For a very longtime, it looked likePacific Rim 2wasn’t happening. The first movie didn’t fare well in the states, but it did great overseas, especially in China. And that’s pretty much why we’re getting the sequel, now titledPacific Rim: Maelstrom. But Warner Bros. didn’t make the official announcement until after original director Guillermo Del Toro had to dropout due to conflicting future projects. Now, another key piece in the puzzle has also confirmed they won’t be back for this follow-up to the 2013 monster movie.
Speaking withYahoo! Movies, originalPacific Rimstar Charlie Hunnam, who played main Jaeger pilot Raleigh Becket, has confirmed that he won’t be back. It’s not for a lack of trying, though. The actor was approached about reprising his role early on in the preproduction process. But likeDel Toro, he too had a mounting schedule that causedscheduling conflicts.
Steven S. DeKnight, who shepherded Marvel’sDaredevilto the small screen for Netflix, has taken over the impending sequel as director. The movie’s story will continue humanity’s quest to rid the world of giant monsters known as Kaiju by using giant robot mecha-suits known as Jaegers. WhileHunnamcan’t be in the sequel, he says he is still very much rooting for it, and wants to see it succeed.
“I’m very excited about it. I’m glad they’re making it.”
Earlier in the year, it was reported that Scott Eastwood was eyeing a role inPacific Rim 2. At this time, he has not yet signed on. But the leading role this time out is going toStar Wars: The Force AwakensandAttack the Blockrising starJohn Boyega. He will be playing the son ofIdris Elba’s character from the first movie, Stacker Pentecost.
Pacific Rim: Maelstromwill be in theaters June 16, 2025. Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), scientists Dr. Newton Geiszler (Charlie Day) and Gottlieb (Burn Gorman) and Ron Perlman’s Hannibal Chau are all said to be returning, but that hasn’t been confirmed by Warner Bros. Despite exiting the project as a director,Guillermo del Torohas stayed on to serve as a producer on Pacific Rim 2.
