Watch trailer of dinosaur hotfooting through Edinburgh for blockbuster exhibition at National Museum of Scotland

A major new exhibition brings dinosaurs back to life in the Capital next week - with a monster trailer to promote their appearance.

The promotional film shows a dinosaur hotfooting it from Edinburgh Airport to the National Museum of Scotland in time to take its place in the Tyrannosaurs exhibition.

Made by Edinburgh’s Freak Films, the video stars an early species of feathered tyrannosaur from China called Guanlong.

The dinosaur arrives at the airport where it catches an Edinburgh Tram before making its way up the Mound to the Old Town and, finally, the National Museum of Scotland to be greeted by a member of staff.

Feathered dinosaur

Dr Stig Walsh, senior curator of paleobiology at National Museums Scotland: “Excitement is growing at the arrival of Tyrannosaurs next week at the National Museum of Scotland.

“As this fun trailer shows, not all Tyrannosaurs were big lumbering beasts. Guanlong wucai, the ‘star’ of the film, is the first dinosaur you’ll see on entering the exhibition.

“Its name means ‘crowned dragon’ and it was discovered in China. It lived nearly 100 million years before T.rex.

“It’s much smaller, its arms are proportionally longer, it had a prominent head crest and, as may have been the case with many or perhaps even all tyrannosaurs, it probably had feathers.”

Major Exhibition

The most comprehensive exhibition ever mounted on tyrannosaurs will make its only European appearance when it opens at the museum next Thursday.

Created by the Australian Museum and toured by Flying Fish, Tyrannosaurs will explore the most feared and revered of all dinosaurs.

It brings the latest palaeontological discoveries to life and challenges preconceptions about these ferocious predators.

The exhibition, which is supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, will feature rare fossil specimens.

Also featuring are cast skeletons, one of the largest and most complete T. rex skeletons in the world, called ‘Scotty, and incredible models of feathered dinosaurs, including Guanlong.

Tyrannosaur research is one of the hottest areas in palaeontology - several species have been described in just the past decade - and exciting new discoveries are regularly re-drawing the family tree.

The exhibition will include details of two species discovered this century in China, Dilong and Guanlong, which date to nearly 100 million years before T.rex.

The trailer, which features dinosaur animation by Hive Studios International, will be seen in Edinburgh cinemas and online.

Lea Harrison, managing director of Edinburgh Trams said: “We don’t normally let dinosaurs on board, but given Guanlong was in a hurry we made the exception. Tyrannosaurs is set to be fantastic exhibition, and Edinburgh Trams is thrilled to be working with the National Museum of Scotland to get visitors there.”

The exhibition runs until May 4.