They may be extinct for millions of years, but dinosaurs still have a hold on our culture.
Jurassic World Rebirth, the seventh movie in the Jurassic franchise, opened over the weekend to a massive $318 million worldwide. There’s a human cast including mega stars Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, but the dinos are the real reason the film draws such large audiences. And in Rebirth’s case, it’s one very tiny dinosaur that’s driven audiences wild—and her name is Dolores.
Dinosaurs have a reputation for being staggeringly large creatures that pose an enormous threat. One look at a Tyrannosaurus rex and you’ll be sprinting in the other direction. But Rebith is a film that understands that while there are plenty of terrifying dinosaurs, there are also some so adorable that they simply couldn’t be anything less than an elite hang. And believe you me, there’s nobody I want to hang out with more than Dolores.
Your new dinosaur obsession is an Aquilops, a species that roamed the world roughly 109-104 million years ago. Dolores is tiny with a capital T—or more fittingly, a lowercase t—with a total length of 60cm. She’s also a skinny legend, weighing in at just 3 pounds. That means you can cuddle her without getting tired. And mercifully, she’s an herbivore, which means you can spend plenty of time with Dolores without fear that she’ll try to bite your limbs off while you sleep. (Hey, with dinosaurs, that’s a legitimate fear!)
Universal Pictures, which released the film, clearly knew Dolores was poised to be a superstar. She’s made in-person appearances at the world premiere in London, as well as the Jurassic World ride at Universal Studios. I had the pleasure of meeting her at the London premiere, and despite Johansson and Bailey being a few feet away, I couldn’t take my eyes off the angelic Dolores. My friend asked Dolores’ handler if she liked people, and he enthusiastically responded that she does.
Turns out that wasn’t just an off-hand comment from a guy paid to hold a puppet—it was key to Dolores’ appeal. In the movie, Dolores strikes up a kinship with Isabella (Audrina Miranda), a young girl. Though Isabella isn’t a fan of dinosaurs, once she sees teeny-tiny Dolores curled up on her backpack snoozing, she knows she’s made a friend for life. They bond over a mutual love of red licorice, and Dolores joins Isabella and her family, taking up residence in that very backpack.
Dolores is outrageously cute. We’re talking “stop dead in your tracks and double-take” cute. She pops up throughout Rebirth exactly when Isabella needs her. She’s practically an emotional support dinosaur that goes the extra mile to make sure you never feel down. And considering Rebirth takes place on an island full of bloodthirsty dinosaurs, having a Dolores by your side is a make-or-break kind of deal.
I’m not alone in my obsession with Dolores. The internet is abuzz with joy over the beloved, perfect little backpack-dwelling queen. A barrage of tweets about the international sensation are all over X.
“Not to be dramatic but I would die for her,” reads one (same).
“Protect this baby at all costs,” reads another (couldn’t agree more).
People have Dolores fever, and since Rebirth has only just come out, the groundswell of support for this mini dino is just getting started.
There are already explainers online on who Dolores is for fans to google as soon as they get home from screenings. And obviously there’s merch. You can buy your very own Dolores with a click of a button. She’s even a LEGO already. Baby Yoda found shaking.
She’s just so damn delightful. It’s hard not to imagine gossiping with a group of your pals without Dolores. You just know her reactions would make telling salacious stories about whatever your friends are up to completely worthwhile. She’d have a perfectly-timed gurgle or growl to punctuate any story and get the laughs going. Plus, as a fiend for red licorice and M&Ms, you know she’d never make you feel guilty for eating too many snacks, assuming there’s any left after she ate them all.
She’s a body-positive icon who just wants to make sure everyone’s having the best time. What more could you want from a dinosaur? Plus, her species has been around for 100 million years—I’m pretty sure the kinds of secrets she’s got locked in her little cranium would blow everyone’s minds.
And since Dolores escapes with Isabella and company at the end of the film, there’s a very good chance we’re going to see more of everybody’s favourite dinosaur. The Dolores era is only just beginning.
