Bryce Dallas Howard, who portrayed career-driven park operations manager Claire Dearing in Jurassic World, will undergo a major character evolution in "Jurassic World 2".
According to Movie Pilot, Colin Trevorrow, director of "Jurassic World", revealed that Jurassic World 2 characters will evolve, but it is Claire who will undergo the most significant evolution. Trevorrow said the changes Claire undergoes mirrors the changes in their world. It was his intention for Claire to take on more of a dynamic and proactive role as the sequels progresses. Meanwhile, Owen Grady, the dinosaur trainer and raptor squad leader portrayed by Chris Pratt, will have some issues to deal with. This situation will likely drive Claire to be in a more aggressive and determined stance when dealing with the consequences of events Jurassic World left them with.
Jurassic World was a blockbuster hit, but has received flak for the portrayal of its main female protagonist, Claire, especially for "running around in high heels". It is this detail that has sparked the most debates on points ranging from sexism and feminism to the biased portrayal of gender roles in Hollywood movies. According to The Hollywood Reporter, screenwriter and director Joss Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", "The Avengers") was one of the movie's critics, reacting to a short clip of Jurassic World and pronouncing it as " '70s-era sexist". In the clip, Claire and Owen bickered back and forth referring to a previous date both felt unsatisfied with. While Owen resorted to innuendos, Claire was outed as a frigid woman.
Howard has also expressed her thoughts on the "running in heels" issue, wittingly dubbed as "Heelgate". In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Howard shared her relief and appreciation that there were a lot of people sensitive to women's issues, especially the portrayal of women in films. She understands the complaints regarding her character and defended the running in high heels at the same time, saying that it effectively portrayed Claire as someone so detached from the reality of her environment and does not know what it's really like to be in a jungle. Howard was glad when Trevorrow texted her "#NoHeels2018", which meant she won't be literally running in high heels anymore. Howard adds that in a deeper context, this also signals a shift in her character's dynamic, making her more capable of taking charge of her situation.
Trevorrow will come back for the sequel, this time as a producer and co-writer. He will be sharing writing duties with screenwriter Derek Connolly, who he collaborated with in the 2012 comedy film "Safety Not Guaranteed". Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall return as executive producers.
Jurassic World 2 is expected to premiere in UK theaters on June 7, 2018, two weeks earlier than its US premiere on June 21, 2018.
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