- Primary Subject: Sam Neill (Dr. Alan Grant)
- Key Update: Actor Sam Neill weighed in on the Jurassic World Rebirth reference to his character Dr. Alan Grant.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 10, 2026
- Quick Answer: Sam Neill said he was surprised and pleased by the reference, welcoming the connection between his iconic character and Jonathan Bailey’s Dr. Henry Loomis.
Sam Neill has finally weighed in on the unexpected callout to his iconic character, Dr. Alan Grant, in Jurassic World Rebirth.
While last year's new installment in the Jurassic World franchise was a standalone story, it still has easter eggs and references to the earlier films that satisfied long-time fans. As we wait for news on the potential next entry, the original Jurassic Park trio recently reunited for a Super Bowl commercial that reimagined the iconic 1993 film with a twist.
What Does Sam Neill Think of Jurassic World Rebirth's Alan Grant Callout?
Speaking recently with EW, Neill was asked about his thoughts on Jurassic World Rebirth's surprise callout to his character, Dr. Alan Grant.
It was revealed in last year's film that Jonathan Bailey's character, Dr. Henry Loomis, was a protege of Dr. Grant and studied paleontology under his mentorship.
Fortunately, the original star gave his approval to the film's callout to his character and was happy that he was referenced in some capacity.
"I was surprised. It's nice when these things refer to each other, and I thought that was respectful and good," he said.
When asked whether he had already met Bailey in real life, Neill revealed that they had not interacted yet, but "I look forward to that."
If you're wondering why Rebirth referenced Dr. Alan Grant, director Gareth Edwards explained last year: "It's actually the only reference to anybody from another Jurassic film. Then the only thing that we did for fun, I designed a little patch that went on his bag that was the Snakewater Canyon."
What's Next in the Jurassic World Franchise
According to a report by TheInSneider, Universal Pictures and producer Steven Spielberg are officially moving forward with a sequel to Jurassic World Rebirth following its box office success last year.
Edwards is in final talks to return as the director of the installment. Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali are also expected to reprise their roles as they all survived the events of Rebirth.
So far, neither Universal nor the people involved in the project have commented on the reports of the sequel, but it's not surprising for fans that it is happening, given that Rebirth was one of the top grossers at the box office last year.
The plot details remain unknown at the moment, as does the writer who will be hired to pen the screenplay for the next installment. For now, fans should stay tuned for more updates in the coming months.
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