If you like the idea of giant robots battling it out with equally giant monsters, Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim was most likely up your alley. Last summer’s blockbuster did well financially, at least well enough for Universal and Legendary Pictures to warrant a sequel, which has just been green-lit. Toro will return to helm Pacific Rim 2, with Zak Penn co-writing the script with him. The producers for the second installment in the Pacific Rim franchise will remain the same for the most part, with Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent and Callum Greene joining Guillermo del Toro in supervising production.
Travis Beacham, the original script writer will also be returning to assist with the script for Pacific Rim 2. At this point, it’s unclear whether or not the original cast (which featured Charlie Hunnam and Idris Elba) will return or not. The concept of giant Jaegers punching monsters back into the depths of the ocean will however remain unchanged. Guillermo del Toro did however clarify that the characters themselves will be making a comeback. “The characters I love will return. Raleigh, Mako, Newt, Gottlieb and who knows, maybe even Hannibal Chau – but we are taking them into a fresh territory that will display amazing sights and battles. The first film set the stage and now we’re ready to have a blast.”
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While generally well received, the original Pacific Rim didn’t impress at the box office. The film cost around $190 million to produce, but only grossed an estimated $37 million in its opening weekend in the United States. It did however do great overseas, where it brought in almost $310 million during its screenings. It did exceptionally well in China, where it brought in $114 million. Pacific Rim 2 will be launched in 2017, on the 7th of April, and it’s likely to be the film that sets off the summer blockbuster season of the year. Pacific Rim 2 will also be produced in 3D and in Imax, so expect to see a lot more CGI, eye candy and devastation.