Summer 2013 – like pretty much every summer blockbuster season – was characterized by sequels, spinoffs and remakes of stories populated by familiar characters. We celebrated something like Guillermo Del Toro’s Pacific Rim because, unlike its brethren, it wasn’t based on a book, comic or vintage television show we’ve already digested. And now it’s being celebrated for its international grosses without having to lean on a recognizable, bankable name.
As BoxOfficeMojo notes, Pacific Rim earned $407.3 million worldwide. Currently, it is the 10th-highest-grossing film worldwide in 2013. But as ComicBook.com points out, “Of the nine films ranked ahead of Pacific Rim worldwide, eight of them were either sequels or based on pre-existing books or comic book characters. The Croods was the only brand new intellectual property, and it was an animated film. Pacific Rim was the highest grossing live action movie worldwide based on a brand new intellectual property.”
It’s an interesting conversation, because those of us who thoroughly enjoyed Rim want to see the film do well so that Del Toro gets the chance to do a possible sequel … which is ironic, as we’re taking the time to celebrate its originality. Why are we so quick to try and squeeze a follow-up out of something proudly unique? Is that what this business has become? It this what WE have become?
Yes. And we’re excited because Rim co-writer Travis Beacham has been circling a sequel script since December 2012. He took to Twitter during opening weekend to say that he hopes the sequel gets greenlit because Del Toro had massive, crazy plans for the next chapter. There even have been rumors that co-star Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) would be the villain in the sequel, which could be a great twist.
The conversation will continue as Rim makes its way to DVD and Blu-ray. Plus, Del Toro and his entire cast – still to this day – keep the conversation going in interviews for the movie. The director, in this clip, brilliantly teases that this first movie would be like Howard’s End compared to the “surreal” action they are mapping out for a follow up.
My nine-year-old son, meanwhile, asks me at least once a week if they have started filming the Pacific Rim sequel yet. He’d love for it to be called Atlantic Rim, and explore new creatures that (obviously) come out of the Atlantic Ocean. If you use that, Mr. Del Toro, we want proper credit.
Rim continues to perform well overseas. Its international box office hopefully earned enough cred to greenlight a sequel. And maybe next summer’s Godzilla reboot can continue to fan the flames of interest in massive monster movies so that the Godzilla-Kaiju mash up we dream about can actually come to fruition.
