While the first Pacific Rim underperformed at the North American box office, the Guillermo Del Toro-directed kaiju film did great business overseas, finishing with a global total of $411 million on a $190 million budget. Nearly 30 percent of that amount came from China alone, where it grossed $114 million — $13 million more than it netted in the North American market. So, in summary: if you liked the first Pacific Rim, you have China to thank for Pacific Rim 2, which now has a release date of February 23, 2018.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens breakout John Boyega will be playing the son of Idris Elba”s character in the sequel, while Steven S. DeKnight is slated to handle directing duties this time around (Del Toro is on board as a producer). While February isn”t traditionally viewed as blockbuster-friendly territory, Pacific Rim 2 is set to debut in a heated marketplace, with Marvel”s Black Panther scheduled to hit theaters on February 16 and an untitled Fox/Marvel co-production dropping on March 2.
[Deadline]