Pacific Rim Is Getting a Surprising Second (or Fourth) Life

It’s been over a decade since Guillermo del Toro delivered his take on classic kaiju flicks with Pacific Rim — and Legendary Entertainment is still trying to recreate its magic. In many ways, Pacific Rim was the anti-blockbuster: its schlock and spectacle almost seemed like a means to an end for del Toro. The 2013 film used its sci-fi conceit — that of giant mechs fighting even bigger monsters — to explore something that transcends words, the concept of soulmates. Of course, it resorted to some fairly elaborate worldbuilding to do so. Clunky exposition aside, Pacific Rim deserved to become the next big genre franchise; it’s just taken a few attempts to get it right.

Variety reports that Legendary is taking another swing at del Toro’s IP. The studio will partner with Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Shadow and Bone) to develop an “origin story series” for the world of Pacific Rim. The series is the first in a multi-year deal between Legendary and Heisserer’s own production company, Chronology, which he co-founded with Shadow and Bone producer Carmen Lewis. The duo will be shepherding TV projects based on Legendary’s library of IP, which means there may be more Pacific Rim stories on the horizon.

This won’t be the first project to branch off from del Toro’s 2013 film. Pacific Rim got a sequel, Uprising, in 2018. That was followed by an anime series via Netflix, which ran for two seasons. Despite some curiosity from audiences, though, neither managed to truly move the needle. Uprising was widely derided by fans, and few even know that Pacific Rim: The Black exists. Maybe a prequel will have a bit more luck: it could serve as an entry point for new audiences, all while expanding on the lore established by del Toro.

For anyone in need of a refresher, here’s the central brief of Pacific Rim: in the near future, humanity has to band together to fight Kaiju, massive alien monsters that have entered our world through an interdimensional portal in the Pacific Ocean. The film follows the last days of the Jaeger Program, an international military effort that gives human co-pilots control of massive Gundam-style fighting machines. They have to sync their minds, wills, and memories in order to do so, becoming one in a concept called the Drift.

If Legendary and Heisserer want to go for a straightforward prequel, their new series could trace the origins of the Jaeger program. Much of it is detailed in a graphic novel developed by del Toro, Tales from Year Zero, so there is some material to go off of. The prequel series could also lean into del Toro’s zanier worldbuilding, maybe exploring the origins of the aliens seeking to colonize Earth. The director once had plans to introduce elements of time travel in a sequel, which would, admittedly, be a lot... but a prequel could find a home for the weirdest bits of Pacific Rim lore.

This could be the chance for the franchise to actually find its footing. Not unlike another Legendary prequel, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the Pacific Rim franchise may just need to establish its origins before it can move forward.