A prequel series to 2013’s blockbuster movie, Pacific Rim, is in development from Eric Heisserer, the writer behind Bird Box and Arrival. The show will be an origin story, presumably recounting the days leading up to the interdimensional rift opening in the ocean, which let towering monsters called kaiju into our reality.
As the story goes, humanity waged war on the kaijus to no avail. Eventually, gigantic mechs were constructed to combat the beasts. In the 2013 movie directed by Guillermo del Toro, humanity continues to face the ongoing threat of the kaiju with only a handful of mechs, called Jaegers, left operational. Controlling a Jaeger requires two pilots, each representing the left and right hemisphere of the brain.
Per Variety, an origin prequel series for Pacific Rim is now in the works from Eric Heisserer, who will partner with Legendary to develop the show. Legendary Television president Jason Clodfelter said:
“Eric is a multitalented, prolific creator whose track record of critical and commercial successes speaks for itself. We are thrilled to launch our partnership with Eric, Chronology, and Carmen, with a new entry in the epic, globally popular Pacific Rim universe. We are certain their vision will make for an enthralling expansion to Legendary’s beloved franchise.”
Pacific Rim was well-received on release and later got a sequel, 2018’s Pacific Rim: Uprising, though it didn’t involve Guillermo del Toro. The sequel was critically panned, though it didn’t stop Legendary from attempting to expand the universe. In 2021, Netflix produced an anime spin-off called Pacific Rim: The Black. It will be interesting to see how an origin prequel series expands upon the history of the franchise, showing how humanity initially reacted to the kaiju threat and how the Jaegers were constructed.
As of writing, no release date or specific plot details have been shared about Pacific Rim‘s origin prequel.
Source: Variety
