The “Pacific Rim” universe is gearing up for a new chapter. A live-action prequel series has officially been greenlit at Prime Video, which will dive into the Kaiju versus Jaeger saga before the events of Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 film that starred Charlie Hunnam as pilot Raleigh Becket. Here’s what we know about the new series and Hunnam’s potential involvement.
A ‘Pacific Rim’ Prequel Packed With Kaiju Chaos
According to Variety, the new “Pacific Rim” series is the result of a deal between Legendary Television and Amazon MGM Studios. Oscar nominee Eric Heisserer will write and executive produce the prequel, which will explore the early days of humanity’s fight against the Kaiju—the giant monsters breaching an interdimensional rift in the Pacific.
Heisserer earned an Oscar nomination for writing “Arrival,” and he was also the showrunner of the Netflix series Shadow and Bone. He will write the new series under his Chronology banner.
Plot details are hush-hush, but the show promises to set the stage for the 2013 film’s Jaeger-piloting heroics. That movie was directed by del Toro, and it grossed $411 million globally. It also spawned the sequel “Pacific Rim: Uprising” in 2018 and the Netflix anime “Pacific Rim: The Black,” in 2021.
Charlie Hunnam’s Heart Lies With Guillermo Del Toro
The new prequel’s timeline makes Hunnam’s return as Becket rather tricky, but not impossible. Fans will recall that Hunnam’s character was part of the Pan Pacific Defense Corps rangers, who piloted large, mentally linked fighting robots called Jaegers to battle the Kaiju.
In recent interviews, the “Sons of Anarchy” alum has made it clear exactly what it would take to lure him back.
“I would do anything that Guillermo was doing. If Guillermo invites me to do Pacific Rim 3, I’ll be there, or anything else he wants me to do,” Hunnam told Inverse in 2024.
His bond with del Toro, who crafted the original’s Jaeger-kaiju spectacle, is strong. But del Toro’s involvement in the series remains unconfirmed. Without the director’s direct involvement, Hunnam’s return hinges on the project’s creative direction. A cameo or flashback role could work given the prequel’s earlier setting. But casting details have yet to be revealed.
The Future of the ‘Pacific Rim’ Franchise
In addition to the new series at Prime Video, sources say that a new film in the “Pacific Rim” franchise is also possible. While the series takes priority, “Variety” notes that new “Pacific Rim” films aren’t off the table. Keeping hope alive for a “Pacific Rim 3.”
The 2018 sequel introduced John Boyega as Jake Pentecost, son of the late Stacker Pentecost, played by Idris Elba. Boyega has said in the past that a third film could possibly see Jaeger pilots “go to [the Kaiju’s] world.”
But Heisserer’s prequel will likely introduce fresh characters and plotlines, potentially sidelining Hunnam’s Becket for a new generation of pilots.
A premiere date for the unnamed “Pacific Rim” series has not been announced.
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Will Charlie Hunnam Return for the Pacific Rim TV Series?