The much-anticipated final installment of the "Jurassic World" trilogy premiered Monday in Chengdu, leaving local moviegoers in awe.

Films to be released in China usually hold their premieres in China's capital or the international metropolis of Shanghai. But due to recent COVID-19 outbreaks, Beijing and Shanghai have largely had to shut down their cinemas, leaving Universal Pictures no choice but to move the premiere to Chengdu, Sichuan province, known as the home of the giant panda. 

Fittingly, nearby Zigong also hosts the Zigong Dinosaur Museum, which opened in 1987. Built on a dinosaur fossil site, it is one of the top three largest dinosaur museums in the world. The museum also joined in the "Jurassic World Dominion" marketing campaign, making a video analyzing the dinosaurs in the film.

At the premiere, actress Bryce Dallas Howard, during an exclusive pre-recorded video for Chinese audience, said, "Great to see you again. We've missed you so much since our last trip to China for the previous 'Jurassic World' film. Here we are again bringing you the epic conclusion of the 'Jurassic' franchise." She was joined by her co-star Chris Pratt, who said hello to the audience in Chinese Mandarin. Veteran actor Jeff Goldblum and director Colin Trevorrow also featured in the video.

"I'm so happy that this time around, when I return to 'Jurassic World,' and get to be joined by my old pals from the 'Jurassic Park' trilogy," Goldblum said. "After these many years, we can still form kind of a strong team, an even stronger one when we mix ourselves up with the young floods. And altogether, we accomplished something really incredible." Goldblum is just one of several actors invited back from the original "Jurassic Park" trilogy released in the 1990s, including Laura Dern and Sam Neill, creating much anticipation and nostalgia among fans.

Trevorrow went on to thank the audience, saying, "You all know, the legacy characters are returning in this film which unites both generations of this almost 30-year-old series. It's great to see old friends were uniting and interacting in a world we've never seen before. I'm glad everyone's enthusiasm for this franchise remains the same. We are so grateful to you."

The director revealed the film is very different from previous installments and recommended audience to see it in IMAX for a big, rich, and immersive experience. "It is a massive adventure that takes place all over the world," Trevorrow described. "Dinosaurs and humans are having to coexist on the planet. You're gonna see dinosaurs in the snow; you're gonna see dinosaurs in the city. It's unlike any 'Jurassic' movie you've ever seen."

Rave reviews poured in after the premiere screening. Lu Yang, a children's sci-fi book writer, praised the film's intensity and excitement, saying the "Jurassic" film series was a big inspiration and influence on his own sci-fi creations. "The film also reminds us to re-examine the relationship between humankind and nature."

It was also announced at the event that eight other Chinese cities would hold advanced screenings of the film between May 31 and June 2, including Hangzhou, Chongqing, Shenzhen, and Wuhan.

"Jurassic World Dominion" will be released nationwide in China on June 10 and is seen as a leading blockbuster to help boost film market. Given that the two previous films grossed more than 3.1 billion yuan ($461 million) in China and generated a huge fanbase, that may indeed be the case.

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