If you’ve had a chance to check out any of director J.A. Bayona’s films (Such as 2008’s The Orphanage, 2011’s The Impossible, or more recently, A Monster Calls), you may not immediately see him as a contender to direct one of the biggest franchises of all time. Now, that’s not to say the dude doesn’t have the talent. Between those three films, it’s easy to see why the studio would spring for someone like him for Jurassic World 2. He handles character well, and also knows how to bring the scares on a non-cheesy level.

But considering Bayona’s filmography so far, what was it that drew him to this project to begin with? Speaking with Cinema Blend, Bayona answered this very question:

“I always try to find material that will bring an aspect of learning. Always look for a challenge. I don’t want to do films that you know how to do in advance. And I think, after doing three intense movies with The Orphanage, The Impossible, and A Monster Calls, it was very exciting to be involved in a big Hollywood film before. And I am working with Steven Spielberg and that’s always very exciting. And I’m sure it’s going to be a learning experience, and it’s always very exciting to be working with people that you’ve seen their movies, but I’m always looking for learning experiences, and I’m sure this will be the same.”

In short, like any good filmmaker, Bayona is looking to push himself artistically. There is something rewarding about working on project where you aren’t sure how things will turn out. Without pushing one’s self past that comfort zone, the medium would go nowhere. That being said, Universal certainly made a Marvel-esque move here, where they go for a director of smaller films. The important thing here isn’t their ability to handle visual effects, necessarily, but rather their deftness in the medium, and their ability to get audiences to connect with the characters and material.

On this level, we certainly think Bayona was a solid choice to help elevate Jurassic World 2 above its predecessor and go beyond mere spectacle. The fact is, no matter how successful the original Jurassic World was, there was a decent amount of backlash from some filmgoers who thought the film was forgettable and silly. Retaining the core elements of that film, while addressing some of those concerns through Bayona’s talent, will definitely be the way to go for this one.

Bayona certainly has a lot to live up to box office-wise, but we have confidence he can pull it off. 

Jurassic World 2 hits theaters on June 22, 2018.

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SOURCE: Cinema Blend