In which Jurassic Park film does a Spinosaurus appear?

A Spinosaurus appears in Jurassic Park III. Released in 2001, the film introduces the sail-backed predator as its principal dinosaur antagonist and gives it several major encounters with the human characters.

The story takes place largely on Isla Sorna, where Dr. Alan Grant and the Kirby family become stranded while searching for Eric Kirby. The Spinosaurus attacks the group repeatedly, including an early sequence in which it battles and kills a Tyrannosaurus rex.

The creature was chosen partly to give the third film a new threat after the Tyrannosaurus had dominated the first two movies. Its large dorsal sail made its silhouette immediately distinct, while a full-scale animatronic and computer-generated effects were combined to bring it to the screen.

The film’s portrayal reflects an older popular image of Spinosaurus as a powerful land hunter. Later fossil research has emphasized its adaptations for a more aquatic, fish-eating lifestyle, so the movie version is not a precise scientific reconstruction.