For a while there it looked like "Pacific Rim," which Warner Bros. and Legendary were sincerely hoping would kick-start a giant new franchise, would be a one-and-done phenomenon. However, as the Guillermo del Toro sci-fi epic struggles to connect with audiences at home, a blockbuster Chinese showing could mean a "Pacific Rim 2" after all.
According to Deadline, "Pacific Rim" opened in China to a record-breaking $9 million. That's an all-time high for Warner Bros. -- 23 percent bigger than any "Harry Potter" film, including the last one, which was released in 3D.
When "Pacific Rim" premiered in half the global territories over the July 18 weekend, it became the number-one film internationally, meaning it could recoup its domestic losses overseas. While Warner Bros. hasn't officially green-lit the sequel, it's no secret that del Toro and co-screenwriter Travis Beacham have been hard at work on a potential follow-up for quite some time now.
Thanks to Chinese moviegoers hungering for a little Kaiju vs. Jaeger action, it may become a reality, which, for anyone who saw and fell in love with "Pacific Rim," is very good news indeed.
[via Deadline]
