PACIFIC RIM Screenwriter On The Origin Of The Kaijū And Sequel Elements

Pacific Rim looks literally and figuratively massive. While I'm not too keen on 3D, Pacific Rim looks to be the type of film that needs to be seen in 3D, IMAX and whatever other available auxiliary formats that can enhance the viewing experience. However, as of right now, we're a bit in the dark on the actual plot of the film as the main marketing hooks has just been giant monsters and giant robots beating each other senseless. As to why and how giant monsters from another dimension invade the Guillermo del Toro and Beacham's parallel-Earth in Pacific Rim, Travis pulls that curtain back a bit, divulging a few of the film's high-end concepts. Naturally, a spoiler warning is in full-effect from this point forward.

Beacham is shy admitting that as a kid he was "way into Voltron" and Godzilla which is unsurprising giving the concepts of Pacific Rim. He also touches on that fact that many of the kaiju are inspired by prehistoric dinosaurs something more than a few Pacific Rim enthusiasts have noticed and speculated upon. As far as the 'blue lights' seen on some of the kaiju, Beacham says that's actually blood and that it's "phosphorescent, and it's also extraordinarily toxic." In many movies such as these Beacham says, "something that these kinds of stories usually just gloss over is you know, the monster comes in, you fight the monster, the monster's dead - problem solved. Well really that's kind of the beginning of the problem because now you have however many tons equivalent of rotting flesh in the middle of the city."

As far as finding out where the kaiju come from, "The origin of the Kaiju is very, very mysterious. There's still a lot that we don't know about where they come from. The movie gets into that a little bit more, but not to the full extent that we've imagined; hopefully we'll be able to get into that in another story later down the line. You will see something that is not Earth in the film, I'll say that."

Personally, I've long speculated on the sudden appearance of giant monsters on Earth through a cross-dimensional portal. Call me crazy but I don't picture a giant kaiju in a lab coat working on scientific methods to attack Earth. Any cursory examination of this phenomenon should lead anyone to the conclusion that someone sent these monsters to attack Earth or at least to soften up its defenses before a large scale invasion. Beacham doesn't touch on anything specific but he does acknowledge that there's a third element in the kaiju home-dimesnion, "Yeah, there's a lot going on in the other universe, some of which you'll get a glimpse of from the movie, but it is every bit as complex and crazy over there as it is on our side of the breach." The screenwriter rounds out the interview with the teaser that some of those concepts will be explored in a sequel barring the film's box office performance and that discussions are already taking place with Warner Bros. and Legendary.

Pacific Rim opens July 12th. The prequel graphic novel, Pacific Rim: Tales From Year Zero is available now.



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