PACIFIC RIM 2 announced; Comic Book & TV Series planned

In a world where film news comes first as rumors, then unofficial confirmation and then finally we get word from studios about the status of our favorite upcoming movies… it’s rare when something like today happens. Director Guillermo Del Toro, famous for his HELLBOY movies, and Director of last summer’s cinematic blockbuster PACIFIC RIM, confirms in a video earlier today from right here in Toronto, his plans for the continuation of the PACIFIC RIM Universe.

So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth. PACIFIC RIM 2 is all set to release on 2017. A long way away, but not that long if you consider the amount of Special Effects that goes into a film of that caliber. Del Toro also confirms that he is working on the sequel to the awesome Monster ridden apocalyptic film with original screenwriter Travis Beacham, and also Zak Penn, a veteran of superhero flicks like X-MEN: THE LAST STAND (2006), THE INCREDIBLE HULK (2008) with even a THE AVENGERS (2012) credit for story. An animated series is also apparently on the way between now and 2017, possibly in line for launch closer to the movie’s release date, to better market the sequel.

No hard facts yet about what the story of the sequel will focus on, other than free wheeling brainstorms thus far. Personally, I’d love to see an expansion of the story into higher stakes. While mindless monsters destroying the universe is all well and good, I’d love a main conflict that has more cerebral intentions behind it. Maybe a human villain, who has found a way to gain entry into the monster dimension, as well as a means to control the Kaiiju, using them for his own agendas of world domination or some other diabolical plan. The greatness of PACIFIC RIM was that it didn’t make the audience think too hard. While a human villain intensifies the stakes, his motivations need not be overly complicated, in keeping with the badass fun nature of the film.

PACIFIC RIM (My Review here) was an entertaining film, for the first time combining the amazing concept of gigantic mechanized robots, driven by humans, fighting actual monsters that are destroying the world. All the original cast, including the lead pair of Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi are said to return for the sequel, set for a 2017 release.

What do you think of this news of the PACIFIC RIM world being continuing and expanding into TV and hopefully a franchise?

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