The Lost World: What Would You Do Differently?

Since The Lost World movie is very different from the novel and the movie's script went through a lot of changes, such as going through several different endings, I thought it would be interesting to talk about what you would have done differently if given the chance, similar to the other topics on this site about how you would have done the Jurassic World movies different. I do think that The Lost World is a great movie, but like with many movies I can't help but wonder what could have been...

Honestly? Almost nothing. The Lost World is the last truly great Jurassic Park movie in my opinion. It is the last JP sequel that did not ruin anything for me and the one that feels the most Jurassic by far.

I think the only thing I would change is maybe having Dr. Grant or Sattler having a role in the movie (not a big one but still). And maybe a cameo of Isla Nublar (although that could be confusing for some). But that is about it.

I would end the film in a completely different way, with the movie (outside of the beginning) taking place exclusively on Isla Sorna. The first two thirds of the film would play out largely like it did in the original movie, but I would have had the planned Pteranodon scene and an extended scene of the buck's capture (as well as the capture of a few other dinosaurs and a scene of Ludlow's team finding a nest of raptor eggs and taking them as well) as the final setpieces of the film. The final scene of the movie would be the scene where Malcolm's team is leaving Isla Sorna and sees the captive buck.

I feel as though these changes would give the film a more consistent tone without the tacked on ending, and it would leave the franchise on an intriguing cliff-hanger, which would have people more hyped for JP3.

This would open the door for Jurassic Park 3 to be about the new park in San Diego and the eventual escape of the dinosaurs on the mainland. The very final scene of the OG trilogy would essentially be the final scene from TLW, with the dinosaurs returned to Sorna and Hammond's "Life will find a way" speech.

Personally, I'd keep the originally planned ending where Tembo saves Malcolm's group from the raptors and they fly away. I like TLW, but I'm not going to pretend that the 3rd act we got was somewhat jarring from the rest of the movie.

Another change, provided the movie itself is unchanged, is that the franchise ends with TLW. It's just that the ending wrapped things up so well, that every other JP movie that came after felt...tacked on. At least JW had some of the magic touch. JP3 and JW:FK didn't.

Include the deleted scene with Tembo.
Use ‘The Hunt’.
A loose reference to Grant and Sattler.

But that’s about it, really. I like the movie how it is.

The Ingen board meeting scene would be nice to add.

But like I said before, The Lost World is one of those films that is fine the way it is. Not one of those films where significant changes are needed or that it caused such a bad reaction that major tweaks are needed. The general consensus of The Lost World is that it is the best sequel of the franchise.

I'd probably make it a lot more violent.

Speaking of The Lost World, this year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Lost World.