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In Jurassic World: Rebirth, Mahershala Ali’s character, Duncan Kincaid, emerges as an unlikely survivor, but that wasn’t always the plan. Director Gareth Edwards revealed that Duncan was originally supposed to die during the climax. According to Edwards, his initial instinct was to give Duncan a tragic, sacrificial ending—an idea that Ali himself initially supported. However, the studio stepped in after viewing the director’s cut and pushed for a version in which Duncan survives. Edwards admitted he was reluctant at first but ultimately agreed to rework the ending.
The change was subtle, especially since most of the film was structured around Duncan’s death. Edwards noted that because the film was shot with his demise in mind, viewers unconsciously picked up on cues suggesting he wouldn’t make it—making his survival a genuine surprise. During a screening, Edwards said hearing the crowd cheer when Duncan’s flare went up confirmed that the revised ending landed emotionally.
Screenwriter David Koepp backed the decision, explaining that as the film evolved, Duncan became more integral to the story. Given Ali’s performance and the character’s development, killing him off just before the credits would have felt like a misstep. In the final cut, Duncan bravely distracts the genetically engineered Distortus rex so the other main characters—Zora, Henry, and the Delgado family—can escape. Though it seems like a fatal move, he later resurfaces and reunites with the survivors, marking one of the film’s most triumphant moments.
Notably, Rebirth breaks from franchise tradition in more ways than one. Unlike earlier Jurassic entries where the T. rex or another apex predator typically swoops in to defeat the villainous dinosaur, there’s no such last-minute “rex machina” here. Edwards considered it but chose instead to let the Distortus rex remain alive, underscoring the theme that humans aren’t always in control—and may never be again.