In an interview with Empire Online, legendary director Steven Spielberg talked about the development of future sequels for two of the biggest properties he has ever launched, Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones. While both of these franchises are huge name brands, and future sequels will probably rake in boatloads of cash no matter what, they’ve also both had some less than stellar installments already. So, artistically, if Spielberg is going to get us movie geeks to buy into the fact that more movies in these series are necessary, he’s got some explaining to do. Spielberg seems to readily admit that Jurassic Park 3 was a B-level film unworthy of carrying his weighty name in its credits, because he comes right out and assures us that a fourth installment won’t resemble that film in any way. He said, “The screenplay is being written right now by Mark Protosevich. I’m hoping that will come out in the next couple of years. We have a good story. We have a better story for four than we had for three…” Protosevich has been the writer on films like Thor, I am Legend, and the remake of Poseidon, so probably you can judge how much you trust Spielberg to get his story told correctly based on how you feel about those films.

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Sure, the rides were a little bumpy, and there weren’t always dinosaurs visible in the dinosaur park, but Jurassic Park was always fun for the whole family. If you’re like me, Jurassic Park was the film that changed the game for you. A large scale spectacle done right with just the right amount of heart (No Tim!!!) and the right amount of completely forgivable cheesiness. The sequels headed down the Slide of Diminished Returns (a ride at the park they shut down due to lawsuits), but maybe starting fresh is exactly what the franchise could use. That might be what it’s getting, because The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Steven Spielberg has been having meetings with writer Mark Protosevich to toss around ideas on how to make Jurassic Park 4 a reality.

The last time we were talking about a fourth Jurassic Park movie, we were all excited about its ridiculous premise. And now its dead… Insert sad face here.