The sequels to Godzilla and Pacific Rim now have official, studio-sanctioned titles: Godzilla: King of Monsters and Pacific Rim: Uprising, which is apparently the new moniker for what was once known as Pacific Rim: Maelstrom.
The movie’s titles were announced in an unexpected way, with both titles revealed in a press release on two new hires by studio Legendary Entertainment. ComingSoon.net has posted the full text of the press release.
The title Godzilla: King of Monsters seems to be paying homage to the title of the original, 1954 Japanese Godzilla movie when it was released in the U.S. in 1956. The American version of that film was heavily edited and had Raymond Burr inserted into several scenes as a journalist character, and was released under the title Godzilla: King of the Monsters!
As for the Pacific Rim sequel, the new Pacific Rim: Uprising title suggests that the studio has opted to drop the “Maelstrom” subtitle from the project. In November, actor John Boyega posted a photo of the film’s official script with the cover showing the title to be Pacific Rim: Maelstrom, but clearly something was found lacking with that title in the last month or so.
Pacific Rim: Uprising is currently filming in China and Australia, and is scheduled to hit theaters February 23, 2018. The film is directed by former Daredevil and Spartacus showrunner Steven S. DeKnight.
Godzilla: King of Monsters will be directed by Krampus and Trick ‘R Treat filmmaker Michael Dougherty, and is scheduled to premiere March 22, 2019. Cameras have not begun rolling on that project yet.
