'Pacific Rim 2' Release Date, News & Update: Will Movie Be Permanently Shelved? Everything To Know So Far

Pacific Rim Pacific Rim 2 Guillermo Del Torro Steven S. DeKnight

By Rachel Cruz , Parent Herald Apr 05, 03:00 am

Production for "Pacific Rim 2" has hit a bump as director Guillermo Del Torro dropped off the project. The movie originally had a target theater date of August 2017, but with delays derailing production, a new release schedule has not yet been determined. Is the movie going to be permanently shelved?

Del Torro, who remains a producer on the film, named Steven S. DeKnight as his successor to helm "Pacific Rim 2" in a Twitter post in February. However, even then, the movie is already months behind. Production was supposed to be in full force last fall.

Met w DeKnight and we are all so happy with our choice to take Pac Rim 2to where we know it can go!!

— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) February 24, 2016

Indications that "Pacific Rim 2" is having problems stemmed from changes Warner Bros made when it bumped "Pitch Perfect 3" to the August 2017 slot for the sequel. Del Torro acknowledged the delays, but he was optimistic about the movie progressing its development. "We are still turning in a screenplay and a budget in three weeks," he told Entertainment Weekly in September. "As far as I'm concerned, it's not gone. We're still on it."

There are little details to the storyline of "Pacific Rim: 2," however, reports suggest it could involve a new place this time around. Dr. Newton "Newt" Geiszler (Charlie Day) and Dr. Herman Gottlieb (Burn Gorman) might be at the center of the plot, per Cinema Blend.

Variety reports that it's still not clear if the rest of the original actors are going to be in the sequel, but production apparently want all surviving characters featured in "Pacific Rim 2." Charlie Hunnam, who played the Jaeger pilot Raleigh Becket in the first film, was originally on board the sequel. However, it looks like the actor is already booked for other projects. Rumors that he would be returning to the "Sons of Anarchy" prequel are rife, thus he won't be able to commit to "Pacific Rim 2," as Parent Herald reported.

Will "Pacific Rim 2" be better off shelved after these hitches? What do you think?