Pacific Rim 2 & Godzilla Crossover Rumors Abound

From JBGNews

There have been a few recent giant monster movies worthy of your attention, and two of those are Pacific Rim and the new Godzilla. Both films were incredible in their own rights, but what would make them better? Apparently, the answer to that question is a crossover between Pacific Rim 2 and the new Godzilla. Both films are within the same genre – monster movies – and both did quite well at the box office, so it would make sense to tie them in together at some point.

Legendary Pictures, at one point, admitted to the world that Godzilla and Pacific Rim would be completely separate from each other. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, as new rumors have been spreading around the Internet, claiming the two will join together at some point in the near future.

The Movie News Hound reports that the success seen in Godzilla 2014 and positive reaction towards Pacific Rim 2 has Legendary Pictures considering a crossover between the two movies. Unfortunately, this type of crossover won’t happen until after Godzilla 2 and Pacific Rim 2 have concluded, so perhaps in a third film within one of the franchises.

The new Godzilla film earned around $93 million in ticket sales during its opening weekend, and another $103 million total in overseas markets. This makes it the best international debut this year, which Legendary is sure to capitalize upon in the near future with more films in the franchise. A lot of the sales came from IMAX theaters, where massive screens portrayed Godzilla in all his wonder. These theaters earned around $40,057 on average per showing.

A crossover would be plenty of confusing, as fans would be voting for both Godzilla and the Jaegers to win the ultimate battle. However, we desperately want to see this crossover happen, as it would combine two impressive films into one experience. Pacific Rim 2 cannot get here soon enough, then we can discuss the potential for a new film between the two in earnest.

READ MORE

MORE GODZILLA NEWS

The Comikaze Expo Session On "Godzilla" and "Pacific Rim"

by Armand Vaquer

Above, the panel on "Godzilla" and "Pacific Rim" before the start of the session. 

It was  a good thing that we had a room that was double the size of last year's room for this year's panel on Godzilla (2014) and Pacific Rim (2013) at Stan Lee's Comickaze Expo.  All seats were taken and a dozen people had to stand in the back of the room. I was somewhat surprised as our session began an hour after the show's doors were opened to the public. I was wondering if they would make a beeline to the main hall instead.

Above, a panel's eye view of the crowd still coming in.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was an appreciative and enthusiastic audience of giant monster and robot fans. The panel consisted of Jessica Tseang (moderator), Bill Janczewski, Frank Woodward, Tom Franck, Chris Eaton, Scott Zillner and myself.

We began the session with our thoughts on Pacific Rim. Generally, all on the panel felt the movie "delivered the goods" with some minor quibbles. On the low box office, most felt the movie wasn't marketed right, leaving many people with the impression that it was another Transformers movie instead of giant robots battling giant monsters. But all believe that it will be a big hit in DVD and Blu-ray sales. Most wondered why it grossed better in China but not in Japan. One panelist voiced the opinion that Japan is just over-saturated with giant monsters and they can see giant monsters for free on television. Another said it was (probably) because it was mainly centered in Hong Kong.

Above, these session attendees show their support for "Pacific Rim."  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I repeated my opinion that I posted a week or so ago on this blog. The audience seemed to agree that Toho did a better job with the Millennium series MechaGodzilla movies by having jets do the heavy lifting of the robot, whereas Pacific Rim went beyond the boundaries of "suspension of disbelief" in having helicopters do the robot transporting. They also seemed to agree with me that while the CGI was probably the best (so far) for a giant monster movie, it still did not fully convey mass and weight of the robots (or monsters) as the traditional "suitmation" method with miniatures.

Each expressed hopes that next year's Godzilla will be a hit and generally like the direction the Godzilla design is heading.  I said that as long as Godzilla looked and acted like Godzilla, along with his atomic breath, it will be a winner as far as I was concerned.

As mentioned in my last post on Comikaze, there were a few SNAFUs. Jessica Tseang was disappointed that there was no Wi-Fi Internet available at the Los Angeles Convention Center to have Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah's android M-11, Robert Scott Field, to participate with the panel via Skype. We also planned to have audio/visual materials to show along with a recorded greeting by Max Borenstein, the scripter of Godzilla, but somehow the show's organizers didn't come through with any. But those problems didn't prevent us or the audience from enjoying the panel session. Jessica did a great job in keeping the session moving.

I did manage to sell the same number of travel guides following the session as last year.. Which helped to lessen the bite of the parking fees at the L.A. Convention Center, and then some.

Godzilla & Pacific Rim Panel At Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo

by Armand Vaquer

Above, Tom Franck, Jessica Tseang and your truly at last year's Comikaze Expo.

The schedule for the 2013 Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo is now out and once again we will be holding a panel discussion on Pacific Rim and Godzilla.

It will be held Friday, November 1 at 2:00 P.M. at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

From the schedule:

I will have copies of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan available following the panel discussion.

To view the schedule for Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo, go here.

Mark your calendars!

"Dracula" May Be In Legendary's Future

Above, Bela Lugosi in Universal's 1931 "Dracula."

It appears that Legendary Pictures might be coming on board for Universal's Dracula project.

Variety.com is reporting:

The producer of monster movies like “Godzilla” and “Pacific Rim” is wasting no time in choosing which films he wants to make at Universal Pictures, with “Dracula” poised to become the first high-profile project his Legendary Entertainment will co-finance with the studio. The film, directed by Gary Shore and starring Luke Evans and Dominic Cooper, is already in production and slated for release Aug. 8, 2014.  Legendary is in discussions with U executives about coming aboard the project.

For more, go here. 

Pacific Rim Gipsy Danger and Knifehead 7-Inch Action Figure 2-Pack

Coming in November 2013
Pre-Order now and we'll deliver in November 2013 (estimated date / subject to change).
Item Number: NC31840

Price: $33.99

Pacific Rim Gipsy Danger and Knifehead Action Figure 2-Pack:

Recreate one of the most epic battles from the hit blockbuster Pacific Rim film! This Pacific Rim Gipsy Danger and Knifehead Action Figure 2-Pack features the main mecha Jaeger, Gipsy Danger, and the dangerous Kaiju, Knifehead. With each action figure measuring in the 7-inch scale, this great 2-pack is a must-have for fans of the Pacific Rim film!

SEARCH FOR MORE TOYS

Pacific Rim 7-Inch Series 2 Action Figure Set

Coming in November 2013 
Pre-Order now and we'll deliver in November 2013 (estimated date / subject to change).
Item Number: NC31940AA

Price: $54.99

Preorder at Entertainment Earth

Pacific Rim 7-Inch Series 2 Action Figure Set:

Stop the Kaijus once and for all!
Awesome action figures based on the Pacific Rim film!
Series 2 case features 14 robots from the movie.
Figures measure between 6-inches and 8-inches tall.

Join the sci-fi action of Guillermo del Toro's epic Pacific Rim movie with these awesome poseable action figures based on the film! In 7-inch scale, each measures between 6-inches and 8-inches tall. Ages 8 and up. They'll put you right there in the theater!

This Series 2 case contains 14 individually packaged robot action figures that includes the following (subject to change):
5x Battle Damage Gipsy Danger
5x Striker Eureka
4x Leatherback Kaiju

"Pacific Rim" Resurrects The Kaiju Film

Above, a movie theater with the King of the Monsters on the marquee in 1956.

JapanToday picked up an AP article, "Pacific Rim Resurrects The Kaiju Film."

 In it, the article states:

NEW YORK —The appeal of “Pacific Rim” isn’t complicated. 

Like the kind of boyhood fantasy that delights in flying men and relishes dreams of dinosaurs, “Pacific Rim,” the latest film from director Guillermo Del Toro, is predicated on the simple, childlike thrill of seeing big ol’ robots and big ol’ monsters slug it out. 

But while summer spectacles have grown ever larger in recent years, the monster movie - the original city-smashing genre - has mostly ceded the multiplexes to superheroes and more apocalyptic disaster films. But 14 years after Roland Emmerich’s forgettable “Godzilla” remake, Del Toro’s “Pacific Rim” constitutes a large-scale attempt to bring Japan’s beloved Kaiju movies - their monster films, of which Ishiro Honda’s 1954 “Godzilla” is the most famous - to American shores. 

“Monsters have always spoken to a part of me that is really, really essential,” Del Toro, the Mexican director of the Oscar-nominated “Pan’s Labyrinth,” said in a recent interview. “All of my life, I felt out of place. The tragedy of every monster in every movie is that they are out of place. That’s the essential plight of monsters.”

To read the article, go here. 

Pacific Rim Featurette Teaches You About Some Of The Film's Coolest Tech

From Cinema Blend

Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim seems to be filmed with all kinds of cool little universe-building details that scif-fi geeks will go crazy for, but one of the coolest ideas the film employs is the way in which the giant robots, called Jaegers, are piloted by humans. Because it takes too much brain power for one person to control a machine as large as the Jaegers are, a science is developed that allows two pilots to telepathically link, enter a shared mind space called The Drift, and control the giant metal bot. And that cool little detail is the subject of the latest behind-the-scenes featurette, released by Warner Bros.

READ MORE

Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull talks Pacific Rim and Godzilla

From Flickering Myth

We're only a few months away from Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim hitting our cinema screens and production has begun on Gareth Edward's reboot of the Godzilla franchise. With all the monster madness coming from Legendary Pictures, CEO Thomas Tull took some time to speak to Collider about the upcoming kaiju flicks.

On the subject of Godzilla, Tull once again confirms that they are aiming for the dark tones of the original as opposed to the campy nature of the 60s and 70s sequels, "it was very important for us to take it back to its original DNA in the first Japanese film, so just tonally it’s a much different movie. And with Godzilla, those of us who grew up with Godzilla, you kind of bring whatever pre-disposition you have to the movie and the experience. For us, all I can tell you is that we’re making the Godzilla movie that we want to see."

READ MORE

Guillermo Del Toro Would Love A ‘Pacific Rim’ And ‘Godzilla’ Crossover Film

From Slashfilm

In the next two years, Legendary Pictures is releasing two films in which giant monsters lay waste to cities. First up is Guillermo Del Toro‘s Pacific Rim, out July 12. In it, the humans have built giant robots called Jaegers to battle giant alien monsters called Kaiju. Then, in 2014, the company will release a new version of the film that brought the very concept of the kaiju to global popularity: Gareth Edwards‘ Godzilla, which is now in production.

As more and more studios think about team-up films such as The Avengers and Justice League, the possibility of some kind of new monster crossover seems obvious. Especially since it would hold true to the film history of Godzilla. There are no immediate plans for anything like this, but, Guillermo Del Toro loves the idea.

(More After The Break)



Del Toro spoke to Collider at WonderCon and here’s what he had to say:

So far with the [Pacific Rim] sequel, what we’re writing, what we’re creating, is very different, so there are no plans. Hypothetically, I would love the fuck out of it. I would love to see a jaeger and Godzilla duke it out. That would be too much for the human brain. But I don’t think there are plans on that. I don’t even know what direction they’re taking Godzilla in. I know somewhat that it’s grounded differently. Pacific Rim, my aspiration was, the color, the saturation of color, was almost an acid-drip version of the heavy-metal coloring that I loved when Richard Corben was working there, when [Jean-Claude] Forest was working there. Super bright, super saturated, the crazy color and aesthetic. And Godzilla is more realistic, somewhat. That’s my thinking. That’s what I’ve heard. I don’t even know which way they’re going.

READ MORE

"Pacific Rim" Official Trailer

Legendary Pictures has released their "official trailer" for Guillermo Del Toro's Pacific Rim.  In it, we get a better look at the kaiju and the monster-fighting giant robots (Jaegers).

"Pacific Rim": Breaking News Teaser Trailer

by Armand Vaquer

The marketing campaign for next year's Pacific Rim has started by Legendary Pictures.  The image above is from the "breaking news" teaser trailer that has gone viral today over the Internet.  Something obviously huge rests on an aircraft carrier.

 The full video is below:

 

Looks like people outside of Godzilla fandom will know the word kaiju and what it means after this movie.

Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo 2012 Report

by Armand Vaquer



Above, it was nice to see Wonder Woman (Kit Quinn) was able to attend Comikaze Expo.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.


Comikaze Expo was one big impressive show!  I mean, it was HUGE!

I just returned home from Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center where I participated in a panel on Japanese giant monsters and robots.  The panel also focused on Legendary Pictures' Pacific Rim (scheduled to hit theaters next July) and Godzilla (scheduled to hit theaters on May 16, 2014).

We had a full house in the room where the panel was held.

Above, Tom Franck, Jessica Tseang and Armand before the panel discussion started.



I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion.  It was probably one of the most enjoyable panels I've served on.  It was moderated by Jessica Tseang and, besides myself, included Tom Franck, who has the largest Japanese robot collection in the United States.



Above, the legendary Batman, Deadman and Green Lantern/Green Arrow artist Neal Adams and Armand.





Above, Adam "Batman" West.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.



The show itself had many celebrities including Adam West, Burt Ward and the best Catwoman of them all, Julie Newmar of the Batman television show of the 1960s.

There were comic book artists and writers galore in attendance.  I managed to get photographed with the man whose Batman artwork defined the Bronze Age Batman, Neal Adams.

I also managed to do some networking in relation to The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan (I also sold eight of them following the panel).  I met artist John Fasano and swapped a travel guide for one of his Godzilla prints.

It was a great show (the last day is tomorrow, so I recommend going) and many thanks to Jessica Tseang for making the panel a fun one!

Since a picture is "worth a thousand words," here's a few more of Stan Lee's Comikaze Expo:




Above, Comikaze Expo had lots of comic books for sale.





Above, the booth where official Comikaze Expo goods can be purchased. 





Above, the main hall.





Above, as the banners say, super-hero stuff can be bought.

Actor Adds To PACIFIC RIM Hype With Monster Comments

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Bloody Disgusting

The thought of a movie where giant monsters fighting giant robots is a concept that will get even the casual fanboy (or fangirl for that matter) all worked up. Raised on the works of Honda, Tanaka and Tsuburaya the giant monster genre is something that most of us view as something sacred and something to be savored like a fine aged wine.

Yes, I just compared Godzilla and Ultraman movies to fine aged wine.

Anyway back to my thoughts. As of late giant monster and giant robot flicks have come back into favor with new Godzilla, Robotech and Shogun Warriors films in the works as we speak. Another such film is Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim" a film that will feature both big beasts and big bots to combat them. With del Toro's ability to create some really memorable monster genre films the project sounds like a slam-dunk. Add to that the film makers bold statements about the project and you have monster hype of monstrous proportions.

Now adding to the frenzy comes new statements from "Rim" star Charlie Day who obviously has bought into del Toro's game plan and is jazzed to be a part of the monster mayhem.

Day recently told Bloody Disgusting, "What's always exciting about Guillermo del Toro is that's justifiable excitement because he's a really unique and talented director.

"It's nice to see people who have such strong, creative and playful visions to get to make want they want to make.

"I'll tell you, it's a monster movie of massive scale.

"I don't know what to expect, I'm just looking forward to being one of Guillermo's creations."

"He's made some bold statements and I'm not going to sit here and back them up," he said.

"I don't doubt he has the ability to make something truly terrifying based on previous body of work.

"I'm not sure what's in Guillermo's mind and there's a lot that could be left to creative interpretation.

"It will be frightening, but I think it's also his goal to make it fun.

"It will be something we haven't seen in a world that's completely new."

Interesting statements for sure. Though giant monster movies are always fun they are hardly ever terrifying , aside from the original "Godzilla", so it will be interesting to see how del Toro approaches "Pacific Rim".

Revealed! Guillermo Del Toro's PACIFIC RIM Uniform Logo

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Legendary Pictures

Something from Comic Con for us giant monster fans .... finally. The first teaser image from Guillermo Del Toro's "Pacific Rim".

Info:

Acclaimed writer, producer and director Guillermo del Toro's new film PACIFIC RIM features cast members including Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, and Rinko Kikuchi. Now the logo featured on uniforms from the film is revealed here.

Idris Elba Joins The Cast Of Guillermo del Toro’s Giant Monster Epic PACIFIC RIM

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Source: News In Film

Idris Elba (The Wire) has just become the latest casting addition to Guillermo del Toro's giant monster epic "Pacific Rim". Elba's character will be a giant mech pilot named Sensi, who according to the script, is (a) “black Briton whose face is the very picture of confident serenity.”

At this point Elba joins fellow actors Charlie Hunnam and Charlie Day (Does del Toro have a thing for Charlies ?) on the film which is starting to look like the ultimate upcoming movie project ...... well next to Legendary's "Godzilla" reboot that is.

Check out this plot outline from News In Film:

However, not much is known about Pacific Rim yet, other than it’s about giant monsters and will allow del Toro to create a “new world” of beastly creatures. That’s only halfway accurate. This project will give the Hellboy filmmaker the opportunity to create two worlds.

The first is an alternate version of Earth in the near future, decades after a historic date in November 2012 when the first kaiju, a towering Godzilla-like beast, emerged from a hole in the Pacific Ocean and attacked the city of Osaka, Japan. The second is “The Anteverse,” another universe on the other side of that gaping portal, 5 miles below our ocean’s surface.

Since the first attack, the rim has been “spitting out” a variety of gigantic monsters at an increasing rate, which then stride out of the ocean and begin destroying sea-bordering cities, like Tokyo and Los Angeles. In order to combat these monstrous, otherworldly menaces, the military developed the “Jaeger” program, which trains teams of two pilots to jointly operate massive, building-sized mechanized suits of armor and high-tech weaponry.

Within the first act alone, we are given enough detailed background on the god-like Jaeger systems, its shared neural piloting system (called “pons”), and the relentless beasts. But Beacham is an absolute master at immediately establishing characters and their conflicts.

The central character is Raleigh Antrobus, 23, a skilled Jaeger pilot still wrestling emotionally with the loss of his co-pilot and biological brother, Yance, during a mission a year earlier. The ordeal has wreaked havoc on his mind spirit, leaving him with ghostly nightmares of the battle from the shared “pons” experience. After the initial setup, the damaged hero is recruited to re-join the task force in Tokyo, where pilots are in demand, and team with a fellow “leftover,” 22-year-old female Japanese pilot Mako Mori. Naturally, the language barrier (among other things) presents an issue for the out-of-sync duo, meaning an even steeper learning curve for the unprecedented pairing.

Meanwhile, Felicity “Flick” Kincaid, a journalist and Yance’s former fiancée, circles the globe (ours) to discover answers about this mysterious rift and the origins of its intensifying threat.

Without ruining any more surprises (past the first act), there are several different species of towering kaiju, each with their own unique characteristics, and the clashes between monster and machine are epic in scale. Beacham has even developed his own glossary and lingo for his characters, a blend of scientific and military jargon used to describe the elements of this fully fleshed out reality, much like the shorthand in Cameron’s Avatar or the developing mecha-warrior versus aliens movie All You Need is Kill.

Now if that doesn't get all of you giant monster maniacs all worked up then nothing will.

As it looks today "Pacific Rim" should hit theaters in 2013.

Honestly ... I can't wait!

See Also: Is Legendary Pictures About To Hand GODZILLA Over To Del Toro? / Del Toro Ready To Begin Makeup Tests For FRANKENSTEIN