1993, 1997, and 2001; the Jurassic World trilogy in 2015, 2018, and 2022; and Jurassic World Rebirth in 2025. Three eras, one timeline Numbers are release order (also story order). 1995 2005 2015 2025 No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. 5 No. 6 No. 7 Jurassic Park trilogy Jurassic World trilogy New era
Release order and story order are the same.

What are the three eras of Jurassic Park?

The series falls into three groups, and knowing them makes the similar names less confusing.

The Jurassic Park trilogy (1993 to 2001). Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park adapted Michael Crichton's novel, with a screenplay co-written by Crichton and David Koepp [2]. Spielberg also directed The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and Joe Johnston directed Jurassic Park III [1].

The Jurassic World trilogy (2015 to 2022). Jurassic World revived the series with a new cast, followed by Fallen Kingdom and Dominion. Colin Trevorrow directed the first and third, and J. A. Bayona directed Fallen Kingdom [1].

The new era (2025). Jurassic World Rebirth, directed by Gareth Edwards, introduces an all-new cast led by Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey. David Koepp, who co-wrote the 1993 screenplay, returned to write it [3]. Edwards also directed the 2014 Godzilla, which opens our Godzilla watch order's MonsterVerse section.

Is Jurassic World Rebirth a reboot?

Not in the usual sense. TheWrap's explainer says Rebirth is not a reboot: it is set five years after Jurassic World Dominion and builds on the events of that film, while introducing new characters [3]. TheWrap's watch-order guide loosely calls it a reboot and a new on-ramp to the franchise [2], but given the explainer's detail, the fairest description is a loose sequel with a fresh cast.

That makes Rebirth the seventh film in a single continuity, not a fresh start. In practice, though, it is an easy entry point, because its main characters are all new. If you want to jump straight to the newest film, watching the original Jurassic Park first gives you the background that matters most.

How many Jurassic Park films should you watch? Flowchart: for one film watch Jurassic Park (1993); for the full story watch all seven in release order; to jump to the newest, watch Jurassic Park and then Jurassic World Rebirth. How much Jurassic do you want? Just one Jurassic Park (1993). The full story All seven in release order. Newest first Jurassic Park, then Rebirth. Release order is also story order.
Three ways to watch.

Do you need to watch every Jurassic Park movie?

Not to enjoy most single films. Each entry has its own adventure, but Dominion in particular assumes you know the earlier films: TheWrap recommends seeing at least Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, and Fallen Kingdom first, and says Dominion's plot benefits from knowledge of both earlier World films [2].

Three practical plans:

  • One film: Jurassic Park (1993). It works completely on its own, and TheWrap calls it a good starting point no matter which films you watch next [2].
  • The full story: all seven in release order.
  • Newest first: Jurassic Park, then Jurassic World Rebirth.

Which actors return across the Jurassic Park movies?

The two trilogies have separate leads, but several actors bridge them. According to Wikidata's cast records [1]:

  • Sam Neill and Laura Dern appear in Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park III, and Jurassic World Dominion.
  • Jeff Goldblum appears in four films: Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Fallen Kingdom, and Dominion.
  • BD Wong appears in four films: Jurassic Park and all three Jurassic World films.
  • Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard lead the Jurassic World trilogy.

This is the main reason to watch the original Jurassic Park, plus the first two Jurassic World films, before Dominion: it brings original cast members back alongside the Jurassic World cast [2], and it lands better if you know who they are.

Rebirth is different. TheWrap describes its cast as made up entirely of newcomers to the series [3], which is why it is the easiest newer film to start with.

Are the Jurassic Park movies based on books?

The first two are. Wikidata lists Michael Crichton's novels Jurassic Park and The Lost World as the source material for the first two films [1]. The later films are not credited as adaptations of a novel.

You do not need to read the books to follow the films. But if you enjoy the films, the books are a good way to spend more time in the same world.

What about the Jurassic Park shorts and TV series?

Beyond the seven films, the franchise has a few extras. None is required, but they add side stories for fans [2]:

  • Battle at Big Rock: a 10-minute short directed by Colin Trevorrow, about a family confronted by dinosaurs on a camping trip. It is tied to the Jurassic World trilogy.
  • The Dominion prologue: a five-minute prologue to Jurassic World Dominion, also directed by Trevorrow, which first played before IMAX screenings of F9.
  • Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: an animated series that ran for five seasons and ties loosely into Jurassic World and Fallen Kingdom.
  • Jurassic World: Chaos Theory: a three-season sequel series from the same showrunners that ties into Jurassic World Dominion.

TheWrap ties both shorts to the Jurassic World trilogy, and the Dominion prologue leads straight into Dominion [2]. TheWrap describes both animated series as family series [2], which makes them an easier fit for younger fans.

Jurassic Park runtimes and directors

No.FilmUS releaseDirectorRuntime (min)Rating
1Jurassic Park1993-06-11Steven Spielberg127PG-13
2The Lost World: Jurassic Park1997-05-23Steven Spielberg128PG-13
3Jurassic Park III2001-07-18Joe Johnston92PG-13
4Jurassic World2015-06-12Colin Trevorrow124PG-13
5Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom2018-06-22J. A. Bayona128PG-13
6Jurassic World Dominion2022-06-10Colin Trevorrow146PG-13
7Jurassic World Rebirth2025-07-02Gareth Edwards133PG-13

All seven films together run 878 minutes, about 14 hours 38 minutes. The shortest by far is Jurassic Park III at 92 minutes, and the longest is Dominion at 146. All seven are rated PG-13 [1].

Runtimes of the Jurassic Park films Bar chart of runtimes in release order: 127, 128, 92, 124, 128, 146, and 133 minutes, as listed in Wikidata. Runtime in minutes (Wikidata) Jurassic Park (1993) 127 The Lost World (1997) 128 Jurassic Park III (2001) 92 Jurassic World (2015) 124 Fallen Kingdom (2018) 128 Dominion (2022) 146 Rebirth (2025) 133 Colors match the three eras.
Runtimes as listed in Wikidata, colored by era.

A comfortable marathon plan is one era per day: the Jurassic Park trilogy on day one (347 minutes), the Jurassic World trilogy on day two (398 minutes), and Rebirth on its own to finish.

Is there a Jurassic Park movie for every age?

Not quite: all seven films are rated PG-13 [1]. For younger fans, the two animated series are the gentler option, since TheWrap describes them as family series [2]. If your kids enjoy those, the original Jurassic Park is the natural first film to try together.

Are the Jurassic Park movies OK for kids?

All seven films are rated PG-13, so they generally suit older kids and teens better than young children. If you are watching with younger viewers, the original film is a good test: if they enjoy it without being too frightened by the dinosaur scenes, the later films are a reasonable next step. Preview anything you are unsure about.

If your family enjoys big adventure series, the Pirates of the Caribbean watch order is a good next choice, and the Alien watch order covers a horror series whose main films are rated R. For more films in the same vein, see our list of the best sci-fi movies.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Jurassic Park movies are there?

Seven: three Jurassic Park films (1993 to 2001), three Jurassic World films (2015 to 2022), and Jurassic World Rebirth (2025).

Is Jurassic World Rebirth a sequel or a reboot?

A loose sequel. It is set five years after Jurassic World Dominion, with a new cast of characters.

Do I need to watch Jurassic Park before Jurassic World?

It is not required, but the original film gives useful background, and TheWrap recommends it as the starting point.

Which Jurassic Park movie is the shortest?

Jurassic Park III, at 92 minutes as listed in Wikidata. The longest is Jurassic World Dominion at 146.

Our Take

We think the original Jurassic Park is the one essential film in the series and the right starting point for anyone. If you enjoy it, we would watch the rest in order rather than skipping around, because the Jurassic World trilogy in particular works best as a continuous story. In our view, Rebirth is the most welcoming newer entry for viewers who missed the middle films, since it centers on all-new characters. Jurassic Park III is the easiest to skip if you are short on time. This is editorial opinion, not a ranking based on scores.

Sources

  1. Wikidata film records (release dates, runtimes, directors, MPA ratings). Wikimedia Foundation.
  2. How to Watch the 'Jurassic Park' Movies in Order. TheWrap.
  3. Jurassic World Rebirth: Release Date, Cast, Trailer and Everything We Know. TheWrap.

Release dates, runtimes and ratings come from Wikidata and official sources and can differ by country or edition. We do not track which service is streaming a film right now, because that changes often.Spotted an error? Tell us.