Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Showrunners on Why Jenna Ortega Isn't Back as Brooklynn for New Series

IGN has an exclusive new look at the upcoming Netflix and DreamWorks Animation series Jurassic World: Chaos Theory, the sequel show to Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous.

This exclusive clip – which can be viewed via the player above or the embed below – showcases a form of holographic immersion therapy designed, as Chaos Theory showrunner Aaron Hammersley tells IGN, to be “a great way to expose people to their fears [of dinosaurs] without having to face them up close and personal.”

Chaos Theory is set six years after the events at Camp Cretaceous. As the official synopsis explains, “[the] members of ‘The Nublar Six’ are struggling to find their footing off the islands, navigating a world now filled with dinosaurs and people who want to hurt them.”

“Reunited in the wake of a tragedy, the group comes together only to find themselves on the run and catapulted into a global adventure to unravel a conspiracy that threatens dinosaur and humankind alike and finally learn the truth about what happened to one of their own.”

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory sees most of the Camp Cretaceous voice cast return – Paul-Mikel Williams as Darius, Sean Giambrone as Ben, Raini Rodriguez as Sammy, and Kausar Mohammed as Yasmina – with two notable exceptions: Jenna Ortega as the voice of Brooklynn and Ryan Potter, whose character Kenji will now be voiced by Darren Barnet.

Deadline reported earlier this year that Ortega would not return for Chaos Theory. The show’s trailer begins with Brooklynn apparently being killed in a dinosaur attack. Her death reunites the surviving members of the Nublar Six.

Executive Producers & Showrunners Scott Kreamer and Aaron Hammersley recently chatted with IGN about the holographic dinosaur immersion therapy seen in our exclusive clip and why Jenna Ortega isn’t back for Jurassic World: Chaos Theory. (This interview has been edited for clarity.)

IGN: Can you elaborate on what dino immersion therapy is and why it was important to introduce this into the Jurassic universe?

Aaron Hammersley: I don’t know that it was necessarily important that we introduce this tech, but we wanted to examine the potential consequences of people having to cope with dinosaurs disrupting their everyday lives and using holograms (similar to what we’ve seen used in previous films) felt like a great way to expose people to their fears without having to face them up close and personal. It's a training ground, preparing people for the real thing.

Scott Kreamer: We really wanted to focus on Yaz’s emotional journey as she dealt with the PTSD she suffered from during Camp Cretaceous, and then on what her reaction would be once the dinosaurs made it to the mainland. We had always imagined after Camp C that she would go on to college and study psychology and use her empathy and experience to help those that suffer the way she did. We really liked the idea of her using cutting-edge “immersion therapy” technology to help herself and others like her in a controlled, safe manner.

IGN: Some fans criticized Camp Cretaceous for not putting its protagonists in true mortal danger. The trailer for Chaos Theory says Brooklynn is apparently dead. Can you please elaborate on why you chose Brooklynn to be the doomed character and why Jenna Ortega opted not to return?

Scott Kreamer: Once the show concept started forming and given where we left off at the end of Camp Cretaceous, it was apparent that Brooklynn would be the member of the “Nublar Six” who’d be poking around and asking questions that some shadowy figures wouldn’t want answered. We had originally hoped Jenna would be able to return to the role since we do see Brooklynn on video and in flashback during the season, but her busy schedule becoming a global mega-star made it impossible. 

Aaron Hammersley: Not enough mortal danger, huh? Well, how about this - Brooklynn’s dead! Happy now?! Look what you made us do! Now excuse me while I collapse into a fetal position and cry in my office. 

IGN: Which and how many returning dinosaur characters from Camp Cretaceous will appear? And can you say how they might have ended up on the mainland?

Scott Kreamer: We’d hate to ruin the surprise, but there will definitely be one or two familiar faces that WILL make their way into Chaos Theory.

IGN: Which new species of dinosaurs will be in the series?

Scott Kreamer: We are always stoked when we can debut dinosaurs into the franchise, such as Pachyrhinosaurus, Suchomimus, and Becklespinax. We are also excited to bring Allosaurus and Nasutoceratops to life in the animated world of Jurassic World: Chaos Theory. 

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory is available on Netflix on May 24.

For more Jurassic news, find out when Jurassic World Evolution 3 is due out and how to get over 50% off on the Jurassic World Ultimate Collection on 4K.