Pacific Rim 2 Release Date, Cast News: Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi May Be Back for Sequel
Director Guillermo del Toro has announced Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kukuchi are likely to return for "Pacific Rim 2."
The sequel to 2013 monster sci-fi film "Pacific Rim" is currently approaching production status, and director Guillermo del Toro, who directed the first movie, told Slashfilm the original cast who survived the events of the last film will be returning to "Pacific Rim 2: Maelstrom."
Fans of the film should expect Jaeger pilots Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam) and Mako Mori (Rinki Kukuchi) to reprise their roles.
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Kaiju-obsessed scientists Dr. Gottlieb (Burn Gorman) and Dr. Newton Geizler (Charlie Day), as well as black market privateer Hannibal Chau (Ron Perlman) may be rejoining the cast, as well.
Hunnam and Gorman are likely to make a return appearance, segueing from their continued working relationship with del Toro, who is directing them in his Gothic romance horror Crimson Peak that's due for release in October this year.
"The Avengers" story co-writer, Zak Penn, who will be doing the screenplay for "Maelstrom," has said the sequel will be focusing on the origins of the Kaijus, and how they came to cross through the dimensional portal of "the Breach" on the Pacific Ocean floor.
As a matter of the plot, a question has opened up over the future of the Jaegers and their pilots after the last movie saw the portal closed after Stacker Pentacost (Idris Elba) sacrifices himself and his Jaeger to explode a nuclear bomb to close off "the Breach."
Hunnam has also expressed hope the second movie will focus more on character development and storytelling instead of CGI effects.
"Pacific Rim 2: Maelstrom" is expected to begin filming in November this year for a theater release date on Aug. 4, 2017.
