‘Pacific Rim 2’ cast roundup: first Ivanna Sakhno and now Mackenyu add international appeal
The Pacific Rim sequel is shaping up to have an appeal for a global audience with the casting of Ukrainian actress Ivanna Sakhno and Japanese star Mackenyu to expand the film’s audience in the east.
With Star Wars: The Force Awakens star John Boyega at the top of the bill with Daredevil creator Steven McKnight set to direct, taking over lead on the franchise with Guillermo del Toro.
Rumored to be titled Pacific Rim: Maelstrom, the film also stars Scott Eastwood, Jian Ting, Cailee Spaeny, Adria Arjona and Levi Meaden.
It’s presumed that Sakhno and/or Mackenyu will be behind the controls of a Kaiju.
Boyega, who is also listed as a producer, will play the son of Idris Elba’s character from the first, a character called Pentacost.
Deadline noted that “DeKnight will direct the sequel that stars John Boyega. Thomas Tull, Mary Parent, Jon Jashni, and del Toro will produce the film with Boyega’s Upper Room Productions. Cale Boyter will exec produce.”
Mackenyu will next star in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure based on a manga comic book, directed by Takashi Miike.
Pacific Rim 2 will be out on February 23, 2018
Taking to Instagram, Boyega uploaded a video of himself at Legacy Effects. The footage focuses on the actor as he holds up a large mold of his head and shoulders. “It’s my twin,” he jokes before placing a soft kiss on the mold’s temple. He then says he’s “so cute” before pointing out the piece’s accuracy down to its bottom lip.
“Today. Today… At the edge of our hope, at the end of our time, we have chosen not only to believe in ourselves, but in each other. Today there is not a man nor woman in here that shall stand alone. Not today. Today we face the monsters that are at our door and bring the fight to them! Today, we are cancelling the apocalypse!” Boyega shared. He then wrote, “My dad said it right the first time but I’ll take it from here.”
Mary Parent, a producer on Pacific Rim 2, gushed about Boyega’s inclusion. “It is undeniable that with all his talent and natural charm, John stands out amongst today’s generation of young leading men.”
“I am very proud and happy to welcome John into a fantastic sandbox,” Guillermo del Toro also added. “The Pacific Rim universe will be reinforced with him as a leading man as it continues to be a multicultural, multi-layered world. ‘The World saving the world’ was our goal and I couldn’t think of a better man for the job.”
