Universal Commits To "Fully-Immersive" PACIFIC RIM 2 as PITCH PERFECT 3 Snags Its Release Date

Though writer/director Guillermo del Toro is going to be working on a small indie project next, Pacific Rim 2 is not dead yet. Production has been delayed indefinitely, but though there was some speculation the film may never get made at all, it seems Universal and Legendary Pictures are still very much in support of the movie. That's great news for those who have been fearful that this was yet another movie that would slip through del Toro's fingers and fall forever into development hell.

Pitch Perfect 3 is taking Pacific Rim 2's once-planned release date of August 4th, 2017, and in a press release, the studio said the following:

The filmmakers, Legendary and Universal Pictures are committed to having PACIFIC RIM 2, the sequel to 2013’s PACIFIC RIM, which generated more than $411 million at the global box office, be the vanguard, fully-immersive experience that the franchise deserves. To this end, the decision was made to delay the production and release of PACIFIC RIM 2 so that the creative team can continue in its efforts to exceed the amazing experience of the first film.

That's a lot of flowery language likely intended to justify the film's continued development to the studio's financial investors, but still, if they were going to cancel the movie altogether, there's no way they'd release a statement like this. Publicly committing to the sequel is a good sign that we'll eventually end up seeing it, even if it takes a year or two longer than what was originally planned.