In 1993, Steven Spielberg was already the most successful director on the planet thanks to a string of hits that included Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and the Indiana Jones trilogy. Then came Jurassic Park, with its jaw-dropping visuals and thrilling story. It became one of the biggest movies of all time and launched a franchise, but after directing the sequel, 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Spielberg left the world of dinosaurs behind.
Now, he’s making a return to it, although not in the way fans might be expecting. Instead, Spielberg is the executive producer of Netflix‘s new docuseries, The Dinosaurs, narrated by Morgan Freeman, and he’s bringing those who made Jurassic Park possible along for the ride.
What Is Netflix’s ‘The Dinosaurs’ About?
Last week, Netflix released a trailer for a new docuseries that starts out with a brilliant opening: a clip of a great white shark swimming through the ocean to just the slightest hint of John Williams’ iconic Jaws score alongside the words “From Executive Producer Steven Spielberg.” However, the scene then shifts to reveal a giant dinosaur waiting patiently to take a bite out of the shark. In just a few seconds, viewers are reminded of what Spielberg did for both the shark and dinosaur movie genres, before a voiceover from Morgan Freeman declares, “This is the story of the dinosaurs.” Talk about a hook! A Netflix press release for The Dinosaurs launches into further detail about the upcoming project:
“From executive producer Steven Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment, in collaboration with the creators of Our Planet, comes a new, four-episode documentary series charting the story of the rise and fall of the dinosaurs — where they came from, why they mattered, how they evolved, and how they met their ultimate fate.”
The Dinosaurs, slated to premiere on March 6, promises to showcase a wide variety of dinosaurs and how they evolved, from lesser-known species to the iconic Tyrannosaurus Rex. As the trailer shows, this will not be some run-of-the-mill documentary with still photos and talking-head interviews; instead, it will be an immersive experience thanks to Silverback Films, the producer of natural history films, and the game-changing Industrial Light & Magic (ILM).
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Founded by George Lucas in 1975, ILM has stunned audiences for a half-century, contributing to everything from Star Wars to Wicked, and racking up 16 Academy Awards and eight Emmys along the way. Their most well-known effort might be 1993’s Jurassic Park, where they depicted dinosaurs like never before with a combination of practical effects from Stan Winston and jaw-dropping CGI. Spielberg’s latest dino-related project is the perfect opportunity for a reunion, but it’s not the first time the director has collaborated with ILM on a Netflix docuseries.
Steven Spielberg and ILM Previously Collaborated on Netflix’s ‘Life on Our Planet’
ILM has worked on visual effects for every Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movie, including Spielberg’s last time directing a movie in the franchise, but their history of collaboration with the director also extends to E.T., the Indiana Jones trilogy, and Ready Player One, as well as Spielberg’s last producing effort for Netflix. Life on Our Planet was released in 2023, with Freeman narrating and Spielberg producing through Amblin Television and Silverback Films. Each episode of Life on Our Planet covered a different geological period of Earth, with the first episode tracking the beginning of life, another dealing with the era of the dinosaurs, and the following ones depicting what happened once mammals took over. The docuseries was told through a blend of live-action footage, when possible, with animals that exist today, combined with ILM-created CGI to recreate long-extinct animals.
Just like Life on Our Planet, The Dinosaurs is certain to be educational and heartbreaking. The knowledge of Silverback Films, the art of ILM, and the soothing voice of Freeman are already a winning team. Having Spielberg as the glue holding it all together is the ideal choice. He’s not only the producer who made movies like Gremlins and Back to the Future possible, but has also executive-produced several documentaries, including 2011’s Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero and 2017’s Five Came Back. Spielberg has a long passion for history, as we’ve seen with some of his most award-winning films; combine that with the childlike awe he made everyone feel with Jurassic Park, and The Dinosaurs is sure to be a must-watch experience.