Rodriguez to Star in Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim 2”

Shyrley Rodriguez is Pacifically inclined…

The 23-year-old Latina actress has been added to the cast of Legendary/ Universal’s Pacific Rim 2, the sequel to Guillermo del Toro and Travis Beacham’s 2013 sci-fi film that stars John Boyega, Scott Eastwood and Chinese actress Jing Tian.

Shyrley Rodriguez

Steven S. DeKnight directs the pic, which is currently in production with a storyline that has “a strong connection to China,” according to Jack Gao of Wanda, which owns Legendary and made the announcement today.

The film is scheduled to hit theaters on February 23, 2018.

Rodriguez, who can currently be seen on Baz Luhrmann’s Netflix musical series The Get Downhas also landed a role in the film Wheels, the directorial debut indie from Top Chef and Project Runway helmer Paul Starkman. The film follows Max, a teen from Brooklyn, who pursues his dream of becoming a DJ.

Rodriguez plays the love interest Liza, a neighborhood girl who is strong willed, street smart, and sees the good in the world.

Arjona to Star in Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim 2”

It’s a Legendary deal for Adria Arjona

The 24-year-old Guatemalan/Puerto Rican actress has closed a deal with Legendary Pictures to star in Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim 2.

Adria Arjona Adria Arjona

Arjona joins a cast that includes John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Jing Tian and Cailee Spaeny.

Steven S. DeKnight is directing the sequel based on the world created by del Toro and Travis Beacham.

Arjona is starring in NBC’s upcoming series Emerald City as Dorothy Gale. It’s the retelling of The Wizard of Oz that’s set to premiere on January 6.

Arjona stars in the James Gunn horror production The Belko Experiment and the upcoming Melissa McCarthy movie Life of the Party.

The actress also co-starred in the 2015 installment of HBO’s True Detective.

del Toro Reveals New Details About His “Pacific Rim” Animated Series

Guillermo del Toro is taking Pacific Rim to the small screen… And, he’s letting the world in on the concept.

Following the international success of his 2013 sci-fi monster film, the 49-year-old Mexican filmmaker will not only release a sequel. He’ll also launch an animated series.

Guillermo del Toro

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, del Toro opened up about the storyline for the upcoming television show.

“We’re formulating ideas that are, again, interesting and not the usual route, but the series tackles the stories that happened to pilots working in the Shatterdome (a building where jaegers are built and maintained and pilots train), but also cadets learning how to become pilots,” he declares.

del Toro notes the stories take place prior to events in the first film, adding, “It gives you a little more depth into the background of certain characters that will appear in the second movie. So it’s really expanding the material.”

Pacific Rim

The filmmaker hopes that with the planned movie sequel, the animated series and the comic book series, fans will “have a good feel for the world, and we can dedicate ourselves to character and ideas and spectacle.” Asked where the television show will land, he says, “We are talking about all the possibilities in terms of networks.”

Meanwhile, Pacific Rim 2 has been slated for April 7, 2017 release in 3D and IMAX theaters.

del Toro says the sequel will be “very different” from the first one.

“I don’t want to spoil it, but I think at the end of the second movie, people will find out that the two movies stand on their own,” he teases. “They’re very different from each other, although hopefully bringing the same joyful giant spectacle. But the tenor of the two movies will be quite different.”