8 Recently Teased Sequels That Probably Won't Happen
7. Pacific Rim 3
The fact that we got a Pacific Rim sequel at all is, in some respects, a minor miracle. Guillermo del Toro's 2013 original wasn't anywhere as big a hit as hoped with western audiences, and it was only when the film proved a smash in Asia that the follow-up got a green light.
Even then it was touch and go for a while, with del Toro departing the project in favour of his more personal project The Shape of Water; not a bad call, given that film wound up cleaning up at the Oscars.
Under new director Steven S DeKnight, Pacific Rim Uprising took the giant robots-vs-monsters tale in a somewhat different direction: brighter, faster, louder, and more kid-friendly with its new young ensemble - although hand-in-hand with this, some choices made regarding the few returning characters from the first Pacific Rim didn't go down too well with everyone.
The final scene sees John Boyega's Jake Pentecost make a bold declaration which leaves no doubt that a third Pacific Rim is planned. However, the $150 million budgeted film has to date taken $288 million worldwide, over $120 million less than its predecessor.
Factor in the tepid response from audience and critics, and it would seem Pacific Rim Uprising's efforts to appeal to a wider audience and set up further films may have been in vain.