Mattel has reached deep into the Jurassic Park literary universe with three remarkable additions to the Hammond Collection. Dryosaurus, Mussaurus and Ornitholestes are species that long lived only in the pages of Michael Crichton’s novels. For fans of the books this is an exciting moment. These dinosaurs were part of the original written canon but never appeared in the films. Now they finally take physical shape in the most detailed collector line Mattel offers.
Dryosaurus
In Michael Crichton’s original Jurassic Park novel Dryosaurus appears during a scene in which veterinarian Gerry Harding tends to a tranquilised herbivore. Crichton describes the animal as seven feet long and about five hundred pounds with mottled brown and green colouring. The Dryosaurus is mentioned alongside the hypsilophodonts during handling operations on the island and it helps to illustrate the wide variety of species InGen maintained beyond the ones that made the final cut for the park tour.
Mattel’s Hammond Collection Dryosaurus captures the lithe and agile body shape characteristic of this swift herbivore. It feels like a creature lifted straight out of that controlled chaos behind the scenes of Jurassic Park where the novels often placed their attention. For collectors who appreciate book accuracy this figure fills a long standing gap and gives visual form to a species that was part of the park’s unseen population.
Mussaurus
Mussaurus plays a short role in The Lost World novel when Richard Levine explores Isla Sorna. Hidden among the ferns he encounters a tiny prosauropod about the size of a mouse with smooth skin large eyes and an endearing squeaking sound. Crichton treats the moment with wonder. This is Levine’s first encounter with a living dinosaur on the island and it highlights the profound sense of discovery that permeates the novel. Mussaurus is described in detail as one of the smallest dinosaurs known and its behaviour reads almost like that of a curious lizard.
Mattel’s Hammond Collection Mussaurus captures that charm. Although not scaled to the novel version, it is packed with personality. The sculpt echoes Crichton’s description of a creature that blurs the line between ancient reptile and familiar backyard animal. For fans of The Lost World novel it is a delightful reminder of the quieter more intimate dinosaur moments that shaped Levine’s journey.
Ornitholestes
Ornitholestes is one of the most intriguing deep cuts from The Lost World novel. Before the main expedition even arrives on the island a decomposed carcass washes ashore on the beach of Rojas. Marty Guitierrez investigates the specimen and brings in Richard Levine for identification. The soldiers destroy the carcass before a full analysis can be made but Levine offers his educated guess. He believes the remains belonged to an Ornitholestes a species that does not appear on the official InGen lists. The discovery hints at the secret complexity of Site B and at the possibility that InGen’s catalogue was incomplete or that earlier experiments produced species that were later abandoned.
Mattel’s Hammond Collection Ornitholestes brings that mysterious entry from Crichton’s writing into three dimensional form for the first time. The figure stands as a tribute to the unspoken layers of the novels and to the subtle storytelling that shaped Levine’s investigation.
A Literary Trio Brought to Life
Together these three releases spotlight an area of Jurassic lore that often remains overshadowed by the films. Crichton’s novels include species that expand the ecosystem far beyond what appeared on screen. Dryosaurus Mussaurus and Ornitholestes represent that richer world and Mattel’s Hammond Collection continues to honour these deeper cuts with care and accuracy.
For collectors and readers alike this trio is a celebration of the written origins of Jurassic Park and The Lost World. It reminds us that behind every film scene and behind every toy shelf there is a vast prehistoric world tucked between the pages of Crichton’s books.
