Why Guillermo Del Toro Walked Away From Directing Pacific Rim 2 (And His Heartbreaking Struggle to Watch It)

Summary

Guillermo del Toro didn't direct Pacific Rim: Uprising because he had to leave to helm The Shape of Water when the Toronto soundstages were lost.

He has refused to watch the sequel, comparing it to viewing old home videos from a former spouse - a potentially awful experience if it turns out to be good, and even more dreadful if it's bad.

The ultimate screenplay for Pacific Rim: Uprising deviated significantly from del Toro's initial vision, although certain elements were still retained.

Guillermo del Toro explained why he did not direct or watch Pacific Rim: Uprising, the sequel to his 2013 film Pacific Rim. The original movie depicted a world where human soldiers operated giant robots called Jaegers to combat massive monsters known as Kaiju. Del Toro decided to withdraw from directing the 2018 sequel due to the lack of a deposit being placed on the Toronto soundstages he intended to use, which would have resulted in their unavailability for several months. As a result, he had to leave in order to work on his future Academy Award-winning film, The Shape of Water. In addition, del Toro confessed that he has never watched the sequel, comparing it to viewing personal videos from a previous spouse.

Pacific Rim: Uprising is a Unique Anomaly in Guillermo del Toro's Career

We were preparing to undertake the task, which was distinct from the initial one, but it encompassed several aspects that aligned with my intentions. However, an unexpected twist occurred - illustrating life's unpredictability - as a condition arose whereby a deposit had to be submitted for the stages in Toronto by 5pm, or else we would forfeit access to them for several months. Sensing the urgency, I cautioned, "Let's not forget about losing the stages." Despite my reminder, the hour came and went, resulting in the unfortunate loss of the stages. A suggestion was then proposed to shoot the project in China, to which I responded, "Who do you mean by 'we'?" [Laughs] "I have to focus on my commitments for the film Shape of Water." Regrettably, I refrained from viewing the final movie as it resembled watching personal videos of your former spouse. It is agonizing if they turn out well or even worse if they are disappointing, or vice versa. I preferred to remain unaware. However, I did peruse the definitive script, which exhibited notable disparities. Although certain elements remained consistent, the overall composition veered in a distinct direction.

Having experienced the disappointment of various unfinished or reassigned projects, Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to the volatile nature of the filmmaking industry. Notable examples include his initial involvement with the Hobbit trilogy, which ultimately saw Peter Jackson stepping in as director, along with numerous other films that failed to materialize on the big screen. Nevertheless, Pacific Rim: Uprising stands out as a peculiar deviation in his career trajectory.

Although del Toro has previously directed franchise movies, Uprising is the first instance where he did not helm a direct theatrical sequel to one of his original films. This differs from his previous experience with the 2004 films Hellboy and Hellboy: The Golden Army, as he was the director for both. While Blade II and Mimic had sequels, Blade II was already a sequel to a film he didn't direct and Mimic's sequels were only released on DVD. This makes Uprising's wide release a unique situation for him.

The failure of Pacific Rim: Uprising at the box office makes it unlikely that del Toro will return for a potential Pacific Rim 3. Currently, he has only directed films that have not had sequels developed, such as Shape of Water, Pinocchio, and the remake Nightmare Alley. While there is a possibility of another sequel being developed from his work in the future, based on his recent comments, it appears unlikely that he would watch it if he is not directly involved.

Source: Collider