Warner Bros. Pictures
Guillermo del Toro needs no introduction to science fiction and horror fans. The director of “Frankenstein” — one of the best sci-fi movies of 2025 – and “Pan’s Labyrinth” has been putting out classics since bursting onto the scene with “Cronos” in 1992. However, while del Toro has found success at the box office, his biggest hit failed to capture the number one spot. That film is none other than “Pacific Rim,” which earned a tasty $411 million worldwide and wowed audiences with smash ’em up action sequences.
“Pacific Rim” is arguably the most unabashed popcorn flick in del Toro’s oeuvre — even more so than “Blade II” and the “Hellboy” movies. Starring Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, and Ron Perlman, it tells the story of soldiers who fight giant monsters by piloting massive robots known as Jaegers. Basically, “Pacific Rim” is a love letter to “Godzilla” and “Neon Genesis Evangelion” — and it’s awesome.
Despite being a global hit, “Pacific Rim” only found modest success in the United States. The film opened alongside “Grown Ups 2,” and more people turned up to see Adam Sandler instead of monsters and robots. That said, “Pacific Rim” performed well enough to spawn a franchise — and it might have a bright future.
Pacific Rim spawned a franchise not enough people talk about
Universal Pictures
The “Pacific Rim” franchise hasn’t reached the same heights as the first movie. The sequel, Steven S. DeKnight’s “Pacific Rim: Uprising,” was released in 2018 and underperformed at the box office, grossing $291 million worldwide on the back of a $155 million budget (excluding marketing costs). Netflix also released a forgotten “Pacific Rim” anime spin-off in 2021, which earned mostly positive reviews from critics.
Despite subsequent releases not reaching the same heights as the first movie, Hollywood hasn’t given up on “Pacific Rim.” As of this writing, Legendary is working on a TV series that will serve as a prequel to Guillermo del Toro’s inaugural flick. Elsewhere, board game enthusiasts might be interested in the upcoming “Pacific Rim: Breachfall,” which will allow players to battle it out as Jaegers and the villains who create giant monsters.
“Pacific Rim” might not be regarded as one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, but it’s made an impact in its own way. Of course, del Toro has moved on to even more acclaimed projects since then, including “The Shape of Water” and “Pinocchio.” Still, there are some fans out there who’d love to see him make more monster vs. robot films.
