Trouble For ‘Pacific Rim 2’ Could Stop Production Indefinitely
We may not be getting “Pacific Rim 2.”
Sorry “Pacific Rim” fans, the sequel looks to be on hold for now (maybe indefinitely) and it may be King Kong and Godzilla’s fault. Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros, the studios behind “Pacific Rim” recently acquired the rights to a King Kong prequel, “Kong: Skull Island.” They already have plans to integrate it with a new Godzilla series of films, culminating in a big budget remake of “King Kong vs. Godzilla.” With all of this going on it seems that “Pacific Rim 2” had to be pushed to the side. Earlier this year the sequel was announced by director, Guillermo del Toro and scheduled to be released in August of 2017. Here’s what del Toro had to say on the subject in an attempt to calm fans.
“We are still turning in a screenplay and a budget in three weeks. As far as I’m concerned, it’s not gone. We’re still on it.” “If moved further,” he said. “I may do another movie in the middle.”
– Guillermo del Toro
To look at it from the studio’s perspective they have one franchise which did okay. “Pacific Rim” cost close to $200 million to make and took in about $411 million for its worldwide take. That may seem like a pretty good profit to most people but remember the $200 million was just to make the movie and doesn’t account for all the marketing which tends to cost almost half as much as the actual movie if not more. Which means its profit was enough to make them interested in a sequel, but not so much that it’s any sort of priority for the studio. Whereas an established franchise like “King Kong” will almost certainly make much more money, as will “Godzilla” and a crossover film, so why bother on “Pacific Rim 2?” These are the sad realities of the situation.
“Pacific Rim 2” was originally scheduled for release on August 4, 2017 before being pulled from the Legendary and Universal schedule. No alternate release date has been posted.
Do you think this trouble means that “Pacific Rim 2” is done?
This was first reported by Entertainment Weekly
