In 2013, Pacific Rim was a breath of fresh air in the blockbuster world. Coming from acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, the Kaiju vs. Robots smackdown was a big-budget, original sci-fi film in a season dominated by sequels, reboots, and franchises. And yet, the film still fell short at the box office, grossing $101.8 million in America and $411 million worldwide off a $190 million budget. That's not a total failure, but Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures didn't immediately jump on the idea of a sequel. Del Toro's visions are costly affairs and with the current crisis in Hollywood of "sequelitis" (the disappointing results of TMNT 2, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and The Huntsman are prime examples of this crisis), there was no reason for the studio to believe that a Pacific Rim follow-up would be a success. Nonetheless, Legendary and Universal pushed forward with the film, scheduling it for an April 14, 2017 release date. The sequel was put on hold for a while, but with Steven S. DeKnight in the director's chair, Pacific Rim 2 is officially happening. And earlier this week, a major star signed on to lead this next chapter in the franchise.
John Boyega, star of Lucasfilm's record-breaking blockbuster Star Wars: The Force Awakens, has joined Pacific Rim 2 in the lead role. Boyega will be playing the son of Idris Elba's Stacker Pentecost, who valiantly perished at the end of the original film. "I am very proud and happy to welcome John into a fantastic sandbox. The 'Pacific Rim' universe will be reinforced with him as the leading man as it continues to be a multicultural, multi-layered world. The "World Saving the World" was our goal and I couldn't think of a better man for the job," said del Toro, singing the praises of the breakout star. Legendary Vice Chairman Mary Parent added this, "It is undeniable that with all his talent and natural charm, John stands out amongst today's generation of young leading men." In addition to Pacific Rim 2, Boyega will be starring in Star Wars: Episode VIII, The Circle and Watership Down.
Boyega burst onto the scene with Attack the Block, but Star Wars established him as one of the best young actors around. He was simply phenomenal as Finn, and his diverse collection of roles proves that he can convey a range of emotions on screen. As del Toro said, he literally is the perfect actor to join this universe. I can't wait to see the Pacific Rim franchise continue on screen and I'm excited for Boyega to be leading the way. The film will hit theaters sometime in 2017.
Source: Variety
Image Credits: Joblo
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