"Jurassic Park Movies: How to Watch in Chronological Order"

The iconic "Jurassic Park" franchise, born from the brilliant mind of novelist Michael Crichton and brought to life by the visionary director Steven Spielberg, became one of the most cherished and financially successful films of the 1990s. Fast forward two decades, and the "Jurassic World" trilogy revitalized the series, contributing an impressive $4 billion to the franchise's total box office earnings.

With the highly anticipated "Jurassic World Rebirth" set to hit theaters in July, we've crafted a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the expansive Jurassic saga. Whether you prefer to watch the films in chronological order or by their release dates, we've got you covered. Scroll down to discover the perfect viewing order for the Jurassic Park series.

Jurassic Park Movies in Order

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How Many Jurassic Park Movies Are There?

There are six feature-length Jurassic movies—three from the original Jurassic Park series and three from the Jurassic World trilogy. "Jurassic World Rebirth" will mark the seventh installment in the Jurassic Park saga. Additionally, the franchise includes two short films and an animated Netflix series, which we've incorporated into our chronological viewing guide below.

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Jurassic Park Movies in Chronological Order

These summaries contain mild spoilers, including characters, settings, and general plot points.

1. Jurassic Park (1993)

The "Jurassic Park" chronology largely follows the release order of the main feature films, with only the short films and Netflix series requiring additional guidance.

"Jurassic Park" adapts Michael Crichton's novel, establishing the series' premise: Dinosaurs are cloned using DNA extracted from prehistoric mosquitoes trapped in amber. A daring entrepreneur, John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), utilizes these clones to populate a theme park on the fictional island of Isla Nublar.

Paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill), paleobotanist Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and mathematician/chaotician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) arrive to evaluate the park's safety. They are joined by Lex and Tim Murphy, Hammond's grandchildren.

A tropical storm hits the island, and a saboteur cuts the power to steal corporate secrets, leading to a security system failure. With the dinosaurs free, the island tour transforms into a perilous escape from velociraptors and a Tyrannosaurus rex.

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

Jurassic ParkUniversal PicturesJun 11, 1993PG-13

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2. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Set and released four years after "Jurassic Park," "The Lost World" brings back Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm and Richard Attenborough's John Hammond, alongside Julianne Moore's paleontologist Sarah Harding.

The story unfolds on Isla Sorna, a second island where Hammond also cloned dinosaurs. This island was abandoned, leaving the dinosaurs to thrive on their own. A corporate battle for control of InGen, Hammond's company, leads two opposing factions to Isla Sorna.

One faction, led by Hammond's nephew Peter Ludlow (Arliss Howard), seeks to exploit the dinosaurs for profit, while Hammond, Malcolm, and Harding aim to establish a nature preserve for the creatures' study and protection.

Amidst territorial dinosaurs, the two sides clash, resulting in thrilling chases and occasional fatalities. The exploiters manage to capture a T-Rex, which escapes in San Diego, causing chaos. Malcolm and Harding work to recapture it unharmed.

Read IGN's The Lost World: Jurassic Park review.

The Lost World: Jurassic ParkUniversal PicturesMay 23, 1997PG-13

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