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SYFY WIRE Jurassic World Dominion

WIRE Buzz: Jurassic World's Sam Neill reunites with his trusty hat; Myst doc Kickstarter; more

By Jacob Oller
jurassic park alan grant

Jurassic World: Dominion looks to have a trio of reunions among the franchise’s original leads of Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum, but before those actors get back together for some dino-dodging antics, there’s one very important relationship to re-establish. Regardless of whatever comes from filmmaker Colin Trevorrow’s return to the helm of the World trilogy, he’s given fans something nothing can take away: Dr. Alan Grant getting his hat back.

Yes, the iconic Baron Hats Panama is coming back into the hands of the screen’s favorite male paleontologist. Neill teased the reunion a few days ago, saying that he’d be getting his old hat back during the week’s filming: “Hold onto your hats- gettin' my old one back on this week,” the actor wrote, “and facing off dinosaurs once again. Best yet. Excited and terrified- these things will kill ya.”

Now, he’s got his old costume back. Next step? Dinosaurs. “Hello old friend,” Neill wrote when posting a picture of his heroic headwear.

Check it out:

Neill returns to the Jurassic franchise alongside Chris Pratt, BD Wong, Omar Sy, Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith, Jake Johnson, Isabella Sermon, Mamoudou Athie, DeWanda Wise, Dichen Lachman, and Scott Haze when the film hits theaters on June 21, 2021.


Next, one of gaming’s most influential early adventure efforts is getting a fan-funded documentary. Myst already has multiple film and TV projects in the works to adapt the puzzling ‘90s fantasy universe, but the origins of the five-game series (six if you count Uru: Ages Beyond Myst) are nearly as fascinating as the world of the D'ni.

That’s where The Myst Documentary comes in. Director Philip Shane (Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey) is hoping to raise $200,000 for the film, which aims to demystify the storied creation of a best-seller and illuminate its impact on the present state of gaming, on Kickstarter.

An introspective look at creators Rand and Robyn Miller sounds like a tonal match for the contemplative, wandering gameplay that’s trickled down to modern games as diverse as Red Dead Redemption 2 and Firewatch. Some interviews and filming have already been conducted for the documentary, but the fan funds will help complete the film and finance dives into archival materials.

The project has currently raised a little over $120,000 of its $200,000 goal, with a deadline of Aug. 13. If funded, the film hopes to be completed by the end of 2022.


Finally, a newly launched production company is kicking off with a sci-fi thriller and a horror film.

Deadline reports that Artists Film Group has snapped up Anne Vithayathil’s spec script Back Home, which looks to be a “unique mashup of sci-fi and whodunit,” according to producer Sunil Perkash. The film will star Drew Van Acker and be directed by Drew Mylrea when it goes into production this fall.

The second film — Those Who Walk Away — comes from Artists Film Group co-founder Robert Rippberger, who will write and direct the horror. Focused around “male sexual assault” (though it’s unclear if the male is the perpetrator or victim), the film will star Nils Allen “Booboo” Stewart Jr. and his father Nils Allen Stewart. This movie also aims to film soon, eyeing next month as a start date.