Jurassic Park’s Perfect Prequel Already Exists – Watch Hammond’s Origin

In early 2021, several writers came together and pitched a Jurassic Park prequel (via Jurassic Outpost) based on John Hammond, the park’s visionary; however, the perfect origin story already exists, and it’s currently available to watch (via Jurassic Time). Starring the late Richard Attenborough, who originally played the character, it’s a haunting piece about how the road to Jurassic Park’s iconic gates wasn’t as golden as the amber that paved it. It’s everything fans could ever want from a prequel and it remains relatively unknown.

In Steven Spielberg’s films, Dr. Hammond is the man who orchestrated and built the infamous theme park. Although canonically John Hammond’s death occurred in 1997, his presence and legacy continue throughout the series and well into the Jurassic World films. Even today, the character remains one of the most beloved icons of the franchise.

This enduring popularity is evidenced by some writers’ attempt to pitch an origin story for the park’s creator, which itself quickly went viral. Accented with concept art, they hoped to explore the life of the biotech tycoon, from his early days as a jovial showman with a flea circus to the father of Jurassic Park. However, the perfect prequel already exists as a memoir recorded by Richard Attenborough and assembled by fans into a mini-series. Recollecting the early life of John Hammond, the rise and fall of his park, and his final thoughts, it’s the closure the character deserves and truly one of the most beautiful stories from the Jurassic Park mythos.

As part of the 1998 Jurassic Park game, Trespasser, a memoir for John Hammond was recalled and played throughout the adventure, giving contexts and clues to the ruins found across the game’s setting of Isla Sorna. Using the game’s audio, movie clips and original art, fan website Jurassic Time created a 22-part video series, audiobook, and novelization. Although the fan-assembled project is not entirely official, it is authentic. One of the biggest criticisms against a prequel movie or series is that nobody could replicate the charm the late Richard Attenborough instilled in his character. It’s a valid critique, especially considering Attenborough delivered a heartfelt performance of the character’s in-universe swansong. There was so much beauty and complexity in the actor’s performance, it’d be difficult for anybody to match. Listening to the performer as John Hammond read Percy Shelley’s “Ozymandias” is enough to give anyone chills.

The story told throughout Trespasser explored the highlights of his life: how he left Scotland as a teenager, the way he conceptualized and built the park, and even the heartbreaking aftermath of the first two movies from his perspective. His memoir also included classic characters like Dr. Henry Wu, Robert Muldoon, and Dennis Nedry. In addition, it gave profiles to the first dinosaurs cloned and released on Isla Sorna, including a giant mutated velociraptor. Everything that can be expected and wanted from a prequel film is within these audio clips and incredibly brought to life by the fans at Jurassic Time. The narration even predicted what’s to come in the Jurassic World sequels: “My work lies where I left it. If there is anyone brave enough and clever enough to take it and return – the keys to time, perhaps the foundation of a new empire.”

The Jurassic Time series is the perfect Jurassic Park prequel in all the right ways. The memoir beautifully encapsulates the legacy of John Hammond and his creations. While fans continue to clamor for Universal to do something new with the character, perhaps like Hammond himself, all they have to do is look to the past and for the treasures trapped in time.

About The Author