Shocking Revelation: The Real Reason Behind Guillermo Del Toro's Departure from Pacific Rim 2

Guillermo del Toro has established himself as the reigning champion of the creature feature genre, successfully creating captivating films on both large-scale productions and independent projects. He began his journey with the Mexican horror film Cronos in 1992, gradually making his way to the big leagues with the comic book adaptation Hellboy in 2004. Despite incorporating high-concept elements into his films, del Toro always manages to infuse his own personality and style, with his most challenging endeavor being the monumental 2013 monster movie Pacific Rim.

Although renowned for his intricate and complex ideas, Pacific Rim showcased del Toro's ability to create a more straightforward narrative. Set in a world where humanity has built colossal robotic mechas known as Jaegers to combat gigantic interdimensional creatures called Kaiju, the film follows the story of Raleigh Becket (Charlie Hunnam), a retired Jaeger pilot who is recruited by his former commanding officer Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) to mentor the promising rookie Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi) as the Kaiju threat intensifies. While the storyline may appear generic at first glance, del Toro's meticulous attention to detail and his innovatively crafted concept of the Drifting technique used to operate the Jaegers elevate the film to new heights.

Why Did Guillermo del Toro Pass on Directing ‘Pacific Rim: Uprising’?

After the moderate success of Pacific Rim, del Toro announced his intention to helm a sequel alongside co-writer Zak Penn (Ready Player One). However, a major twist occurred when Legendary Pictures, the production company behind the first film, was acquired by a Chinese conglomerate for an astronomical $3.5 billion due to the immense box office success Pacific Rim garnered in China. Consequently, del Toro relinquished the director's chair and handed it over to Steven S. DeKnight (TV's Daredevil) for his directorial debut, while maintaining his involvement as a producer – leaving many pondering the rationale behind this decision.

Appearing at Collider's 10th-anniversary screening of Pacific Rim, del Toro commented on Uprising in an exclusive interview. He mentioned that they were preparing for it, and while it had some differences from the first film, it still continued with his vision. However, an unexpected turn of events occurred. They had to make a deposit for the stages in Toronto by 5pm, or else they would lose them for several months. Despite reminding them about the deadline, they failed to make the deposit, resulting in losing the stages. As an alternative, they suggested shooting the film in China. Del Toro humorously responded, questioning the use of "we" as he had to prioritize his commitment to directing Shape of Water.

What is Pacific Rim: Uprising About?

: Del Toro's unwavering desire to helm the sequel to his beloved passion project was evident from the very beginning. Even before completing the first film, he hinted at his ongoing contemplation of a follow-up. It became clear that he was fully committed to returning as the director until a series of unfortunate events, triggered by studio negligence, drove him away. Despite Legendary's continued involvement as the primary producer, there was a significant shift in the distribution, transitioning from Warner Bros. to Universal, which resulted in a certain level of disconnect. As a result, Del Toro sought solace in creating a Pacific Rim anime series for Netflix. However, it appears that his disheartening experience in attempting to bring his sequel to fruition has significantly deterred him from reclimbing into the Jaeger cockpit anytime soon.

Taking place a decade after its predecessor, Uprising centers around Jake Pentecost (played by John Boyega), a black-market merchant specializing in decommissioned Jaeger components. He resides in the shadows of his father Stacker's legendary sacrifice in the first film, where he succeeded in closing the portal that connected the Kaiju world with Earth. Jake, also the adopted younger sibling of Mako who currently serves as the secretary general of the Pan-Pacific Defense Corps, receives a chance for redemption when a group of Kaiju-Jaeger hybrids breach numerous points across the Pacific Rim, unleashing a fresh onslaught of Kaiju creatures.

Del Toro had very limited involvement as a producer during the project's development and production phase from 2016 to 2017. However, in a recent Q&A session, he provided a more interesting explanation for not watching the final movie:

"I chose not to see the final movie, as it feels like watching personal videos of your ex-spouse. It can be awful if they turn out well, and even worse if they are bad, or vice versa. It's something you'd rather not know. So, I abstained from watching it. However, I did read the final script, and it had significant differences. Although some elements remained the same, the overall story had undergone notable changes."

Will ‘Pacific Rim 3’ Ever Exist?

Here are the words of a man who had a deep passion for his lighthearted extravaganza of robots fighting monsters. He couldn't bear the thought of what his carefully crafted cinematic universe would become without him in control. The outcome was a result that, while still generic like the original, lacked the originality it once had. There was only one notable aspect to take away from it, which was the remarkable performance of Cailee Spaeny. She is an up-and-coming actress currently generating awards buzz for her work in Sofia Coppola's highly anticipated film, Priscilla.

In preparation for the release of Uprising, DeKnight and his creative team devoted considerable time to exploring various possibilities for the franchise's future. One intriguing concept that emerged was a crossover between Godzilla and King Kong, two iconic properties in the Legendary portfolio. Del Toro, while not intending to helm the project, humorously entertained the notion, emphasizing that he had no directing plans in mind.

I love witnessing the vibrant neon, intense sea battles, and captivating building demolitions. In my mind, it's a thrilling thought that the PAC RIM Universe could potentially coexist within the LEGENDARY Kaijuverse. And who knows, there might come a day when they collide in an epic confrontation! Although Del Toro no longer holds the reins of creativity in the Pacific Rim universe as before, his unwavering passion for these films maintains the hope that another installment could materialize in the future. The only uncertainty is which visionary filmmaker he would entrust to carry forward his remarkable legacy.