Late last year, it looked like the often-delayed sequelPacific Rim 2wasn’t ever going to happen, with some reports stating it was canceled altogether, while others claimed the sequel may still happen. Earlier this year, the project gained new life, whenDaredevilSeason 1 showrunnerSteven S. DeKnightcame aboard to direct, replacing originalPacific RimdirectorGuillermo del Toro, who is remaining on board as a producer. Today we have word that Legendary Pictures has brought onJurassic WorldwriterDerek Connollyto craft the script.
ThePacific Rim 2 scriptwas previously worked on byGuillermo del Toro,Zak Penn(Ready Player One) andJon Spaihts(Prometheus). This report fromThe Hollywood Reporterstates that it isn’t clear ifDerek Connollyis doing a full page-one rewrite, or if he is incorporating ideas from the previous drafts into his script. Earlier versions of the script reportedly took place several years after the events of the first movie, where the massive fighting robots known asJaegershave become more common.
Guillermo del Torois producing alongsideThomas Tull,Mary Parentand Legendary’sJon Jashni. We reported in January that the merger between Legendary and Chinese investment group Dalian Wanda Group, which acquired a majority stake in the company, could mean thatPacific Rim 2would happen after all, given the success ofPacific Rimin China. The movie earned $111.9 million in China, the movie’s highest box office gross in any worldwide market, including the United States, where it took in $101.8 million.
Guillermo del Torohad previously revealed that he planned on bringing back everyPacific Rimcharacter whosurvivedforPacific Rim 2, which would include Raleigh Beckett (Charlie Hunnam), Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), Dr. Newton Geiszler (Charlie Day), Gottlieb (Burn Gorman) and Hannibal Chau (Ron Perlman). With a new writer coming aboard, it isn’t known if this plan will change, or how many new characters will be introduced. Legendary still hasn’t set a release date forPacific Rim 2, but hopefully we’ll learn more after the script has been completed.
Derek Connollymade his feature writing debut with the 2012 indie classicSafety Not Guaranteed, which he co-wrote with directorColin Trevorrow. The writing duo also worked together on last year’s blockbusterJurassic Worldand the upcoming sequelJurassic World 2, but he went solo with a number of other projects like the upcomingMonster TrucksandKong: Skull Island. He also co-wroteIntelligent LifewithColin Trevorrow, which hasLupita Nyong’oattached to star.
