After a few years of failed starts, a new Pacific Rim movie is on the way-- but it does come with some caveats. The biggest loss to the sequel was Guillermo del Toro, director and creator of the original movie who was unable to come back for Pacific Rim: Uprising. Steven S. DeKnight stepped in to helm the sequel starring John Boyega, but that doesn't mean that del Toro didn't contribute. Del Toro still served an important role in getting the sequel off the ground, and frequently collaborated with notes and developing the script.
He's been involved from the different ideas, weighing in, the different drafts. We send him all the visuals and everything. He loves Boyega. Obviously all the stuff he looked at he's touched and noted. He hasn't been here yet. I wouldn't be surprised if at some point he ends up here. Moves things around and I'll be like 'No, go back over there.'
Guillermo del Toro may not have been able to direct the sequel to his Monsters vs Robots geekfest, but he still had a voice in the making of Pacific Rim: Uprising. While talking to ComingSoon, producer Cale Boyter revealed that del Toro was involved in the creative process, which ranged from giving notes on the various drafts of the script to weighing in on the designs for the new Jaegers and Kaiju. He also apparently really loved John Boyega, but honestly, who doesn't?
This should hopefully be good news for skeptical fans of the original Pacific Rim. Some have voiced their opinions that Pacific Rim: Uprising looks more like a Transformers movie than a Pacific Rim movie. Those concerns are understandable; Guillermo del Toro has a unique voice and vision, and that went a long way in establishing the look and feel of the super nerdy Pacific Rim. Knowing that he at least had a voice in the sequel could ease any worries people may have. If it makes you feel any better, del Toro is getting major Oscar buzz for his next film, The Shape of Water, so he's going to be doing alright.
Pacific Rim: Uprising is set several years after the events of the first film and follows Jake Pentecost, the son of Idris Elba's character from the first movie. There hasn't been an attack since the breach was closed, but when the enemy suddenly arises, Jake will have to pilot Gipsy Avenger and lead a new generation of pilots to stop the apocalypse...again.
Pacific Rim: Uprising is set to hit theaters on March 23, 2018. To learn about what 2017 still has to offer, here's what's coming to theaters for the rest of the year.
