| Henry Wu | |
|---|---|
| Jurassic Park character | |
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Henry_Wu_(BD_Wong).jpg) BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu in Jurassic World (2015) | |
| First appearance | Jurassic Park (novel; 1990) |
| Last appearance | Jurassic World Dominion (film; 2022) |
| Created by | Michael Crichton |
| Adapted by | Steven Spielberg David Koepp |
| Portrayed by | BD Wong |
| Voiced by |
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| In-universe information | |
| Occupation | Geneticist |
| Significant other | Charlotte Lockwood |
Dr. Henry Wu is a fictional character in the Jurassic Park franchise. He is introduced in Michael Crichton's 1990 novel Jurassic Park, which began the franchise. He also appears briefly in the novel's 1993 film adaptation and plays a larger role in the Jurassic World film trilogy. Dr. Wu is the lead geneticist for the dinosaur theme parks Jurassic Park and Jurassic World, overseeing the de-extinction of dinosaurs through genetic engineering. He is killed by a Velociraptor in the book, but survives throughout the film series, in which he is portrayed by actor BD Wong. Although Wu is a supporting character in the novel, he has a drastically reduced role in the film adaptation, directed by Steven Spielberg. Wong and Wu are both Asian-American, and the actor believed that the role was reduced, to his disappointment, because of "racial exclusion in Hollywood".
Wong was skeptical that he would ever reprise the role, but eventually did so for the fourth film in the franchise, Jurassic World (2015). It was directed by Colin Trevorrow, who co-wrote the script with Derek Connolly. The writers viewed Wu as a logical character to return, considering his role in recreating dinosaurs. Wong is the only actor from any of the previous films to appear in Jurassic World, and he and Trevorrow were happy to revisit the character after his minor role in the first film. Wong reprised the role again for the sequels, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022), which were also co-written by Trevorrow.
In the Jurassic World trilogy, Wu secretly creates weaponized hybrid dinosaurs at the behest of others, although the animals later escape and wreak havoc. In Dominion, he secretly engineers giant locusts for his employer, Biosyn, which unleashes the insects to consume rival crops in a plot to control the world food supply. The character undergoes a redemption when he expresses regret for his actions and eventually stops the locust outbreak. Wu is sometimes considered a villain in the Jurassic World films, although Wong believes the character is misunderstood, stating that his research is well intentioned and driven by the demands of others.
Aside from the films, Wong also reprised the role for the video games Jurassic World Evolution (2018) and Jurassic World Aftermath (2020), as well as two theme park attractions, Jurassic World: The Ride and VelociCoaster.