The Apatosaurus animatronic is 7 foot long animatronic that imitates an Apatosaurus from its head to neck.
Overview[]
In Jurassic World, a single practical (animatronic) Apatosaurus was created for a key emotional moment in the film. Unlike most of the dinosaur scenes, which rely heavily on CGI, this animatronic gave the actors a tangible, physical presence to interact with — a homage to the original Jurassic Park films’ use of practical effects.
Behind-the-scenes[]
JURASSIC WORLD Building the Apatosaurus - Legacy Effects
The construction of the animatronic.
Designed to simulate a dying sauropod: it has internal bladders in the throat and mouth to mimic labored breathing, operated by puppeteers.
- For the sound of its moaning and gasping, the crew used audio recordings of a Harris’s hawk.
- The use of a real animatronic was a deliberate creative choice. Director Colin Trevorrow felt the scene—where characters cradle the dying dinosaur—needed “something real” to bring emotional weight.
Trivia[]
- Legacy Effects built a small model first, but after test screenings and design considerations, Steven Spielberg (executive producer) requested a larger build to maximize on-screen presence.
- The emotional death scene was not only a narrative choice but a symbolic one: Trevorrow has said it’s a moment where “you don’t feel like it’s a robot ceasing to be operated, you feel like … the spirit … is going up into the sky.”
- Animation of the CGI Apatosaurus for other shots (walking, herd, etc.) was informed by elephants, particularly for skin jiggle, sagging, and the way weight transfers through the legs