‘Hopefully there will be cinemas open so people can see it!’: Sam Neill promises Jurassic World: Dominion will be ‘huge’ after movie was pushed back by a year due to Covid crisis
Sam Neill has promised Jurassic World: Dominion will be ‘huge’ when it is finally released in May 2022 after being pushed back by a year due to the Covid crisis.
The actor, 73, joked ‘hopefully there will be some cinemas open soon so people can see it’ by the time the movie hits the big screen, after the industry was hit hard by the pandemic across the board.
Speaking on a forthcoming appearance of The Graham Norton Show on Friday night, he says: ‘It’s been put back for a year, so it’s supposed to be out next May.
Exciting times: Sam Neill has promised Jurassic World: Dominion will be ‘huge’ when it is finally released in May 2022 after being pushed back by a year due to the Covid crisis
‘We shot it all at Pinewood and it’s going to be huge so hopefully there will be some cinemas open soon so people can see it!’
The Jurassic Park star, who plays Dr. Alan Grant in the franchise, confirmed the much-anticipated sequel is due to be released in May 2022, a month earlier than previously reported.
Sam joined host Graham Norton via video call from his vineyard in New Zealand, where he lives, with an impressive collection of wines displayed in the background.
In October, original Jurassic Park co-stars Sam, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum posed for a selfie outside the Richard Attenborough Stage at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.
Cinema classic: The actor, 73, (pictured in character in 1993) joked ‘hopefully there will be some cinemas open soon so people can see it’ by the time the movie hits the big screen
The trio took the picture as they had returned to the Jurassic World: Dominion set after filming had been delayed for two weeks due COVID-19 outbreaks among the cast and crew.
Sam wrote in a caption for his Instagram page: ‘Today, here we are, thinking about our old pal and colleague, dear old Dickie Attenborough, on the actual #RichardAttenboroughStage at #PinewoodStudios.
‘Completely appropriately, we face our greatest dinosaur terror yet today, on a great soundstage named for the great man himself.’
The sixth film in the franchise, Jurassic World: Dominion, was previously set for release last summer on June 11, 2021, but it was pushed back by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was previously reported the much-anticipated sequel was scheduled to be released by Universal Pictures on June 10, 2022.
On set: In October, original Jurassic Park co-stars Sam, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum posed for a selfie outside the Richard Attenborough Stage at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire
During his Graham Norton Show appearance, Sam also chatted about his new movie Rams, an Australian comedy-drama which is released on UK digital platforms on February 5.
He spoke about his original reluctance to do the film due to burn-out, saying: ‘I did four films back-to-back a couple of years ago and I was exhausted, but then I felt much better after I read the script.
‘It was meant to come out in March last year just as everything rained down on the earth and it was cancelled and I kind of forgot about it.
‘Now it’s come out and I’m getting such wonderful feedback it’s so gratifying that it’s making people feel better.
‘It’s a touching, heart-warming and rather lovely film. And, for lovers of sheep there is no better film!’
Sam appeared on the BBC chat show alongside fellow actors James Nesbitt and Billie Piper along with singer Tom Jones, who performed his new single No Hole in My Heart.
Back together: The sixth installment of the franchise, set for release next year, will feature originals Laura Dern (right) and Jeff Goldblum (second from right, in 1993)