Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous is an animated science-fiction series set in the Jurassic Park universe. The story follows the misadventures of six teenagers who were selected to visit a state-of-the-art adventure camp on Isla Nublar called Camp Cretaceous. Things get messy, however, when the dinosaurs escape their enclosures and the teens become stranded with only each other to rely on for survival. The series was first introduced to audiences on Netflix in September 2020. The second, third, and fourth seasons of the show were released in 2021 in January, May, and December, respectively. The fifth and final season was released in July 2022.

The series and the movie franchise are indisputably connected. The storylines of the show intersect with the storylines of the Jurassic World movie trilogy, such as the creation of a new breed of dinosaur, the Indominus Rex, which, if you’ve seen Jurassic World, you know is a deadly mash-up of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a Velociraptor. The first season of the series is set during the same period as the events of 2015’s Jurassic World. Meanwhile, season three is set during the opening scenes of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Logic stands that the final season would have tied into Jurassic World: Dominion, which hit theaters in June. How are Jurassic World and Camp Cretaceous connected? Let's find out.

Updated November 2, 2022: If you love the world of Jurassic Park, you'll be happy to know we've updated this article with additional content surrounding both Camp Cretaceous and Jurassic World: Dominion.

Are Jurassic World and Camp Cretaceous Connected?

Jurassic World and Camp Cretaceous are undeniably connected through intersecting plot points throughout the series. The clearest example is the introduction of the Indominus Rex in Season 1 of Camp Cretaceous, which was featured in 2015’s Jurassic World, indicating that the timelines of the movie and show are aligned. Other characters from the franchise are also referenced, such as Claire Dearing, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. There is also the return of Dr. Henry Wu, one of the main antagonists throughout the series. He is the man responsible for the menacing dinosaur hybrids as well as the locust swarm in Jurrasic World: Dominion. His character arc seamlessly connects from season one to season three of the show, and then subsequently Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Seeing as the connection between the show and the hit film trilogy has long been established, it would make sense that there would be connections to the third film. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Colin Trevorrow confirmed Jurassic World: Dominion would connect to discoveries made in Camp Cretaceous, saying:

*"It's important to me, out of respect for the writers who are continuing to expand and create, to recognize [Camp Cretaceous] as clearly its own story and its own show. But this season — and if we're granted further opportunities to tell the story that we have [in season 3] — will keep weaving in to the larger story and really inform some things, even in Dominion that will connect to discoveries made that I'm really excited about."

As promised, the series established several connections, such as explaining how Dodgson (Campbell Scott) acquired the can of Barbasol shaving cream that he had given to Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) in Jurassic Park. The fifth and final season dropped on Netflix on July 21. However, fans who saw Dominion a month prior were left a tad bit disappointed when the film gave no mention of Cretaceous Camp.

Related: Jurassic World Dominion Director Laid Foundations for Further Outings: 'There's More to Come'

Why Was Camp Cretaceous Not Mentioned in Jurassic World: Dominion?

As amazing as it would have been to see the Nublar Six in Jurassic World: Dominion, their ultimate fates ultimately did not align with the movie. Dominion takes place four years after Fallen Kingdom. This is also when Camp Cretaceous’s epilogue occurs. The teens were grown by this point and long since put the trials they faced on Isla Nublar and the Mantah Corp Island in the past. Trying to fit the group into Dominion’s narrative may have come off as forced. A simple cameo was also out of the question as none of the voice actors even remotely resembled their characters, so their presence would not have worked.

Furthermore, the conflict with Kenji’s father had no bearing on the film anyway. The enemy was Biosyn and their locusts, not Mantah Corp and their dinosaur-controlling technology. Also, while Camp Cretaceous had its focus on the dinosaurs and respecting them as the animals they are, they were not exactly the focal point of Dominion. Most of the focus went towards ending the legacy characters (Allen Grant, Ellie Sattler, and Ian Malcolm) and main characters' (Owen Grady Claire Dearing) stories. The cast was already arguably cluttered enough with these two groups and newly introduced ones.

In the end, Camp Cretaceous and Jurassic World were two separate entities, even if they were connected. Camp Cretaceous was far more than an animated kids show. It had its own life and energy and adopted the core theme of Jurassic Park better than the Jurassic World films, which is real love and respect for the once-extinct creatures. The animated series enriched Jurassic Park in ways that connected with both long-time fans and the younger generation and showed what made the series special. In a way, it was the sequel series that the original trilogy should have had. Whether the connection was made in the final film or not, it in no way takes away from or delegitimizes how great this series was.