'Pacific Rim: Uprising' Featurette Released

Legendary Pictures has released a new featurette featuring the cast and director of Pacific Rim Uprising, the upcoming sequel to Guillermo del Toro's 2013 monsters vs. mechs film Pacific Rim.

The new film introduces Star Wars start John Boyega as the new protagonist Jake Pentecost, the son of Stacker Pentecost from the original Pacific Rim.

"I loved the first Pacific Rim," says Boyega. "That classic tale of robots and that holds weight and that holds power. Everybody has felt that feeling when those monsters go through a city. It creates an instant excitement."

The sequel also has a new director in Steven S. DeKnight, who lists several classic monster movies as his inspiration for Uprising.

"I grew up watching the old giant monster movies from Japan," says director Steven S. DeKnight. "The classic like Ultraman, Space Giants, and of course Godzilla. I just ate it up. With the technology we have, we have a chance to make it that much more spectacular. Ultimately it's a world conflict and everyone's putting aside their differences and come together."

Boyega adds, "Pacific Rim Uprising gives an answer back to those monsters that we've grown up watching. If they were to attack us, what would we have? We have the Jaegers."

Other new cast members include Scott Easterwood as Nate Lambert and Cailee Spaeny as Amara Namani.

"The fight sequences are different than in any other movie I've ever done," says Eastwood. "You're plugged in and you're along for the ride."

Spaeny reveals that "Amara built scrapper. She's committed her whole life to this Jaeger. There's things about the Kaiju that we've never seen before. It's just epic."

Boyega concludes by saying, "I can announce that this is the most action that I've ever done. It's like getting a ticket to the best boxing match ever."

Pacific Rim Uprising opens in theaters on March 23, 2018.