John Boyega joins Pacific Rim 2
on June 8, 2016Posted in: Film, News
After his memorable turn as the heroic Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, John Boyega will be heading to another successful sci-fi franchise: the world of Pacific Rim. According to a report by Deadline, the British actor will be playing the son of Stacker Pentecost, the character played by Idris Elba in the first film.
Pacific Rim explored a world constantly attacked by huge monsters called kaiju who emerged from a portal in the Pacific Ocean. These could only be defeated by giant dual pilot-operated mecha called jaegers.
Pacific Rim 2 is the second installment in the franchise based on a world created by Guillermo del Toro and Travis Beacham. It will be directed by Steven S. Knight. Production on the film will begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Work on the film was previously delayed indefinitely, but fans will be glad to know that the project is back on track.
Mary Parent, vice chairman of Worldwide Production for Legendary Pictures, had this to say about John Boyega's casting:
"It is undeniable that with all his talent and natural charm, John stands out amongst today's generation of young leading men."
Del Toro expressed his enthusiasm for the casting, saying:
"I am very proud and happy to welcome John into a fantastic sandbox. The Pacific Rim universe will be reinforced with him as a leading man as it continues to be a multicultural, multi-layered world. 'The World saving the world' was our goal and I couldn't think of a better man for the job."
Boyega's other upcoming projects include The Circle (with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson), Star Wars: Episode VIII, and the BBC animated miniseries adaptation of Watership Down (with James McAvoy and Ben Kingsley). He will also make his theater debut next year in Woyzeck at the Old Vic in the West End.
Watch this space for more news on Pacific Rim 2.
Tags: john boyega, pacific rim 2
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