The franchise kicked off by 2013’s Pacific Rim is a firm example of a series that, despite an irregular pace of progress, still seems to be kicking around in the hearts and minds of those who love it. Actor and star Charlie Hunnam could be seen as a case study for why that is, especially with his answer to the question of whether he would do a Pacific Rim 3. Both as a journalist and a fan of this series that includes some of the best sci-fi movies, I couldn’t love his answer about doing a third film more.
Despite the reasons Charlie Hunnam wasn’t in Pacific Rim: Uprising, there’s still a clear love for Guillermo del Toro’s process at the heart of what he had to say about a three-quel. Through Inverse’s TikTok, the Sons of Anarchy vet and current member of the Rebel Moon cast can now be seen delivering the following answer:
That last part shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who follows del Toro’s work. Charlie Hunnam would actually reteam with his Pacific Rim helmer not too long after the 2013 sci-fi epic, in the underrated 2015 gothic horror/romance Crimson Peak. So clearly it’s not just a case of loyalty to canceling the apocalypse here; as Charlie will gladly reunite with Guillermo whenever called upon.
Personally, seeing both Hunnam and Guillermo del Toro returning for Pacific Rim 3 would be a blazing ball of excitement. Co-writer/director Steven S. DeKnight’s Pacific Rim: Uprising introduced new characters and took things in a slightly different direction. However, the 2018 sequel did have a common goal in mind with where Mr. del Toro wanted to take things for a threequel. Yes, I’m talking about that potential MonsterVerse crossover.
DeKnight admitted to structuring his version of Pacific Rim 3 to end exactly where the two worlds could collide. And in an interview during Pacific Rim’s press rounds, Guillermo del Toro’s extreme enthusiasm for a Godzilla crossover was palpable. With the MonsterVerse’s popularity in full swing, and Legendary Pictures’ stake in both series, it’s kind of surprising to see this pitch not coming to fruition just yet.
However, if you could get Guillermo del Toro and Charlie Hunnam to sign on, you could be sure that Pacific Rim 3 would probably become a going concern rather quickly. Especially when the excitement for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire promises a world where much bigger obstacles are going to be required to keep the party going.
While the co-director of Netflix’s Pinocchio film seems to be content with eventually staying in the realm of stop-motion, it’d be nice to convince him to take Pacific Rim 3 as a potential live-action finale to his career of flesh and blood storytelling. Then again, maybe combining Guillermo del Toro and Steven S. DeKnight into a drift configuration of storytelling wonder could see both men pushing this series into the future for some time ahead. In which case, Mr. Hunnam’s Raleigh Becket would be a very essential party.
Ok Pilots: from here you’ve got two different objectives you can pursue. If you want to go back to the world of Pacific Rim, the first film is streaming for those with a Hulu subscription at the time of this publication. However, if you want to follow Charlie Hunnam in his new role as part of Rebel Moon: Part 1 – A Child of Fire, then you’ll want to tune in with a Netflix subscription, and blast off!