Already part of one, globally massive franchise in “Star Wars,” can John Boyega put another big property under his belt? Well, he’ll certainly try with “Pacific Rim Uprising.” It remains to be seen how much demand there is for the return of the Jaegers. However, there is enough niche fandom for this series that perhaps with the right push it can reach the outer edges of the galaxy in popularity.
Steven S. DeKnight (“Spartacus,” “Daredevil”) leaps into his feature debut, with the story finding the world once again facing a massive threat, with only the plucky pilots of those awkward robots able to save them. Here’s the official synopsis:
The globe-spanning conflict between otherworldly monsters of mass destruction and the human-piloted super-machines built to vanquish them was only a prelude to the all-out assault on humanity in “Pacific Rim Uprising.”
John Boyega (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) stars as the rebellious Jake Pentecost, a once-promising Jaeger pilot whose legendary father gave his life to secure humanity’s victory against the monstrous “Kaiju.” Jake has since abandoned his training only to become caught up in a criminal underworld. But when an even more unstoppable threat is unleashed to tear through our cities and bring the world to its knees, he is given one last chance to live up to his father’s legacy by his estranged sister, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi)—who is leading a brave new generation of pilots that have grown up in the shadow of war. As they seek justice for the fallen, their only hope is to unite together in a global uprising against the forces of extinction.
Jake is joined by gifted rival pilot Lambert (“The Fate of the Furious'” Scott Eastwood) and 15-year-old Jaeger hacker Amara (newcomer Cailee Spaeny), as the heroes of the PPDC become the only family he has left. Rising up to become the most powerful defense force to ever walk the earth, they will set course for a spectacular all-new adventure on a towering scale.
“Pacific Rim Uprising” opens on March 23rd.