Jurassic World Rebirth: 5 Things This 30-Year Franchise Can Teach Modern Brands

Before Superman flies in, dinosaurs are taking over.

"Jurassic World Rebirth" is tracking toward a massive global debut, with early projections placing its opening weekend haul at up to $260 million, according to Deadline.

Universal expects around $130 million internationally across 82 markets and another $120 to $130 million in the U.S. by Sunday.

"Jurassic World Rebirth" arrives not just as another installment, but as a response to audience fatigue.

"Jurassic World Dominion" earned over $1 billion at the global box office.

But its estimated $520 million total cost for production and marketing left it with tight theatrical margins.

Critics called it bloated and scattered, and this makes for an important cautionary tale.

Big brands can still suffer when the product loses clarity.

"Jurassic World Rebirth" can potentially correct this course, and it started with Universal Pictures bringing back key original talent.

Steven Spielberg returns as producer and David Koepp as screenwriter.

The result is a film that favors pacing, character development, and grounded storytelling over spectacle.

The Jurassic franchise has earned more than $6 billion globally, placing it among the top 10 highest-grossing film franchises of all time.

Each Jurassic World film crossed the billion-dollar mark.

The 2015 release of "Jurassic World" launched with $208.8 million in U.S. ticket sales during its opening weekend, overtaking "The Avengers" for the biggest domestic debut at the time.

This film alone ended up earning $1.67 billion worldwide.

Franchise Thinking, Not Just Filmmaking

Universal’s rebrand from "Park" to "World" didn’t just work. It redefined the property and showed evolution.

Jurassic World has now become a fully functioning, globally marketed concept with modern technology and commercial partnerships baked into its story.

This brought legacy fans and a new wave of audiences into theaters.

With "Jurassic World Rebirth," Universal takes a deliberate step back to basics, consciously balancing nostalgia with fresh characters and plot directions, according to a review by AP News.

It’s a strategy that returns the series to its winning roots while cutting a new path forward, a delicate act of identity management that many brands aspire to accomplish.

Product Placement With Purpose

2015's "Jurassic World" embraced its brand sponsors without apology.

Starbucks, Samsung, Mercedes-Benz, and Coca-Cola didn’t just appear; they were embedded into the environment of the park.

Even what has now become a running joke about a dinosaur named "Verizon Wireless Presents: Indominus Rex" added to the world-building.

Mercedes launched its GLE Coupé through the film and timed its rollout to match the movie’s release.

According to producer Frank Marshall, it felt like a natural fit. This is what audiences responded to.

The brands didn’t interrupt the story. They belonged to it.

"In 1997, the Mercedes-Benz M-Class made its first official appearance in the Hollywood Blockbuster ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park.'

Today, 18 years later, another Mercedes-Benz car will debut in a significant role in the latest installment of the groundbreaking Jurassic Park series named 'Jurassic World:' the new GLE Coupé,” Dr. Jens Thiemer, Marketing VP at Mercedes-Benz Cars, said at the time.

This shows how Jurassic has matured into a brand platform where partnerships are designed to reflect its world, not distract from it.

When brand presence feels intentional and aligned with the story's logic, it earns audience trust and extends campaign value across multiple channels.

Although it remains to be seen how Rebirth's product placements will be shown, partners include big brands like Jeep, Frito Lay, Dr Pepper, Kodak, M&M's, and more.

Like Mercedes-Benz, Jeep has already launched a campaign tied to the movie.

It features a short film that echoes the franchise’s iconic chase scenes while spotlighting its latest Recon EV.

Rather than relying on nostalgia alone, the campaign reinforces character, story setting, and product relevance all at once.

The Business Beyond the Box Office

The films and their partnerships are just a part of the brand’s value.

Jurassic is a multi-platform empire that spans Netflix (Camp Cretaceous), LEGO sets, mobile games, and theme park rides.

Back in 1994, the original "Jurassic Park" earned over $1 billion in merchandise sales.

By the late 2010s, dinosaur toy sales alone surged following each film’s release.

Jurassic-branded products consistently perform near the top of Universal’s consumer products category.

Smart licensing and storytelling alignment helped the brand grow without losing its original identity.

This kind of consistent brand relevance offers a model for marketers aiming to build lasting audience engagement and commercial strength.

• Create campaigns that carry meaning across multiple formats. Jurassic draws power from the way each format contributes to the larger brand experience, whether through films, streaming, games, or merchandise.
• License with intention and emotional context. Partnerships succeed when they connect with memories, curiosity, or identity, not just visibility.
• Position merchandise as part of the story. Products work because they feel like natural extensions of the world, not just items for sale.

When every part of the brand speaks to the same core experience, it earns loyalty instead of relying on constant reinvention.

Like the Jurassic franchise, the brands that last are built with intent. To explore how you can shape your long-term identity, check out our Complete Guide to Brand Positioning.

5 Lessons From a Franchise That Refuses to Go Extinct

After three decades of global box office success, merchandising dominance, and cultural relevance, Jurassic offers valuable takeaways for brand and agency leaders.

These lessons go beyond the film industry. They're rooted in long-term thinking, storytelling discipline, and knowing when to evolve:

1. Rebranding should signal real change. Jurassic didn’t just rename itself. It reinvented what the franchise meant.
2. Nostalgia only works when paired with innovation. Rebirth brings the old tone back, but with new characters and tighter storytelling.
3. Partnerships work best when they enhance the story. Products weren’t forced into the frame. They had a reason to be there.
4. Costs should match the value delivered. Bigger budgets don’t always lead to better results. Dominion proves that.
5. Build more than a movie. Jurassic lives in toys, games, rides, and streaming. Every platform supports the others.

"Jurassic World Rebirth" proves that even after three decades, a franchise can adapt and thrive (yes, rumors are already spreading about another sequel).

Its ability to keep evolving lies in thoughtful brand decisions, not just big visuals.

As a huge fan myself, I think that although there were some missteps, and not all fans are expected to agree on every creative choice, the core of the brand remains strong.

And this is why it's survived all these years. Its caretakers know when to reimagine and when to stay true to the heart of the original.

Good brand leadership isn’t about chasing trends.

It’s about knowing what your audience still wants, and finding new ways to deliver it.

Jurassic World proves that timeless brands can evolve without losing their identity. Its success lies in smart storytelling, emotional continuity, and strategic reinvention.

For brands ready to refresh or relaunch, our team ranks agencies worldwide to help you find a qualified partner. Visit our Agency Directory for the top branding agencies, as well as:

• Top Creative Agencies
• Top Video Production Companies

These partners can help translate your brand story into experiences that resonate, endure, and evolve — just like Jurassic.