This 37-Year-Old Forgotten Sci-Fi Series Blends Jurassic World & Star Wars!

In the realm of cinema where reviving classic franchises is the norm, one overlooked series combines the excitement of “Jurassic World” and the mystique of “Star Wars”. It’s been 37 years since “Dino-Riders” initially graced our screens on Saturday morning TV. A quirky piece of late-1980s animation, it followed the release of “Return of the Jedi”, wrapping up the original “Star Wars” trilogy, and preceded “Jurassic Park” by several years. With Hollywood currently adapting its animated neighbors like “Transformers” and mining both “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park” for continuous sequels, it’s intriguing to ponder why this sci-fi series from the past never had its big break.

Back in 1988, I was part of the team that brought “Dino-Riders” to life, working closely with TYCO for their line of futuristic dinosaur toys. This show found a home within the Marvel Action Universe programming block, sharing airtime with quirky animated shows like “Pryde of the X-Men,” “RoboCop,” and “Dungeons & Dragons.” Running for just one season before wrapping up on an episode titled “Ice Age Adventure,” it teased a new era that never materialized. Though it may be considered a relic by some, this 37-year-old series remains one of the most daring prehistoric sci-fi experiments ever conceived.

Dino-Riders Was Star Wars With Scales

TYCO Created a Cosmic Conflict in the Cretaceous

By the late ’80s, many animated shows were reflections of their era and toy manufacturers’ perceptions of what children desired. “Star Wars” had secured Saturday morning slots with “Droids” and “Ewoks,” already a towering success in the toy industry. Meanwhile, dinosaurs had always been popular among kids, even before. Shows like “Dinosaucers,” “Denver, the Last Dinosaur,” and “Dink, the Little Dinosaur” all aimed to capitalize on this fascination with prehistoric creatures. Therefore, it wasn’t surprising that a show like “Dino-Riders” emerged, blending elements of space opera and dinosaur adventures. However, it’s intriguing to consider how these diverse components were combined to create an epic struggle set in a distant galaxy, not so far away?

Essentially, Dino-Riders follows a struggle between the virtuous Valorians and the merciless Rulons. The Valorians, an advanced race of beings resembling humans, are endowed with psychic abilities. They are deeply connected to what they refer to as “The Path,” a spiritual belief system similar to the Force and Jedi teachings, emphasizing the dangers of fear, rage, and malice. With AMP (Amplified Mental Projector) technology, the Valorians can communicate with dinosaurs and forge harmonious partnerships in their fight against the Rulons.

Simultaneously, the Rulons are a powerful alliance of aggressive, alien beings ruled by the oppressive Krulos. Similar to them, their objective is to dominate the universe, yet instead of utilizing the Force or raw military power, they depend on Brain Boxes – devices designed to enslave both humans and dinosaurs, even controlling a fearsome, mind-controlled Tyrannosaurus rex.

As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this: My journey begins when a band of Valorian freedom fighters, escaping their war-ravaged world, accidentally activate the S.T.E.P., a flawed time-space device that transports them to the age of dinosaurs on Earth. The Valorians establish a harmonious settlement with these colossal creatures, reminiscent of Dinotopia, while the Rulons exploit their technology to dominate and weaponize the local fauna. It’s a classic tale of good versus evil, balance versus dominance, but it’s made extraordinary with laser-wielding dinosaurs and a depth of world-building that should have cemented its place in sci-fi history. Regrettably, Dino-Riders became a beloved cult oddity, vanishing before it could fully develop.

Although it debuted before the craze of Jurassic Park, Dino-Riders boasted some notable figures behind the scenes. William Stout, who later worked on the Jurassic Park franchise, and Robert Bakker, a paleontologist whose work influenced dinosaur portrayals in popular culture, were part of the team. On the story front, Gerry Conway, co-creator of The Punisher, and his wife Carla, led the writing team, blending elements from Star Wars and Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. With its pioneering prehistoric toys and space opera narratives, Dino-Riders serves as an intriguing bridge between Jurassic World and Star Wars, a link that might have swept the world off its feet a few million years (or perhaps just five) earlier.

The Tragic Extinction of the Dino-Riders

The Dino-Riders Became a Fossilized Franchise

Although not quite as legendary as Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Dino-Riders, this particular franchise still managed to leave an impressive mark across various media platforms, including comic books, merchandise, and an animated series. However, given its unique concept and individuality, one might wonder: Why did the conflict between the Valorians and Rulons disappear from toy shelves? It’s a bit like trying to uncover secrets of ancient fossils; you have to delve deeper to comprehend how something so extraordinary could fade into obscurity.

Similar to numerous ’80s animated shows, Dino-Riders was primarily created to market toys. Interestingly enough, this particular line started fading from store shelves a mere three years prior to the release of Jurassic Park in 1993. The last series, focusing on the Ice Age, is now quite scarce, indicating decreasing toy sales. However, this toyline experienced a renaissance in 1992 when the Smithsonian took it over, removing the Rulon invaders and armor. The repackaged toys were then rebranded as “educational.” In an unusual turn of events, Dino-Riders transformed from a sci-fi sensation to a collection of natural history artifacts, enjoying a temporary resurgence in museum stores, classrooms, and possibly even sharing space with Paleontologist Barbie in toyboxes.

As a passionate movie buff, I’ve been keeping tabs on the iconic series, Dino-Riders. Over the years, the ownership has seen several transitions; the toys were once under TYCO’s control before being handed over to Mattel. The original series found its new home at Disney following their 2001 acquisition of Marvel Productions. A live-action film was in the works around 2015, a year that also saw the release of Jurassic World and the controversial Star Wars sequel trilogy, but it never came to fruition. Later, in 2020, Entertainment Earth unveiled a Rulon Warrior Battle Pack, which some hoped would spark renewed interest. However, unlike the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, it seemed there simply wasn’t enough substance left to bring them back to life.

Dino-Riders Could be the Answer to Declining Sci-Fi

It’s Time for the Valorians to Ride Again

37 years after its initial release, one might ponder what makes revisiting the series “Dino-Riders” appealing today, given its past struggles to regain popularity in mainstream culture. However, it’s clear that there’s something worth exploring here, and with the right creative team, a lot can be achieved by transforming a series that essentially combines the spirit of “Star Wars” with a dinosaur theme. A potential reboot of “Dino-Riders” is indeed an opportunity, and the stage has been set for such a battle. But it’s not just nostalgia that could ignite a new dinosaur war; if Mattel decides to revive the series, there’s ample space for the “Dino-Riders” to return to action.

It’s clear that nostalgia can take a franchise only so far, as demonstrated by both the Star Wars and Jurassic World franchises. In the case of Jurassic World Dominion, the presence of original Jurassic Park cast members Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum drew audiences back to cinemas, but the film’s flaws couldn’t be overshadowed, leading to concerns about franchise exhaustion as Jurassic World Rebirth prepares for release. On the other hand, the cancellation of The Acolyte and the declining audience for other Star Wars projects from Disney has left many questioning if the Star Wars series still holds its original power.

In essence, the show Dino-Riders seamlessly blends two captivating dimensions – the grandeur of cosmic lore and the excitement of over-the-top action, not forgetting the iconic image of dinosaurs clashing against each other. As modern entertainment increasingly taps into nostalgia, there’s a wealth of material in this overlooked dinosaur cartoon to reimagine. Yet, there lies an opportunity to innovate: within the realm of Dino-Riders, there are numerous intriguing characters and quirky sci-fi elements ripe for exploration, while preserving the awe, adventure, and suspense that made Jurassic Park and Star Wars so appealing in their original forms. The only difference is that the action unfolds within a distinctly different line of action figures.

There remains an opportunity for a fresh science fiction franchise in Hollywood, as the recent film 65 didn’t manage to shake things up significantly, but it did ignite a fleeting hope that dinosaur films could surpass the legacy of Jurassic Park. On the other hand, Primitive War has enthusiasts excitedly gripping their toy dinosaurs and soldiers, with some already deeming it the film Kong: Skull Island should have become. In essence, there’s a clear appetite for a new Jurassic Park or Star Wars-like franchise, and in light of the Barbie movie’s success, Dino-Riders could be an ideal prehistoric endeavor for Mattel to embark on.

Dino-Riders demonstrated that the future could be found in the past. However, reaching this future requires bravery, creativity, and the ability to adapt. The Valorians didn’t journey to the Mesozoic era out of sentiment; they did so out of necessity, aiming to create a superior world on their own terms. If Dino-Riders were to reappear from the toybox, it would be an appropriate comeback: a new epoch born from an old one, prepared to advance once more with dinosaurs as its steeds.

2025-05-19 00:36