How to Watch/Read the Jurassic World Franchise: Easy Watch/Read Order Guide

Jurassic World is one of the many franchises which began owing to the nostalgia of Jurassic Park. The world created by the original trilogy was adapted from the books by Michael Crichton. It was one of the first of its kind that became popular amongst the mainstream audience.

While a majority of the millennials have watched the original Jurassic Park series, they might not have watched the Jurassic World titles. On the other hand, most of Gen Z hasn’t watched Jurassic Park but has watched the Jurassic World series. Beyond all this, there’s a great chance that only a few people have read the books.

So, in this article, I’ll take you through the complete watch/read order, which you can use to catch up with all the films before watching Jurassic World: Dominion. I’ll also briefly explain the timeline across all films and books to make it easier for you to follow the order. Let’s jump in.

The complete Jurassic Franchise comprises 6 films, 2 books, 1 short film, and an animated series. Of the 6 films, 3 are from the Jurassic Park trilogy, and 3 are from the Jurassic World trilogy. The plot across these films follows a linear timeline.

Release Order and Chronological Watch Order (Films and TV Show)

The Jurassic Park trilogy was one of those pathbreaking movies in the genre that connected with the masses almost instantly. In fact, the original trilogy became such a colossal hit that after over 15 years, creators decided to explore and expand on this universe. This translated into the Jurassic World series, which also became a whopping hit.

However, it is essential to note that Jurassic World is not exactly a franchise reboot. It is a sequel. This is evident from the appearance of original cast members in Jurassic World: Dominion. The release order is as follows:

• Jurassic Park (1993)
• The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
• Jurassic Park III (2001)
• Jurassic World (2015)
• Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
• Battle at Big Rock (2019)
• Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous (2020 – Present)
• Jurassic World: Dominion (2022)

The chronological watch order is the same as the above, with one exception. The Camp Cretaceous series takes place at the same time as Jurassic World.

Jurassic Park/World Movies and TV Series Timeline Explained

I will not mention the story and plot in this timeline explanation to save you from spoilers. Instead, I’ll just give you an overview of the plot.

The first film is assumed to take place in 1993 itself (The year of release) since a specific year hasn’t been mentioned in the movie. The second film takes place 4 years after the movie’s events, further progressing the plot. Jurassic Park III takes place almost immediately after The Lost World.

The Jurassic World franchise begins in a quasi-futuristic world. One running theory is that one of the young characters from the original trilogy is all grown up as Chris Pratt in the new trilogy.

Camp Cretaceous series takes place at the same time as the events of Jurassic World. Fallen Kingdom picks up 4 years after the first one. Battle at Big Rock takes place after the events of Fallen Kingdom.

Jurassic Park Books Release and Reading Order

The Jurassic Park series has only two canon books written by Michael Crichton. Other spin-off novels and young-adult stories are part of the non-canon series. These books’ release and chronological reading order are the same because they follow a linear timeline.

Canon

• Jurassic Park (1990)
• The Lost World (1995)

Non-Canon

• Jurassic Park Adventures (2001 – 2002)
  • Survivor
  • Prey
  • Flyers

• The Evolution of Claire (2018)

The two non-canon books are not connected with each other, but both of them are spin-offs from the films. The Adventures Series is based on Jurassic Park III, and The Evolution of Claire is based on Jurassic World.

Runtime/Reading Time and Binge Duration

Each of the 6 films runs for about 2 hours and 5 minutes, except for Jurassic Park III. Battle at Big Rock is a short film that lasts about 8 minutes, and Camp Cretaceous has about 37 episodes, each running for about 24 minutes.

However, to watch the third Jurassic World film, you can watch the first 5 films alone and save the short film and the TV series for another day. When it comes to reading the books, you can read the first two books at your own pace and even leave out the non-canon ones since they are not as well-written.

If you decide to give those a read anyway, it shouldn’t take you more than a couple of months since it’s not as heavily detailed as the original duology by Michael Crichton.

Where to Watch

The Jurassic Park trilogy is available on HBO Max and the Jurassic World films. Battle at Big Rock is on YouTube, and Camp Cretaceous is on Netflix. You can buy all the books from Amazon.

Jurassic World Dominion | Trailer 2 [HD]

About Jurassic World

Jurassic World is a 2015 American science fiction action film. It is the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park franchise and the first in the Jurassic World trilogy. Set 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park, Jurassic World takes place on the same fictional island of Isla Nublar, located off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. A successful theme park of cloned dinosaurs, dubbed Jurassic World, has operated on the island for years, bringing John Hammond’s dream to fruition. The park plunges into chaos when a transgenic dinosaur escapes from its enclosure and goes on a rampage, while a conspiracy orchestrated by the park’s staff creates more dangers.