PACIFIC RIM Director Guillermo del Toro Reveals Why He Didn't (And Won't Watch) 2018's UPRISING

PACIFIC RIM Director Guillermo del Toro Reveals Why He Didn't (And Won't Watch) 2018's UPRISING

Pacific Rim got a sequel in 2018 titled Pacific Rim: Uprising, but it wasn't directed by Guillermo del Toro. Now, the filmmaker has explained why he couldn't helm the movie...and why he won't watch it!

By JoshWilding - Oct 10, 2023 08:10 AM EST
Filed Under: Kaiju
Source: Collider (via SFFGazette.com)

Pacific Rim arrived in theaters back in 2013 with mostly positive reviews and earned a respectable $411 million at the worldwide box office. A sequel later followed, Pacific Rim: Uprising, though television director Stephen S. DeKnight (Daredevil) stepped in to replace the first movie's helmer, Guillermo del Toro.

Despite putting Star Wars actor John Boyega front and centre, the response to the movie wasn't anywhere near as good - 42% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to the first instalment's 72% - and it was something of a let-down at the box office. 

Fans have long wondered why del Toro didn't return to helm the follow-up, particularly as building this world of kaiju and robots appeared to be a passion project. During a recent conversation with Collider (via SFFGazette.com), the filmmaker explained that, after a deposit wasn't put down on the Toronto soundstages he wanted to use, the delay meant he had to prioritise his eventual Oscar-winning movie The Shape of Water.

"We were getting ready to do it, it was different from the first, but it had a continuation of many of the things that I was trying to do. Then what happened is - I mean, this is why life’s crazy, right? - they had to give a deposit for the stages at 5pm or we would lose the stages in Toronto for many months."

"So, I said, 'Don't forget we're gonna lose the stages,' and five o'clock came and went, and we lost the stages. They said, 'Well, we can shoot it in China.' And I go, 'What do you mean we?' [Laughs] 'I’ve gotta go do Shape of Water.'"

As for why del Toro can't bring himself to watch Pacific Rim: Uprising (despite being credited as a producer), he explained, "I didn't see the final movie because that’s like watching home movies from your ex-wife. It is terrible if they're good and worse if they're bad, or the opposite. You don't wanna know. So, I didn't see it. I did read the final script, and it was very different. Some of the elements were the same but very different."

There have long been rumblings about a third Pacific Rim movie but we'd be shocked if it actually became a reality at this stage. It's been a decade since the first chapter was released and five years since the sequel; unfortunately, demand for any sort of follow-up appears to have largely fizzled out. Del Toro's return, however, could change things! 

Take a look at the full interview with del Toro in the player below.

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bobevanz
bobevanz - 10/10/2023, 8:03 AM
Typical WB gotta make everything a franchise, I'm hyped for his Frankenstein!
Forthas
Forthas - 10/10/2023, 8:21 AM
It does not explain Why Charlie Hunnam did not return. While I love John Boyega, it was a bit jarring that most of the original cast was not part of the film.
Mrcool210
Mrcool210 - 10/10/2023, 8:35 AM
"PACIFIC RIM Director Guillermo del Toro Reveals Why He Didn't (And Won't Watch) 2018's UPRISING"

Why he didn't what Josh? You're missing the most important word in your title for [frick] sakes.
Skestra
Skestra - 10/10/2023, 9:14 AM
@Mrcool210 -
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 10/10/2023, 9:29 AM
@Mrcool210 - It's there, it just shouldn't be in parenthesis.
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 10/10/2023, 8:47 AM
because it was sh1t
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 10/10/2023, 8:57 AM
Guillermo del Toro always starting projects that studios don’t let him finish.
santoanderson
santoanderson - 10/10/2023, 9:20 AM
I struggle to find anything positive to say about Uprising. The first Pacific Rim was schlock, only made on purpose. Del Toro said he wanted to make a big budget B-movie, that paid homage to the monster movies he watched as a kid. The sequel is just bland schlock, made by a first team feature director, starring a super forgettable cast (why does Hollywood keep putting Scott Eastwood in things?!), led by a pretty checked-out John Boyega. It felt like a movie nobody wanted to make, but hey, a paycheck’s a paycheck.

IIRC, WB decided to can Del Toro’s PR2 the same year The Shape of Water won a bunch of Oscars. I mean, hiring Del Toro back after he wins Best Director at the Oscars seems like a no-brainer, right?
Arthorious
Arthorious - 10/10/2023, 11:42 AM
@santoanderson - this is WB where making illogical and bad decisions gets you a raise
Fares
Fares - 10/10/2023, 9:30 AM
The marketing alone kept me from having any interest in watching Uprising. It just looks super fake.

The first Pacific Rim is a true gem. It makes you believe what you're seeing on screen.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 10/10/2023, 9:31 AM
Pacific Rim was far from a good movie, but it has a LOT of cool stuff in it that makes it fun to watch, if nothing else.

Uprising didn't have one single redeeming quality about it. It was just terrible in every possible way and should not have been made if this was their direction for it.
MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 10/10/2023, 9:33 AM
I found the first movie underwhelming actually. But Uprising was just awful.
Saga
Saga - 10/10/2023, 11:45 AM
I could watch Guillermo talk for hours, the man is a genius but SO funny and a real paisa
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 10/10/2023, 12:29 PM
I really liked the first movie so him not coming back for a sequel definitely bummed be out. Don’t get me wrong the movie is goofy and cliche but it scratches that live action mech anime itch in a fun popcorn way. The second one I genuinely don’t even remember and I know I watched it. Studios should know by now to just leave this man alone and let him do his thing
TheSuperMex
TheSuperMex - 10/10/2023, 12:50 PM
Never seen part 2. Looked bad. The first movie was awesome.
RitoRevolto
RitoRevolto - 10/10/2023, 5:12 PM
Him not being involved really [frick]ed the movie. The first wasn't great but the second was just a straight up mess.
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 10/10/2023, 5:43 PM
Back in 2008 I won a Hellboy 2 art contest and got to watch Hellboy 2 with the cast and Del Toro. Sadly Perlman wasn’t there. Anyways I got to talk to Del Toro after the screening and he actually took time to look at my art and talk about the different mediums I use. Super nice guy with such a positive happy energy coming from him.
RealTurner
RealTurner - 10/10/2023, 8:11 PM
Part 1 is all about the monsters appearing from a fixed point that they know the location of, and yet the plan is to build a wall around the entire Pacific. One of the "favors" Trump has done the world is make this soultion seem more likely to happen but even then, it's super dumb.

But it to dumb it up even more, in the second movie it is "revealed" that all the Kaiju were always heading toward Mt. Fuji! But hold on. If they are emerging from a fixed point and heading for a fixed point, every Kaiju should just have moved on the same fixed line? But in 2 the map shows them appearing all over the place.

It's one of the worst "nope I didn't watch the first movie again before writing this script!" moments I've seen. And if you can't follow the established lore (garbage or otherwise) from the previous movie, that level of disinterest is clearly going to seep down to every level of the work. "It's just a paycheck for silly robots hitting silly monsters, who cares if it doesn't make sense so long as some stuff blows us?" Then don't come whining about how people don't like you're attempt to make a franchise, WB!
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