Pacific Rim Universe Set To Expand With New Prequel Show Only4Media.com

The Pacific Rim universe is expanding through a new prequel series. Pacific Rim was originally a 2013 film directed by Guillermo del Toro, featuring a leading cast including Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Burn Gorman, Charlie Day, and Max Martini. The plot focuses on a war between humans and massive kaiju sea creatures that begin to take over, and was followed up by the poorly-reviewed film Pacific Rim: Uprising.

As per Variety, a new Pacific Rim TV series is now in development. The TV show will come as a result of a first-look deal between Legendary Entertainment and Eric Heisserer. This deal encapsulates multiple upcoming projects, among them including the Pacific Rim prequel series. The plot has not yet been revealed for the Pacific Rim show, but the show is confirmed to be a prequel to the film franchise. Legendary Television president Jason Clodfelter spoke highly of Heisserer in an announcement for the project, citing the creator’s “track record of critical and commercial successes.” Check out the full quote from Clodfelter below:

“Eric is a multitalented, prolific creator whose track record of critical and commercial successes speaks for itself. We are thrilled to launch our partnership with Eric, Chronology, and Carmen, with a new entry in the epic, globally popular ‘Pacific Rim’ universe. We are certain their vision will make for an enthralling expansion to Legendary’s beloved franchise.”

What Does This Mean For The Chances Of Pacific Rim 3?

Pacific Rim 3 Has Been Floated

While the announcement of the Pacific Rim prequel series is news, the continuation of the Pacific Rim series has been long-discussed. A potential Pacific Rim 3 movie has been the main subject of said discussion, though 2018’s Pacific Rim: Uprising did not do great. Original Pacific Rim star Hunnam has even said that he would return for Pacific Rim 3, provided that original director del Toro were to return. This promise has sparked further discussion of Pacific Rim 3, though no sequel film has been confirmed.

The development of a Pacific Rim TV series would suggest that Legendary is prioritizing elsewhere within the IP for now. However, the Heisserer series does not necessarily rule out the possibility of Pacific Rim 3 still happening. If it were a canonical sequel, it would be easier to assume that the possibility of Pacific Rim 3 would be nixed. As a prequel, however, the television series has a lot of liberty to be able to explore various plot points without getting in the way of any potential arcs in Pacific Rim 3.

Even though Pacific Rim 3 is not impossible, it still seems like the IP is trending in the direction of television in recent years. This pattern is further seen with the computer animated series Pacific Rim: The Black, which aired two seasons on Netflix in 2021 and 2022. With another Pacific Rim series on its way, the wait for any potential Pacific Rim 3 may grow, but at least more stories in the IP can be explored with the Legendary’s next franchise project.

Source: Variety

Pacific Rim

In a post-apocalyptic future, Earth battles a deadly race of alien monsters called the Kaiju, who have begun arriving on the planet through an interdimensional portal in the Pacific Ocean. In an attempt to combat the Kaiju, humanity has created Jaegers, giant robot suits powered by at least two pilots that can match their enemy for size and strength. When the Kaiju begin to become too strong, however, a washed-up Jaeger pilot must return to the program to participate in one final mission to save Earth for good.

Director

Guillermo del Toro

Release Date

July 12, 2013

Studio(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers

Travis Beacham

Cast

Charlie Hunnam , Idris Elba , Charlie Day , Ron Perlman , Rinko Kikuchi , Clifton Collins Jr.

Franchise(s)

Pacific Rim

Budget

180 million

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