Every Movie Easter Egg In Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Parkis full of Jurassic-sized Easter eggs ready to be unearthed by dedicated viewers (even after an uncountable number of rewatches). Since its release in 1993, long-time enthusiasts have been digging up many subtle nods to other movies, and subtle foreshadowing of the plot, in Jurassic Park. With practical and CGI dinosaurs that are still impressive to look at, it’s no wonder the film has been referenced in dozens of other movies. Jurassic Park was ground-breaking at the time of its release. It masterfully blended family-friendly magic with downright horrifying moments of suspense, as well as introducing audiences to some of the most awe-inspiring dinosaurs ever featured on screen.
However, while filled to the brim with spectacle, Jurassic Park is also a clever film. From the start, small details alluded to the main themes of the movie. Background details also reveal the broader impact of Hammond’s attempt to create a vacation spot that “spared no expense.” Jurassic Park is the film adaptation of Michael Crichton's bestselling novel. While it's the first in the franchise and so cannot reference any other films in the series, this doesn't mean that Spielberg didn't bury any hidden gems and playful nods to other projects. The original Jurassic Park film has plenty of Easter eggs of its own, and each is more entertaining than the last.
The Sign In Dr. Ellie Sattler And Dr. Alan Grant's Trailer
The First Act Of Jurassic Park Smartly Foreshadows The Third
The ending of Jurassic Park was intense, but also something of a foregone conclusion. Even the Jurassic Park trailers made no secret of the fact that the dinosaurs would be running rampant across the island of Isla Nublar by the time the credits rolled. However, this didn't stop Steven Spielberg including a tease of the action of the climax during the earlier scenes in Jurassic Park.
When Hammond first arrives to speak to Ellie and Alan, they find him in their trailer. In the scene, there is a sign above Hammond’s shoulder that reads, "No animal released without paperwork completely filled out." The pair of paleo scientists only study extinct species, but this sign cleverly foreshadows the dinosaurs’ escape later on, which was brought about by Dennis Nedry’s haphazard release of the animals.
Nedry Dresses Like He’s In The Goonies
Spielberg Pays Homage To An Earlier Success
Steven Spielberg is best known as a director, but many of his most iconic projects didn't see him at the helm but, instead, being a purely creative force. In several scenes, Nedry wears outfits that look like they’re straight out of another film Spielberg took part in, The Goonies.In recent decades, the 1985 cult gem has seen a resurgence in popularity since The Goonies is heavily referenced in Stranger Things, but it was also given a nod decades earlier in Jurassic Park.
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The blatant The Goonies reference in Jurassic Park can be seen in most of the scenes featuring Wayne Knight's Nedry, the traitorous computer programmer working for John Hammond. Nedry’s Hawaiian shirt, yellow raincoat, and Members-Only jacket look almost exactly like the clothes Mouth, Chunk, and Mickey are seen wearing in The Goonies - a clear nod given that The Goonies was beloved, in part, because of the colorful clothing choices of the characters. This reference in Jurassic Park doesn’t seem to have any deeper significance, but it is a fun comparison for viewers to spot if they look closely enough.
Dr. Grant’s Seatbelt
A Fleeting Moment That Explains The Entire Narrative
Upon first viewing Jurassic Park, most audience members may have found Alan’s seatbelt conundrum a bit odd, but most of them won’t realize the deeper symbolism of the defective safety feature until another viewing. The fact that his seatbelt doesn’t work properly is initially ironic because he is so nervous, to begin with, but it means a lot more than that.
This moment is incredibly important on two levels. Firstly, it's a sure sign that corners have been cut at the park when it comes to safety, despite John Hammond's insistence that everything is up to code. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it's a clever representation of one of the central themes in Jurassic Park.Alan’s seatbelt has two female ends. He finds a way to connect the two sides by tying them together. This mirrors the way life managed to find a way at the original park in the Jurassic Park franchise as the all-female dinosaur population managed to breed on the island.
Jurassic Park’s Projected Success
The Eccentric Billionaire May Not Be The Best Businessman
John Hammond is lovable as far as movie billionaires go, and he's clearly capable of making great things happen (as evidenced by the dozens of dinosaurs he orchestrated the creation of). However, many Jurassic Park Easter eggs hint that he's, at the very least, overconfident. While the most obvious example is the fact that the dinosaurs inevitably escape, there are subtler ones too. These are especially apparent when Hammond is attempting to sell the idea of the park to Alan, Ellie, and Dr. Ian Malcolm.
During a projector show, Hammond displays a slide with a bar graph. Without revealing any exact numbers, the graph shows that he believes Jurassic Park will be more popular than sports and zoos. While it’s unclear exactly how he is measuring the generic popularity of sports, the seemingly guesstimated chart is another example of the childlike wonder Hammond has regarding his park. Considering how much he assured his visitor that not expense had been spared and that everything was carefully calculated, this laughable projected sales display suggests he's not as business-savvy as he makes himself out to be.
Jurassic Park Europe
A Hint At Dangers To Come
In another slide that emphasizes his presumption of Jurassic Park’s success, it’s revealed that Hammond is already planning to expand. He’s attempting to earn the support of the three visiting scientists (including Jeff Goldblum’s hilarious meme-inspiring character) and his lawyer, so it makes sense he would hit them with just how special this park will be right from the outset, but a particular slide seen reflected behind Ellie, shows he has put all his eggs into one basket by deciding he will build a Jurassic Park Europe before the main location has even opened.
Of course, this Jurassic Park Easter-egg also cleverly (and inadvertantly) foreshadows a future film in the Jurassic franchise. Jurassic World: Dominion was released in 2022, almost three decades after Jurassic Park. It may have taken nearly 30 years, but the 6th Jurassic movie made good on John Hammond's promise of dinosaurs in Europe. However, like many of Hammond's idealized predictions, it wasn't in the safe, fun, and family-friendly way he envisioned.There were indeed dinosaurs in Europe by the 2020s in the Jurassic Park timeline, but none were safely contained in a theme park.
Tim’s Book References
The Jurassic Park Creative Team Were Given A Moment
Jurassic Park was based on Michael Crichton's novel, but it holds references to other books as well. In a scene meant to once again display the childlike wonder originally surrounding the park, Tim begins trying to show off to Dr. Grant by arguing with him about whether or not modern-day birds evolved from dinosaurs.
Tim references a real book written by paleontologist Robert T. Bakker, who happened to be an advisor on the film. During the discussion, Tim is holding a different book. The book is meant to have been written by Alan and Michael Backes. Backes is a software developer who worked as the chief programmer for the film. This is an incredibly lighthearted and subtle Easter-egg, but was also a great way to tribute the many talented professionals who put their heart and soul into making Jurassic Park such a magical cinematic experience.
Richard Kiley As The Virtual Tour Guide
A Nod To A Legend Or A Sign Of Spared Expenses?
Not only did Richard Kiley provide the voice for the tour guide in the Jurassic Park film – as announced by Hammond – Michael Crichton’s book also credited Kiley as the virtual guide. Hammond once again echoes that they spared no expense. This is a nod to the high acclaim granted to the award-winning actor. However, it's also another subtle nod to Hammond actually sparing several expenses.
Richard Kiley was a legend in his day, but by the time Jurassic Park opened (on the page or the screen), he'd long since faded from contemporary relevance. It's safe to assume that Hammond could have afforded to pay a more well-known celebrity to voice the tour. By the 1990s, Richard Kiley was in the last years of his career, with the peak of his fame several decades behind him. If Hammond had wanted to truly impress, then the likes of Tom Hanks, Kevin Costner, or Eddie Murphy would have been the perfect choices at the time (and given Hammond's wealth, he could definitely have afforded them).
Nedry Watches Other Spielberg Films on the Job
The Flamboyant Programmer Relaxes In Front Of Jaws
Nedry's dress code referencing The Goonies isn't the only Jurassic Park Easter egg that references other Steven Spielberg projects. While at work, Dennis Nedry is watching a movie on his computer - and the movie just so happens to be Jaws.Jaws is another Steven Spielberg movie and was the first-ever summer blockbuster.
It's also significant because Jaws, like Jurassic Park, is another Spielberg movie that pits humanity against a colossal force of nature.
The reference might have predicted the future success of Jurassic Park, another summer blockbuster Spielberg directed, which became the highest-grossing film of all time (at the time) after its release. It's also significant because Jaws, like Jurassic Park, is another Spielberg movie that pits humanity against a colossal force of nature. It's a subtle yet clever thematic link, and there's no doubt that this was a deliberate choice on Steven Spielberg's part.
Alan Grant's Hat
The Paleontologist Gets His Look From An Archaeologist
Spielberg references The Goonies and Jaws in Jurassic Park, but he doesn't stop with only two films from his impressive filmography when it comes to Easter-eggs. While Alan Grant has become a household name in his own right, his attire throughout Jurassic Park has an obvious similarity to another iconic Spielberg character.
Grant's signature fedora is a direct reference to famed archaeologist Indiana Jones, whose own acclaimed trilogy established Spielberg as the pre-eminent blockbuster director. Furthermore, the similarities between the two hats establish Grant's credentials as a leading character from the outset with the use of a subtle call-back. It's yet another way that Spielberg uses costume design both to pay homage to the projects that established his career, and to ease the audience in with Jurassic Park's personalities by leaning into similarities to other, more well-known, characters and films.
Nedry’s Office Photos
The Dangers Of Progress On Full Display
Jurassic Park has a lot of thematic depth, and it manages to balance this perfectly with dino-centric action scenes. A key concept in Jurassic Park is the idea of technology and scientific progress being just as dangerous as they are world-changing. This is represented visually in many clever ways, among them a very specific picture Nedry keeps on his desk.
The Jurassic Park Easter egg found on the desk of Dennis Nedry is a photo of J. Robert Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer was a physicist who took part in designing the atomic bomb. It’s easy for viewers to understand how the groundbreaking physicist relates to Jurassic Park’s own scientists who also made great leaps with deadly effects. Just as Oppenheimer opened a pandora's box when he created the atomic bomb, Hammond and his team changed the world forever, for better or worse, when they brought dinosaurs back from extinction.
