“Jurassic Park” paleontologist parts ways with university after appearing in Epstein files

Ryan ColemanWed, March 4, 2026 at 5:45 AM UTC

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Jack Horner during the presentation of 'Jurassic World the Exhibition' in Madrid in 2018Credit: BorjaB.Hojas/COOLMedia/NurPhoto via Getty

Jack Horner, a renowned paleontologist who worked as a consultant on all seven films in the Jurassic Park franchise, is no longer employed as a lecturer at Chapman University, following his name appearing several times in the Epstein files.

Robert Hitchcock, the director of Strategic Communications for the Southern California school, confirmed that Horner is "no longer with the University" to Entertainment Weekly on Tuesday, but declined to specify whether he left or was let go. The news was first reported by The Panther Newspaper, Chapman's independent student news publication.

Horner inspired a key character in author Michael Crichton's 1990 Jurassic Park novel: Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill in the first, second, third, and sixth installments in the film franchise.

Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson in 'Jurassic World Rebirth'Credit: Universal Pictures

Horner shared a lengthy document titled "Personal Statement Regarding Emails in the Epstein Files" to his LinkedIn in early February, days after KBZK 7 in Bozeman, Mont., first reported on several emails the former Montana State University professor sent the convicted sex offender in 2012.

Those emails were revealed in the Department of Justice's latest release of files related to Epstein, who died in his Manhattan jail cell in 2019.

"As has been reported publicly, emails released in the Jeffrey Epstein Files include correspondence between me and Epstein in 2012 concerning a potential donation to support my DinoChicken Project," he wrote. "Epstein was known to me only as a wealthy individual with an interest in science who had made donations to major academic institutions."

Horner continued to explain that he was "aware that [Epstein] had previously been charged with soliciting a prostitute and had served a sentence, but I was not aware of any additional allegations or misconduct. I want to make it perfectly clear that I knew nothing more than that! No amount of money in the world would have lured me to meet with a known sexual predator!"

Entertainment Weekly was unable to immediately locate current contact information for Horner.

The paleontologist confirmed in his statement that he accepted Epstein's invitation to Zorro Ranch, his New Mexico compound that the state's attorney general recently reopened a criminal investigation into.

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In one of the emails Horner sent Epstein following that visit, he noted, "We didn't find any dinosaur fossils, we did discover that he has ocean front property, a nice beach with loads of shellfish, potential for marine reptiles, and a really cool old railway. Jeffrey and the girls were very gracious hosts."

He signed off the email, "Please give my best to Jeffrey and the girls."

Horner addressed this particular portion of the correspondence in his statement, saying he was met by a crew at Zorro Ranch including the "ranch manager and his wife," Epstein, his secretary, a chef, and "four women who were introduced to me as college students, two of whom claimed to be adept in genetics. There was nothing weird, inappropriate, or out of the ordinary."

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Horner previously told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle (via PEOPLE) in 2016 that he was let go as head curator of Montana’s Museum of the Rockies due to his relationship with then 19-year-old undergraduate student Vanessa Weaver. That relationship began in 2012, the same year Horner visited Zorro Ranch.

"I retired. Let's put it this way: Had that situation not existed, I would probably still be there," he said. Horner and Weaver married nine months after their relationship began, but they later divorced. "They were trying to get rid of me and that’s what they did; they told me I couldn’t do anything." The student was not one of his students.

Horner's future with the Jurassic Park franchise isn't clear. Neither is the future of the franchise: Jurassic World Rebirth director Gareth Edwards declined to state whether there would be an eighth installment in the franchise last June.

Representatives for Universal did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment on Horner's potential involvement.

on Entertainment Weekly

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