The Pacific Rim universe is suiting up for a return — this time in live-action series form. The long-rumoured project is now officially in development at Prime Video, with Legendary Television and Amazon MGM Studios teaming up to bring the world of Jaegers and kaiju to streaming.
The series will serve as a prequel to the films, diving into the early days of humanity’s fight against monstrous threats emerging from an interdimensional rift in the Pacific Ocean. While story specifics are still under wraps, the project promises to expand the mythology of the franchise while introducing new characters and corners of the universe.
Variety reports that Oscar-nominated writer Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Shadow and Bone) is on board as writer and executive producer via his Chronology production banner. The series also marks the first project under Heisserer’s first-look deal with Legendary. Known for projects like Arrival, Bird Box, and Shadow and Bone, Heisserer brings a strong background in sci-fi world-building to the new series.
The Pacific Rim Legacy Continues
The Pacific Rim universe first stomped into cinemas in 2013 with Guillermo del Toro’s original film, which earned over $US411 million worldwide from a budget of $US190 million — not a runaway success, but a clear sign of a healthy audience. Its 2018 sequel, Pacific Rim Uprising, brought in $US291 million and introduced a new generation of characters, including John Boyega as the son of Idris Elba’s iconic Stacker Pentecost.
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A Netflix anime spinoff followed: Pacific Rim: The Black, which ran for two seasons between 2021 and 2022. The franchise has also expanded into comics, novels, video games, and toys — keeping the rift wide open for more stories.
There’s no word on this live-action show’s budget just yet, but given the franchise’s scale — and Prime Video’s reputation for big spending — it’s fair to expect a costly outing here. A release date has not been announced.
The series joins a growing roster of genre-heavy titles from Legendary Television, including Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Dune: Prophecy, and Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.
