The self-assured rumblings coming from Deadline are saying that the sequel to Jurassic World is well underway with its pre-production (no surprises there, considering the $1.6 billion haul for World). A script has been written by outgoing director Colin Trevorrow (off to begin the lengthy production of Star Wars Episode IX), and a slow but steady search for the right director is now underway. They also report that producer Frank Marshall and some other folks at Universal have strong personal ties with director J.A. Bayona (The Impossible, The Orphanage) and that there have been discussions with the critically-acclaimed director. Is he a frontrunner to take on the dino reboot-sequel? The departure of Trevorrow from the helm could be a blessing in disguise as there was something slightly clinical and overly-glossy about Jurassic World; a director with the dark verve of Bayona could be a shot in the arm that the franchise needs not financially, but creatively. Although Fleming mentions that Bayona isn't necessarily discussing taking up the Jurassic franchise, it also wouldn't be surprising if that ultimately turned out to be the case. Bayona is currently busy in post-production on A Monster Calls, an adaptation of a book of the same name with Liam Neeson voicing some sort of huge tree monster who befriends a small boy coping with his mother's terminal illness. The Jurassic World sequel is currently scheduled for release on 22 June 2018.