Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey ‘in early talks’ for lead role in new Jurassic World film

Forthcoming reboot is expected to be a fresh take on the classic franchise with entirely new cast

Jonathan Bailey looks set to play the lead role in a new Jurassic World movie that will be released next year.

The 35-year-old Bridgerton lead is in “early talks” to star alongside Lost in Translation actor Scarlett Johansson in the film, which is expected to be a fresh take on the blockbuster franchise.

Godzilla filmmaker Gareth Edwards will direct the project, with Steven Spielberg, who directed the original 1993 classic, on producing duties, according to Deadline.

After starring in Broadchurch and sitcoms Crashing and W1A, Bailey gained worldwide recognition for his role of Anthony in Netflix’s Bridgerton alongside Simone Ashley, who plays his love interest Kate Sharma.

He followed his Bridgerton success with a role in the acclaimed TV miniseries Fellow Travellers, in which he plays Timothy Laughlin, a congressional staffer in the 1950s. The show follows a decades-long turbulent romance between his character and Hawkins Fuller (Matt Bomer) as they navigate the changes the era brings.

The Jurassic Park films, based on the bestselling novels by Michael Crichton, follow the chaos that ensues when seemingly extinct dinosaurs are unleashed among humans.

Over the last two decades, there have been six movies and various offshoots, including a theme park in Orlando, Florida. The original three films were released in 1993, 1997 and 2001.

Bailey’s possible casting arrives after reports Johansson is negotiating a deal to play a lead role in the forthcoming reboot, which is expected to feature an entirely new cast.

If Johansson accepted the role, she would follow in the footsteps of Marvel co-star Chris Pratt, who was the lead star of the Jurassic World trilogy, which was launched in 2015 and grossed over $1.6bn at the box office.

The new movie is expected to star Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson (Getty Images)

Universal Films is reportedly moving quickly on the reboot, according to The Hollywood Reporter, with a planned release date of 2 July 2025. This would give the film less than a year in production, with a reported shooting start date of 21 July.