‘Pacific Rim 2’ Is Back On With ‘Daredevil’s Steven S. DeKnight Directing
The past couple of years have been a real roller coaster ride forPacific Rimfans. The film’s limp U.S. box office dimmed hopes of a sequel, before a strong overseas performance got Universal interested again. A release date was set and everything seemed on track for more jaeger vs. kaiju fights… and then Universal got cold feet and put the whole thing on hold. Through it all,Guillermo del ToroinsistedPacific Rim 2was not dead, and now it looks like his optimism is finally panning out.
Legendary Pictures has hiredSpartacuscreator andDaredevilseason 1Steven S. DeKnightto helm the sci-fi action sequel, while del Toro will remain on board as a producer. Universal Pictures is still set to distribute.
Deadlinebroke news of the newPacific Rim 2director.Pacific Rim 2will mark DeKnight’s feature directing debut, but he’s a TV vet. Besides creatingSpartacus, DeKnight has also worked onBuffy the Vampire Slayer,Angel,Smallville, andDollhouse. He took over as theDaredevilshowrunner when Drew Goddard dropped out, and then dropped out himself after the first season due to other commitments. (Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez are the showrunners forDaredevilseason 2.) DeKnight also recently joined theTransformerswriters room.
Originally, the plan was for del Toro to directPacific Rim 2in late 2015 for release in summer 2017. However, after Universal pulled the plug and yankedPacific Rim 2off its release calendar, del Toro moved on to other projects includingFantastic VoyageandScary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Nevertheless, he continued to assure fans that he wasn’t giving up. And last month, it looked like the tides were finally turning inPacific Rim’s favor. Legendary Entertainment was acquired by the Wanda Group, a conglomerate in China — wherePacific Rimwas a box office smash, not the dud it was in the U.S.
Legendary’sThomas TullandJohn Jashniwill producePacific Rim 2along with del Toro andMary Parent. Legendary’sJillian Sharewill executive produce.Pacific Rim 2has a script byJon Spaihts. No new release date has been announced.
