In 2013, Pacific Rim was a modest success in the United States, grossing $101.8 million at the domestic box office. However, it was a far bigger hit internationally, and the worldwide total of $411 million was deemed large enough to warrant the development of a sequel. That film, Pacific Rim: Uprising, is scheduled for release in February 2018 and is currently in production. Set photos of new cast members John Boyega and Scott Eastwood have made their way online in recent weeks, revealing both to be Jaeger pilots in the followup. Boyega is portraying the son of Idris Elba’s Stacker Pentecost, who died heroically in the original film.

Since Uprising is a ways off from hitting theaters, Legendary Pictures hasn’t unveiled too many official marketing materials to date, though there is a still image of Boyega in-character as Jake and artwork of the new Jaeger designs available for fans to see. Now, the sequel has received a shiny new logo that’s sure to get viewers buzzing.

The film’s director Steven S. DeKnight took to his Instagram account to share the image, which is simple in its layout, but still hints at the action to come. Check it out for yourself below:

  1. #PacificRimUprising A post shared by Steven S. DeKnight (@stevendeknight) on Feb 16, 2017 at 10:59am PST

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While plot details for Uprising are being kept under wraps at this juncture, it’s safe to assume it will involve plenty of Jaeger-on-Kaiju action, giving audiences more of the big screen spectacle the first installment delivered. One has to wonder if viewers will get their first real look at what DeKnight has in store soon. Legendary Pictures (the production company behind Pacific Rim) is releasing fellow monster movie Kong: Skull Island next month, and that could be the opportune time to unveil a brief teaser trailer. Uprising has been in production since late 2016, so presumably there is enough footage to cut together a little preview and whet audiences’ appetites. Still, there is about a year until the film’s premiere, so the studio has a while before they have to begin promotion en masse.

Guillermo del Toro, architect of this universe, is only involved with Uprising in a limited capacity, serving as producer and receiving a story credit. However, that doesn’t mean fans should be concerned about the movie’s potential quality. There’s a top-notch creative team behind the project, one that excites returning star Charlie Day (who reprises Dr. Newt Geiszler). DeKnight made a name for himself as Daredevil showrunner during the series’ acclaimed first season, and Boyega impressed many as one of the leads in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That Uprising was able to attract both while they were in high-demand speaks volumes, hopefully meaning the sequel will be thrilling and compelling.

Source: Steven S. DeKnight

  • Pacific Rim: Uprising Release Date: 2018-03-23