Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim gets a leading lady and a Comic Con appearance (with Mass Effect and others)

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Geek god Guillermo del Toro’s PACIFIC RIM will have man-made machines fighting massive monsters, but he isn’t just relying on pure spectacle. The filmmaker is assembling an intriguing and capable cast that so far includes Idris Elba, “Sons of Anarchy” star Charlie Hunnam, and Charlie Day (HORRIBLE BOSSES).

Now the FX-filled epic has added Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi (THE BROTHERS BLOOM), presumably as the co-pilot of Hunnam’s beast-battling mech. The big-budget action/sci-fi flick involves an invasion of interdimensional creatures, and several affected countries team up against the threat with huge robotic combat units, each of which requires a pair of specially trained pilots.

Kikuchi will next be seen with Keanu Reeves in 47 RONIN. She was nominated for an Oscar for her work in BABEL, directed by del Toro’s chum Alejandro González Iñárritu.

And although del Toro is still in the casting process, he and the announced actors of PACIFIC RIM will be appearing at San Diego Comic Con at the Legendary Pictures panel. Also on hand for Legendary’s upcoming projects will be Bradley Cooper and director Alex Proyas (THE CROW) for PARADISE LOST, and Jeff Bridges and Ben Barnes for THE SEVENTH SON.

Additionally, screenwriter Mark Protosevich (I AM LEGEND) and game creative director Casey Hudson will be there for MASS EFFECT, which at the very least means that the studio is still wrestling the ambitious project through development. Legendary announced their plan to adapt the sprawling sci-fi videogame series back in May 2010, but FilmShep has been pretty quiet since then.

Bioware’s trilogy-ending game MASS EFFECT 3 is due in March 2012, still a painfully long wait to hang with Tali and Liara…