For a while, "Pacific Rim 2" was very much in limbo with the first Pacific Rim proving to be a box office disappointment. The second part of Pacific Rim was on, then off, then on again for quite some time.
The movie was initially set for a release on Aug. 4, 2017, but Legendary Pictures, the production company behind it, put it on hold last September and then again confirmed the release date on Feb. 23, 2018.
The sequel to the sci-fi movie about skyscraper-tall robots fighting against giant sea monsters from 2013 will not be directed by Guillermo Del Toro due to scheduling conflicts. But he will still write the screenplay and produce the film along with Mary Parent and Thomas Tull.
Steven S. DeKnight will take control of the directorial drift this time. This will be the first blockbuster movie he's directing, after writing and directing in TV shows like "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" and "Daredevil."
While most of the details about the storyline of Pacific Rim: Maelstrom are still under wraps, we do know the cast confirmed so far. "Suicide Squad" star Scott Eastwood has joined "Pacific Rim: Maelstrom", a sequel of Guillermo del Toro's monster-fighting action.
He has joined the crew along with Chinese actress Jian Ting and John Boyega (Star Wars). John Boyega will play a Pentecost, the son of the character played by Idris Elba in the first film.
British actor that is best known for playing Finn in the 2015 film Star War will be co-producer as well. Cailee Spaeny, Adria Arjona and Levi Meaden will also join the "Pacific Rim: Maelstrom" cast.
Ron Perlman (playing Hannibal Chau) will be back too, but not Charlie Hunnam or Idris Elba, who dominated the first movie.
The team behind the Pacific Rim sequel is continuing their attempts to showcase a global cast. Ukrainian actress Ivanna Sakhno is the most recent addition to the cast. Rumor has it, Sakhno will be pressed into service battling giant Kaiju, judging by the way the first film went.
Pacific Rim 2 is Sakhno's latest stab at breaking into Hollywood. Previously, she was noticed in Ukrainian-language hits. She's also part of the cast sci-fi horror thriller 'Viral'.
Steven S. Deknight also teased that a member of the 'Guardians of the Galaxy 2' cast is also on board, but would not specify who.
