I felt a twinge of nostalgia flipping on that trailer—cheap VFX, over-the-top growls, and Daniel Baldwin's rugged presence. It's all here in Jurassic Reborn, The Asylum's latest riff on the blockbuster juggernaut, dropping its trailer on June 25, 2025.
A Knock‑Off with Timing Ingeniously Cruel
See, Jurassic Reborn isn't just any dino movie—it's an homage/hoax timed to land before Universal's Jurassic World: Rebirth hits theaters on July 2, 2025. The Asylum, masters of mockbusters, have scheduled their digital release for June 24, 2025, then will roll into select US cinemas on June 27, 2025. That gives them a juicy weekend cushion ahead of the official follow-up to Dominion.
What the Trailer Shows
It all screams formulaic: scientists on a lone island, cloned dinosaurs out of control, yelled warnings (“Get the hell off this island.”)—and cheap VFX that somehow look shinier than those from even ten years ago. But it's not aiming for artistry. It wants the giggles, the “so‑bad‑it's‑funny” crowd, the drive‑in nostalgia. Director Marcel Walz, known for horror outings like Pretty Boy and Raw: The Curse of Grete Müller, brings genre chops. Writer Alex Heerman and producer David Michael Latt carry it aloft.
Why It Matters
Thinking of this as simply parody is too generous. It's a bread‑and‑butter marketing gambit—buy viral buzz without the six‑figure VFX budget. The Asylum churns out 25 films a year; this one's a double dip, cloaking humor in horror tropes while cannibalizing mainstream hype. Plus, it's Daniel Baldwin—not a Spielberg‑level lead, but a recognizable anchor for the B‑movie faithful.
Context—Blockbuster vs. Bootleg
Universal's Rebirth, the true sequel, had its world premiere on June 17, 2025 in London, aiming for a star‑studded Fourth of July push. Rebirth is a glossy 133‑minute spectacle directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Jurassic vet David Koepp. Compare that to Reborn: 90 minutes, bargain VFX—but both offer dinosaur thrills, albeit from wildly different starting budgets.
Final Roar—Critic's POV
This trailer's like a late‑night diner hash: greasy, cheap, but strangely comforting. There's a primordial joy in pointing and laughing at the lizard models that look half‑done. And yet, you can't shake the admiration—The Asylum knows its audience. They're doubling down on mockbusting, and timing-wise, it's pure predator behavior.
Is Jurassic Reborn bad? Yeah. Is it fun? Likely. And in its own low‑rent way, it nails the trick: ride the wave of a mega‑franchise, capture clicks, maybe even score some drive‑in dollars.
Will you watch it? Maybe not at home. But whisper it aloud: you sorta want to.
Trailer release: June 25, 2025
Digital/VOD premiere: June 24, 2025
Theatrical release (select venues): June 27, 2025
Jurassic World: Rebirth theatrical debut: July 2, 2025
