Laura Dern’s ‘Jurassic World 3’ Announcement Proves Life Really Does Find A Way

Hold on to your butts because there's big news in the land of dinosaurs. Jurassic Park stars Laura Dern, Sam Neill, and Jeff Goldblum are returning in Jurassic World 3. Dern and Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow announced the news together on Tuesday, Sept. 24, during a screening of Jurassic World hosted by Collider. And it's an announcement fans have been waiting for for almost two decades.

This will be Dern's first time reprising her role of Dr. Ellie Sattler since 2001's Jurassic Park III. The same goes for Sam Neill, who will be back playing Alan Grant. Goldblum, however, has already appeared in the reboot of the franchise. He popped up in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, alongside fellow Jurassic Park O.G. B.D. Wong, who reprised the role of Dr. Henry Wu in the new Jurassic World franchise.

Treverrow refused to reveal how these iconic characters would be making their return. But while there aren't many other details about Jurassic World III, it's enough just to know that the movie will mark the first time all three of them are back together in their original roles. And these won't be some brief cameos either, as Collider confirmed that Dern, Goldblum, and Neill's roles will be significant.

Based on the way Fallen Kingdom ended, the Jurassic World franchise is going to need these Jurassic Park experts now more than ever. After the dinosaurs were brought from Isla Nublar to the U.S. to be sold in auction, they were all released out into the world. "Humans and dinosaurs are now going to be forced to coexist," mathematician and chaos theorist Dr. Malcolm said at the end of the film. "We've entered a new era. Welcome to Jurassic World."

Although Jurassic World III won't be released until June 11, 2021, Trevorrow released a Jurassic World short film, Battle at Big Rock, earlier in September that gives a glimpse of what life is like now that dinosaurs roam free. Hint: it's just as dangerous as life within the theme park proved to be.

This casting news, while thrilling, is not a total surprise. Dern has previously said in interviews that she loves Ellie and would reprise the character. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight before Fallen Kingdom's summer 2018 release, Chris Pratt expressed how he would want Dern to join the reboot. And his co-star Bryce Dallas Howard has also been generating some buzz about the original actors' return. In May, Howard asked Dern on Good Morning America if she'd come back to the franchise. "I'll ask you two questions," Dern said in response. "One would be — do you know something I may not, and two, if I were to, would you join me?"

Needless to say, Dern, Goldblum, and Neill uniting forces again to save the day is a dream come true for fans. Dern, in particular, has been expressing her excitement since she showed up at the Collider event to announce the news. "Hey everyone," she said in an Instagram story shared on Jurassic World's official page. "I'm so excited. I guess you've heard, I will be coming back to be joining everybody in Jurassic World 3. And I will see you in 2021."

While fans will have to wait until 2021 to see them back in action, Jurassic World 3 proves that life — and Hollywood — truly do find a way.