Steven Spielberg’s new Netflix series finds a way to keep the dinosaurs existing in audiences’ minds decades after Jurassic Park’s release.
Although the legendary director hasn’t directed another Jurassic Park movie since The Lost World, the franchise lives on and currently exists in a new era known as Jurassic World. On the other hand, Spielberg revisits the dinosaurs nearly three decades later, but in a different way.
Netflix released the four-part documentary series The Dinosaurs, which tells the life and death of the world’s dominant species. Spielberg is one of the executive producers, while his production company, Amblin Documentaries, produced the series. The first few reviews are in, and the results lead to a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s worth noting that the rating will likely fluctuate since there are only six reviews.
So far, critics all agree that the new Netflix docuseries is a breathtaking visual of history’s most majestic creatures, and Morgan Freeman’s soothing narration elevates the experience. Most importantly, the reviews note that the story is intimate, making the dinosaurs feel real with their personalities.
Spielberg’s production has a long history of dinosaur-related projects, including one that predates the Jurassic Park films called The Land Before Time. However, most films, including the Jurassic World movies, don’t have the filmmaker directly involved, but he has served as an executive producer through Amblin Entertainment.
It’s also not the first time the production company has been involved with a nature docuseries released on Netflix. Just three years ago, Spielberg’s company produced the eight-part series Life on Our Planet, which Freeman also narrated. However, the reception was mixed, and the Rotten Tomatoes score was 50%. The Dinosaurs is a spiritual successor to the 2023 series.
Meanwhile, the Dinosaurs‘ score is easily one of the best for dinosaur content from Amblin.
|
Every Dinosaur Movie From Amblin |
Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|---|---|---|
|
The Land Before Time (1988) |
65% |
79% |
|
Jurassic Park (1993) |
91% |
91% |
|
We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story (1993) |
40% |
50% |
|
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) |
57% |
52% |
|
Jurassic Park III (2001) |
49% |
37% |
|
Jurassic World (2015) |
72% |
78% |
|
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) |
47% |
48% |
|
Jurassic World Dominion (2022) |
29% |
77% |
|
Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) |
50% |
70% |
|
The Dinosaurs (2026) |
100% |
N/A |
Nevertheless, the timing of The Dinosaurs’ release aligns perfectly with all four Jurassic World movies that are now available on Netflix and dominate the top 10 charts in the United States. The most recent installment, Jurassic World Rebirth, starring Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, was released just last summer and became a $869 million box office hit. However, it’s unclear if Universal is planning a Jurassic World 5.
For now, Spielberg’s new miniseries can make up for the appetite for more dinosaur content as the Jurassic franchise’s future is still uncertain. The Dinosaurs is directed by Nick Shoolingin-Jordan, Jolyon Sutcliffe, Amber Cherry Eames, and Darren Williams, while Dan Tapster is the creator. Alongside Spielberg, executive producers include Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Keith Scholey, and Alastair Forthergill.
All four episodes of The Dinosaurs are streaming on Netflix.
- Release Date
-
March 6, 2026
- Network
-
Netflix
- Directors
-
Nick Shoolingin-Jordan