Jurassic World Rebirth recently premiered, returning to the franchise’s horror roots. Although not often considered proper horror films, the original Jurassic Park series incorporated horror elements, including terrifying dinosaurs and jump scare scenes. Now, the latest Jurassic World movie leans further into the horror by debuting numerous mutated dinosaurs.
Viewers interested in the dinosaurs that evoke the most horror and chills can use our guide to find the top 10 scariest dinosaurs based on appearance, behavior, and deadliness.
Tyrannosaurus rex
The one dinosaur consistently responsible for the grisliest deaths and biggest chills across all of the Jurassic Park films is the classic Tyrannosaurus rex. This dinosaur doesn’t need any modifications or mutations to make it terrifying. As one of the largest land carnivores of all time, standing around 13 feet tall and weighing several tons, the Tyrannosaurus rex is one of the last dinosaurs you would want to run into unarmed. From the Tyrannosaurus rex duo’s tug-of-war attack on Eddie Carr (Richard Schiff) to the Tyrannosaurus rex unleashing terror in San Diego in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, these dinosaurs are responsible for most of the biggest, grisliest scares in the franchise.
Dilophosaurus
The Dilophosaurus is one of the most notorious dinosaurs in the franchise, known for its iconic albeit terrifying attack in Jurassic Park. Nearly 23 feet in length, the Dilophosaurus is a reasonably large yet slender predator, which gives it the advantage of stealth and speed. Jurassic Park added a few extra touches to the dinosaur, including colorful frills framing its face. However, its pretty appearance is just a façade, as the dinosaur also hides the ability to eject poisonous venom at its prey, temporarily blinding and paralyzing them before attacking. The Dilophosaurus’ surprise ability, which it uses on Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight), has terrified audiences for decades.
Spinosaurus
In Jurassic Park III, the Spinosaurus takes over from the Tyrannosaurus Rex as the main dinosaur antagonist, and it's a worthy successor. The Spinosaurus' appearance is terrifying, with its large, signature spines running down its back and its abnormally long jaw and tail. Its long jaw, filled with razor-sharp teeth, and hunched-over stature add a good deal of creepiness to the dinosaur. The Spinosaurus’ extremely high aggressiveness and relentlessness in pursuing Alan Grant (Sam Neill) make for countless jump scares and heart-pounding stalking and attack scenes in Jurassic Park III. It has both the appearance and deadliness to make it a true nightmare to behold.
Velociraptor
Like the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the Velociraptor has been a staple of the Jurassic Park franchise. However, with each movie, its intelligence has become more prominent, adding to the dinosaur’s terrifying nature. Velociraptors are some of the most intelligent dinosaurs, as evidenced by Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) successfully training some in Jurassic World. Its intelligence is scary, though, considering the dinosaur can use it for evil. In Jurassic Park III, the Velociraptor’s penchant for sadism shines through when a pack brutally kills Udesky (Michael Jeter) to lay a trap for the other survivors. It doesn’t get much more terrifying than a large, quick, deadly dinosaur that’s intelligent enough to torture its prey.
Indominus rex
The Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor are already among the scariest dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, but what if someone combined them? That’s precisely what happens in Jurassic World when the Indominus rex is artificially created by mixing a Tyrannosaurus rex’s DNA with several other dinosaurs and animals, including the Velociraptor. Essentially, it boasts the size and deadliness of a Tyrannosaurus rex, but with a longer jaw, longer arms, spines on its back, and heightened intelligence. Some viper DNA also gives it the ability to unhinge its jaw to a 90-degree angle, and it can camouflage itself, leading to several excellent jump scares. There’s not a single aspect of the Indominus rex that isn’t terrifying.
Scorpios rex
The Scorpios rex is another hybrid dinosaur, produced from the combined DNA of a Tyrannosaurus rex, Carnotaurus, and Velociraptor. It is the main antagonist in Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous Season 3, having silently stalked the characters for two seasons straight. With beady red eyes, grayish skin, a prominent overbite, and spines on its elbows and back that it can shoot like porcupine quills, the Scorpios rex boasts an unsettling and grotesque appearance. Adding to its terror is its unpredictable behavioral patterns, as it can go from calm to aggressively rampaging in a split second. It’s a dinosaur that’s not just deadly but also frighteningly unhinged.
Indoraptor
If viewers thought the Velociraptors' intelligence was terrifying, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom tops it with the Indoraptor. It is a hybrid of the Indominus rex and Velociraptor, boasting raptor-like qualities and nearly all black coloring. Like the Scorpios rex, much of the Indoraptor’s terror comes from its behavioral traits. The Indoraptor is intelligent enough to trick and manipulate its victims and also boasts a sadistic streak, engaging in torture of its prey, such as eating its limbs before killing it. In Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the Indoraptor’s surprises and tricks make for some very horror-esque moments for its unfortunate victims.
Giganotosaurus
The Giganotosaurus is the largest known land carnivore, standing up to 20 feet tall and weighing up to 10 tons. In Jurassic World Dominion, the Giganotosaurus stalks Owen and his gang, terrifying them with the sheer scale of its presence. Unlike some of the dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park franchise, the Giganotosaurus isn’t overly aggressive, but it will fight for its food and to establish its dominance. There are few scarier moments in the franchise than when the characters are hiding from the hungry Giganotosaurus as it shakes the earth with every step, blocks out the sun, and boasts jaws that are bigger than a human.
Mutadon
The Mutadon is one of the mutated dinosaurs in Jurassic World Rebirth, a hybrid of a Velociraptor and a Pteranodon. It’s essentially a Velociraptor with bird-like characteristics, including a beak-like jaw and wings, although it walks like a Velociraptor and possesses its intelligence. In Jurassic World Rebirth, the Mutadons are responsible for numerous jump scares, as their method of killing is to swoop from the sky, taking their prey by surprise and killing it with one strike before carrying it off to be eaten. Whether in the sky or on land, one is not safe from the Mutadon.
Distortus rex
In Jurassic World Rebirth, the Distortus rex is a mutated Tyrannosaurus rex with, arguably, the most terrifying appearance of any dinosaur in the franchise. With an oversized forehead, a barely discernible neck, and six limbs, including two oversized, gorilla-like arms, the Distortus rex looks more like a horror film monster than a dinosaur. It’s also extremely aggressive, attacking humans as soon as it becomes aware of them, though its poor eyesight means it usually has to feel for its prey before attacking. When this monstrous dinosaur suddenly emerges from the shadows, it’s one of the scariest scenes in the franchise.
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