One of the biggest surprises of 2015 was not that Jurassic World was a hit, but more so just how big of a hit it was. Raking in over $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office during its theatrical run, Universal was pleased with the results, to say the least. To no one's surprise, the studio was quick to announced that a sequel is on the way. Jurassic World 2 may wind up serving as the middle chapter in a trilogy; one that realistically will happen, barring the Jurassic World sequel having an unforeseen and unprecedented drop-off. Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow isn't helming the sequel (due to his Star Wars: Episode IX obligations) and has handed the reins to the franchise over to J.A. Bayona - though Trevorrow is still very much involved, as a co-writer and producer.
Bayona is fresh off A Monster Calls, but has quickly transitioned himself into the mindset needed for a blockbuster of this caliber. For himself, he is looking to expand his horizons as a director, but also looks to further explore the dinosaur-filled world of the Jurassic franchise. With Bryce Dallas Howard recently confirming that filming begins really soon on Jurassic World 2, production dates and locations should be finalized - which is likely why Bayona felt comfortable revealing a specific filming location.
Jurassic Outpost has uncovered an interview with Bayona from Magazine Digital, where he disclosed the information that the Jurassic World sequel will be heading to Wales and film within the Brecon Beacons National Park. No further details about the reasoning behind this location in particular were revealed, but based on the landscape (pictured below), the expansive hills and valleys could be used for Isla Nublar.
While this would appear to be a logical location for a dinosaur-populated island, Jurassic World 2 is already slated to film in Hawaii soon. This is the same location that Jurassic World was filmed at, so making the journey all the way to Wales for replacement landscapes that could be found on Hawaii, would be a confusing move in that respect.
This could be a sign that something else is happening in this location. Could InGen have a secret base hidden in these valleys that houses more experiments of their own in the Jurassic World sequel? Another possibility is that the dinosaurs of Jurassic World themselves have escaped from the park and are now traveling across the globe, happening upon newfound territories in the process (like, say, a national park in Wales).
Once production on Jurassic World 2 officially kicks off (something Bayona recently teased on Twitter), hopefully more information will come to light about the Wales portion of production and how it figures into the sequel. Odds are that set photos from the Jurassic World 2 shoot in Wales will manage to find their way online and, if nothing else, provides some hints for fans to speculate about and/or (over-)analyze as they so choose.
Source: Jurassic Outpost, Magazine Digital
