InGen
Encyclopedia
InGen is a fictional genetic engineering
company appearing in the Jurassic Park
franchise of novel
s, film
s and other media.
, California
, and has one location in Europe
. Nevertheless, most of InGen's research took place on both the islands of Isla Sorna and Isla Nublar.
While official records indicated InGen was just one of any number of small 1980s genetic engineering start-ups the events of the Novel and Film revealed to a select group that InGen had discovered a method of cloning dinosaurs and other animals (including a quagga
) using blood extracted from mosquito
es trapped in amber during various periods in time, ranging from the Mesozoic era to the 1800's.
Following sabotage during an inspection visit (Last week of August 1989 in the novel, unknown date in 1993 for the film) several people were killed by escaping dinosaurs.
At this point the film continuity and books diverged.
on October 5, 1989, the island is destroyed by the (fictional) Costa Rican Air force, the survivors are sworn to secrecy and by the time of The Lost World, InGen is defunct with its equipment being sold off.
Lost World also reveals that much of InGen's Isla Nublar research operation was a smoke screen covering up the fact that most research occurred on the nearby island of Isla Sorna. The novel reveals that in 1995 Ian Malcolm (who had survived the first incident) discovered InGen's second operation with help from a small group of associates. They investigate the island and discover that Dinosaurs were left running free after the collapse of the company. Despite interference from a group attempting to steal Dinosaur eggs for research they are able to conceal the Islands status and InGen's legacy. Though the novel indicates that animals have been showing up on the mainland which may lead to the islands discovery and destruction.
, the genetics company InGen was never named in any dialogue on-screen, however its logo was encrypted on helicopters. and for the most part the first film follows the novel except John Hammond survives and decides that the park is dangerous and no longer viable. The operation is shut down and dismantled.
Unlike the second novel, InGen still exists in the second film
, replacing their rival Biosyn as the antagonists, and been on the verge of Chapter 11 bankruptcy since the incident. In the film Hammond is forced out by the board of directors who plan to exploit the surviving animals from Isla Sorna and place them into a developing exhibit in San Diego, in order to restore the company's lost fortunes.
Hammond organized and sends a team of experts led by Ian Malcolm to Isla Sorna to document the animals before the InGen assault which goes horribly wrong, both due to sabotage (by Malcolm's team) and underestimation of the animals' abilities. A pair of T-Rex specimens were captured (one adult, one juvenile) and taken to San Diego where they were to be exhibited, however the adult T-Rex escaped and went on a rampage before finally being subdued and returned to the island.
In Jurassic Park III
the island is quarantined pending a final decision as to what to do about the animals. InGen never appeared and is only mentioned once in passing, leaving the fate of the company unknown and is presumably bankrupted for the incident in San Diego.
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
company appearing in the Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park (franchise)
The Jurassic Park franchise is a series of books, films, comics, and videos centering on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park of cloned dinosaurs...
franchise of novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s and other media.
Narrative
The fictional company, InGen, is based in Palo AltoPalo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and has one location in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Nevertheless, most of InGen's research took place on both the islands of Isla Sorna and Isla Nublar.
While official records indicated InGen was just one of any number of small 1980s genetic engineering start-ups the events of the Novel and Film revealed to a select group that InGen had discovered a method of cloning dinosaurs and other animals (including a quagga
Quagga
The quagga is an extinct subspecies of the plains zebra, which was once found in great numbers in South Africa's Cape Province and the southern part of the Orange Free State. It was distinguished from other zebras by having the usual vivid marks on the front part of the body only...
) using blood extracted from mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
es trapped in amber during various periods in time, ranging from the Mesozoic era to the 1800's.
Following sabotage during an inspection visit (Last week of August 1989 in the novel, unknown date in 1993 for the film) several people were killed by escaping dinosaurs.
At this point the film continuity and books diverged.
In the books
In the novel, InGen founder John Hammond is killed in the accident and InGen files for Chapter 11Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
on October 5, 1989, the island is destroyed by the (fictional) Costa Rican Air force, the survivors are sworn to secrecy and by the time of The Lost World, InGen is defunct with its equipment being sold off.
Lost World also reveals that much of InGen's Isla Nublar research operation was a smoke screen covering up the fact that most research occurred on the nearby island of Isla Sorna. The novel reveals that in 1995 Ian Malcolm (who had survived the first incident) discovered InGen's second operation with help from a small group of associates. They investigate the island and discover that Dinosaurs were left running free after the collapse of the company. Despite interference from a group attempting to steal Dinosaur eggs for research they are able to conceal the Islands status and InGen's legacy. Though the novel indicates that animals have been showing up on the mainland which may lead to the islands discovery and destruction.
In the films
In the 1993 film adaptationJurassic Park (film)
Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Martin Ferrero, and Bob Peck...
, the genetics company InGen was never named in any dialogue on-screen, however its logo was encrypted on helicopters. and for the most part the first film follows the novel except John Hammond survives and decides that the park is dangerous and no longer viable. The operation is shut down and dismantled.
Unlike the second novel, InGen still exists in the second film
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
The Lost World: Jurassic Park is a 1997 science fiction thriller film, directed by Steven Spielberg. The film was produced by Bonnie Curtis, Kathleen Kennedy, Gerald R. Molen and Colin Wilson...
, replacing their rival Biosyn as the antagonists, and been on the verge of Chapter 11 bankruptcy since the incident. In the film Hammond is forced out by the board of directors who plan to exploit the surviving animals from Isla Sorna and place them into a developing exhibit in San Diego, in order to restore the company's lost fortunes.
Hammond organized and sends a team of experts led by Ian Malcolm to Isla Sorna to document the animals before the InGen assault which goes horribly wrong, both due to sabotage (by Malcolm's team) and underestimation of the animals' abilities. A pair of T-Rex specimens were captured (one adult, one juvenile) and taken to San Diego where they were to be exhibited, however the adult T-Rex escaped and went on a rampage before finally being subdued and returned to the island.
In Jurassic Park III
Jurassic Park III
Jurassic Park III is a 2001 American science fiction film and the third of the Jurassic Park franchise. It is the only film in the series that is neither directed by Steven Spielberg nor based on a book by Michael Crichton, though numerous scenes in the movie were taken from Crichton's two books,...
the island is quarantined pending a final decision as to what to do about the animals. InGen never appeared and is only mentioned once in passing, leaving the fate of the company unknown and is presumably bankrupted for the incident in San Diego.
Reception
Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction describe InGen as comparable to another "sleazy organization". Other sources reference the company's receiving the baby T-Rex as an allusion to other exploitative entrepreneurs depicted in King Kong. Ken Gelder describes InGen as "resolutely secretive, just like the firm in Grisham's novel."External links
- "Official" InGen website from lost-world.com