What do you get when you mix one of the funniest people on TikTok with the ugliest dinosaur in cinematic history? You get The Movie Dweeb Podcast, this week featuring the wildly witty Ruby Redford.

Ruby joined me for a new episode of The Movie Dweeb Podcast and, frankly, chaos ensued. Between dissecting Universal’s 2025 movie slate and fearlessly calling out one very unfortunate-looking dino, we took a prehistoric deep dive into Jurassic World: Rebirth, a film we were lucky enough to see early at the official Universal preview screening.

Let’s just say: we survived the screening. But had we been in the film itself? We’d be dino-dinner in seconds.

Our First Look at Jurassic World: Rebirth

Universal showed off a monster-sized lineup at their 2025 slate screening, but towering over them all was Jurassic World: Rebirth. It’s the franchise’s latest attempt to dino-stomp its way back into our hearts… And let’s be honest, it’s already got one foot in the door.

But Ruby and I couldn’t stop laughing at one creature in particular. We’re still not sure what its official name was. Dorontosaurus? Dontosaurus? Dortosaurus? Honestly, it sounded more like a Coronation Street extra than a terrifying new breed of dinosaur. And the poor thing had a skull like a wrecking ball. In Ruby’s words? “Bulbous. Not for me.”

While we can’t spill every detail due to embargoes, we can say this: if you hated Jurassic World: Dominion as much as we did (no offence to the sweet clone girl with the jarring accent), you’ll probably find Rebirth a breath of prehistoric air. And that’s not just the sunstroke from the recent sweat-inducing heatwave.

Could We Survive a Jurassic World?

Spoiler alert: no. Ruby confidently said she’d be dino chow within minutes, and I didn’t even argue. There’s a reason we’re podcasters and not park rangers.

We played out the fantasy. Scarlett Johansson recruits us into her elite dinosaur-fighting crew (as she does in the film), and we’re dead before we finish tying our shoes. We’re not the grappling-hook, tranquiliser-dart, save-the-day types. We’re the ones tripping over a vine and getting snapped in half by a hungry beast.

What Is Jurassic World: Rebirth All About?

Rebirth is Universal’s attempt to revive the franchise with a fresh tone and a slightly more grounded story. If “grounded” still involves genetically enhanced predators chasing humans through jungles. Scarlett Johansson leads a brand-new ensemble cast, taking us into uncharted territory (literally) as another ill-advised expedition goes wrong.

The film brings back some fan-favourite elements; suspenseful set-pieces, monstrous new dinos, and yes, a hefty dose of “why on earth did we come back here again?” It feels like a reset, with the scale of Jurassic World and just a pinch of the Spielbergian wonder from the original Park. And, thankfully, it doesn’t rely heavily on legacy characters.

The Legacy of Jurassic Park

It’s impossible to talk about Rebirth without acknowledging the sheer cultural force of the Jurassic Park brand. Since Spielberg’s 1993 classic first brought dinosaurs back to life (and into our nightmares), this franchise has spawned six feature films, endless memes, theme park rides, and more merchandise than a T-Rex could stomp on.

Universal Studios’ theme parks continue to draw thrill-seekers with Jurassic World: VelociCoaster and life-sized animatronic raptors that’ll make you scream louder than any rollercoaster. And whether it’s LEGO sets, T-shirts, or that iconic John Williams theme playing in toy aisles, the Jurassic name still roars.

Listen to The Movie Dweeb Podcast

Want more dino drama, celebrity chaos, and guests like Ruby Redford? You can catch The Movie Dweeb Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or wherever you like to have a giggle in audio form.

If you love movies and barely surviving in dinosaur scenarios, this is the podcast for you. Just don’t expect either of us to volunteer for Jurassic duty any time soon.