With five films currently in the live-action franchise and one on the way, the Jurassic Park realm is brimming with all sorts of dinosaurs. Sparking the imaginations of fans for decades, these prehistoric animals have been resurrected for viewers’ enjoyment (and terror).
Released on June 10, Jurassic World: Dominionbrought back its original characters like Alan Grant, Ian Malcolm, and Dr. Ellie Sattler. This was the first time the dynamic trio has reunited on-screen since the first 1993 movie. The premise of the latest film takes the terrifying dinosaurs out of the theme park-island setting and into civilization for the first time in franchise history. Not including when the legendary T. Rex took a deadly trip to San Diego in The Lost World. So with that, here’s a look at some of the scariest, most dangerous dinosaurs in the entire franchise.
Updated: July 2022: To keep this article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Olly Dyche.
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13 The Flying Predator Pteranodon
Universal Pictures
When the thought of a scary dinosaur comes to mind, most people don’t think to look up. The Pteranodon is a flying predator with an extremely sharp beak and a wingspan that extends the length of a school bus (up to 16-feet). Although they are kept in an aviary, they don’t have feathers like modern-day birds. Instead, they are covered with tiny hairlike fibers made of keratin.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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First seen in the second installment of Jurassic Park, this animal gets its big break in Jurassic Park III. Left to fend for themselves after a hurricane caused most of the InGen personnel to flee from Isla Sorna, the Pteranodon family is found living in a rundown enclosure. They don’t take too kindly to the human visitors, and the attack is something from a nightmare. These flying beasts can easily carry off a person, and no one wants to become bird food.
12 The Sea-Dwelling Mosasaurus
Another predator that will cause mass panic is the Mosasaurus. This sea-dwelling creature can grow up to 56-feet in length, and it looks like a giant whale/shark/crocodile tribrid from a person’s worst nightmares.
First seen in Jurassic World, this aquatic beast is put on display for visitors to watch as it feeds. With an estimated bite force of more than 13,000 lbs, it has one of the strongest jaws in the park’s history. It even ate the dreaded Indominus Rex at the end of the film, making it the only dinosaur to best this genetically modified creature. However, it doesn’t rank in the top spot simply because it can be avoided by staying away from the water.
11 The Hard-Skulled Pachycephalosaurus
As the first land dinosaur to make the list, the Pachycephalosaurus may come as a surprise. This herbivore stands 6-feet tall with a length of up to 15-feet. What makes it unique, and very dangerous, is its head. Shaped like a dome, it uses its hard skull as a battering ram.
First seen in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, it is one of the main dinosaurs that is captured by Roland Tembo and his hunting party. This is when it earns its nickname “Friar Tuck.” While that may seem funny to some, this isn’t a dinosaur that one would want to mess with. Getting hit straight-on by one of these beasts would be like being hit by a car.
10 The Three-Horned Triceratops
Another herbivore that people should try to avoid at all costs is the Triceratops. Growing up to 30-feet in length, these tanks can weigh over 26,000 lbs easily. That is about the same size as a school bus.
Fans get their first glimpse of this popular dinosaur in Jurassic Park when the tour stops at the enclosure for a sick triceratops. They make appearances in all five films, and they are the main species that Claire Dearing tries to save during the volcanic eruption in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. However, these herd animals would not be very fun if they were to stampede through a neighborhood.
9 The Carnivorous Dilophosaurus
The Jurassic Park version of the Dilophosaurus is very different from the real dinosaur. Weighing up to 2,000 lbs, this real prehistoric creature was the largest carnivore of its time. Growing up to 10-feet tall and 20-feet in length, the film’s version was quite abnormal, most likely due to the inclusion of frog DNA during the cloning process.
In the movie, the smaller Dilophosaurus confronts Dennis Nedry while he’s trying to get his vehicle unstuck. Not knowing that this dinosaur can spit venom, Nedry mocks and unknowingly antagonizes the creature. When he gets into his SUV, the pint-size Dilophosaurus is waiting for him. Whichever version is featured in the next Jurassic installment, it isn’t one that any person would want to come face-to-face with in real life.
8 The Horned Carnotaurus
Nicknamed the “meat-eating bull”, the Carnotaurus is a newer dinosaur for Jurassic Park fans. Growing up to 12-feet tall and 30-feet in length, these carnivores are known for their spiky scales, tiny arms, and horns located directly above their eyes.
Most recognizable from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, fans can get a good look at this beast during the eruption of the volcano. Only two of this species were rescued, and one is seen later eating the remains of Eli Mills after he attempted to flee with Indominus Rex DNA. It is certainly not a dinosaur that one would want to see waltzing through the neighborhood.
7 The Vicious Indoraptor
This genetically enhanced dinosaur, combines the DNA of the Indomious Rex with that of the Velociraptor. This DNA combination makes for one of the smartest dinosaurs in the whole Jurassic franchise. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, sees the Indoraptor outsmart the egotistical hunter Ken Wheatley in a truly terrifying scene, by pretending to be dead and teasing Wheatley, before finally killing him. The Indoraptor has the sadistic and terrifying hunter aspects of the Indominous Rex, as well as the speed, smarts, and ferociousness of the Velociraptor. This hybrid killing machine was bread to be used as a biological weapon. It ultimately escapes, leading to the creatures rampaging throughout Lockwood Manor. The Indoraptor is responsible for delivering many tense and scary moments throughout the final act of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.
6 The T-Rex-Killing Spinosaurus
One of the scariest—and most underrepresented—dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park franchise is the spinosaurus. Weighing up to 16,000 lbs, this prehistoric beast could grow up to 20-feet tall and 49 feet long. Semi-aquatic, it is most recognized for its sail-like fin and extremely long rudder-shaped tail.
Introduced in Jurassic Park 3, it is the only dinosaur in the franchise that has been able to kill a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Cloned in secret, it was unknown and unlisted until Alan Grant and his party crash-landed an airplane in a tree on Isla Sonar. The group quickly learned that the spinosaurus is not to be trifled with, and they spent most of the movie trying to avoid it.
5 The Mighty Velociraptor
Another popular dinosaur that wouldn’t be welcomed with open arms if it were out in public is the velociraptor. Standing 6-feet tall and only weighing up to 330 lbs, these carnivores are small yet mighty. They are depicted as extremely intelligent pack hunters that can outsmart even the most experienced human hunter.
They make major appearances in all five films, and their role in the franchise evolves from antagonist to anti-hero throughout the series. Not only can they hatch schemes and open doors, but Owen Grady proves in Jurassic World that they can even be trained. By the end of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the last remaining Raptor is shown overlooking a city, which is a horrifying image to end the film on. It also sets up Jurassic World: Dominion beautifully.
4 The Deadly Therizinosaurus
Making its debut in the recent Jurassic World: Dominion, the Therizinosaurus immediately became one of the best new dinosaurs in Dominion and in the whole franchise. The Therizinosaurus is essentially the Freddy Krueger or the Wolverine of dinosaurs, sporting gigantic, deadly claws. While this creature is believed to be a herbivore, the imposing feathered dinosaur will use its claws to defend itself from carnivorous dinosaurs, which we get to see in action in a pretty awesome dinosaur fight at the end of Dominion. The Therizinosaurus teams up with the mighty T. Rex to take down the deadly Giganotosaurus.
The Therizinosaurus is a blind dinosaur, whose lack of vision leads to one of the tensest and best scenes in Dominion. After a crash landing in Biosyn’s Sanctuary, Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) must cautiously and silently escape the Therizinosaurus’ territory before the terrifying creature kills Claire with his huge sharp claws.
3 The Famous Tyrannosaurus Rex
As the most famous dinosaur to ever grace the silver screen, the Tyrannosaurus Rex (also commonly known as T-Rex) is one beast that fans never want to see in the real world. Weighing up to 14,000 lbs, this prehistoric monster can hit speeds of 32 mph, according to Hammond in Jurassic Park.
This beast is the bane of everyone’s existence throughout the franchise. Terrorizing many of the characters, the only saving grace one would have in a face-to-face confrontation with this animal is staying still. Since it cannot see its prey if it doesn’t move, one could theoretically survive standing in front of a T-Rex. However, as many of the Jurassic Park/World characters have proven, it is almost impossible to not move with this creature breathing down one’s neck.
2 The Towering Giganotosaurus
As one of the largest carnivores on the planet, the Giganotosaurus is the latest “big bad” in the franchise. Although making a brief appearance in the film, there is no denying that the Giganotosaurus is one of the most dangerous and intimidating dinosaurs in the franchise. Discouraging a T. Rex from eating a deer, and attacking our main human characters in a scene very reminiscent of the original Jurassic Park; before going toe-to-toe against the legendary T. Rex, beating the creature so much that he must team up with the aforementioned Therizinosaurus, to take the Giganotosaurus down.
The Jurassic World: Dominion Prologue that released ahead of the new film, showcased the Giganotosaurus’ and the T. Rex’s rivalry, which is briefly explored in the film. The Jurassic World: Dominion Prologue is certainly worth a watch to demonstrate how even more deadly this towering dinosaur truly is.
1 The Monstrous Indominus Rex
Making the top spot for the most dangerous dinosaurs is the genetically modified Indominus Rex. Created from the DNA of 15 different species, this is the ultimate predator. With a bite strong enough to break bulletproof glass, this beast was able to dominate Jurassic World in a matter of minutes once it escapes its enclosure.
With the ability to camouflage into its surroundings, it tricks the humans into opening the enclosure to see where it was hiding. Unlike T-Rex, the Indominus Rex can still see its prey even if it doesn’t move. It also can detect thermal signatures thanks to the inclusion of pit viper DNA. Luckily for humanity, the Mossasaurus was able to take this beast down with the help of the velociraptors and the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
