Less than a decade ago, what would become one of the most underwhelming sci-fi sequels of the 2010s came to life from Spartacus creator Steven S. DeKnight. The film is a follow-up to an iconic and highly successful monster film directed by Guillermo del Toro, but it never lived up to it. Released in March 2018, it has often been described by viewers as a blend of Top Gun and Transformers, featuring high-speed action as giant robots battle for humanity’s survival. Fans will be delighted to know that the film will be much easier to watch soon as it explodes onto a new home.
Despite being a critical and commercial flop, streaming has been good to this sci-fi movie, as it has experienced a notable resurgence in popularity over the past few years across multiple platforms. Titled Pacific Rim Uprising, it is a sequel to 2013’s Pacific Rim and the second installment overall in the sci-fi franchise, before the animated series Pacific Rim: The Black. The movie stars John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Cailee Spaeny, Jing Tian, Adria Arjona, and Zhang Jin, with Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, and Burn Gorman returning from the first film.
Starting April 1, 2026, Pacific Rim Uprising will be available to watch on Hulu, joining several other popular titles heading to the streamer on the same day, including Jason Statham’s The Beekeeper, the Night at the Museum franchise, 21 Jump Street and its sequel, as well as the Shrek film series. Shortly after its theatrical box office run, Pacific Rim Uprising was released on digital on June 5, 2018, while a 4K Blu-ray, a Blu-ray 3D, a Blu-ray, and a DVD were released fourteen days later.
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Is ‘Pacific Rim Uprising’ Worth Watching?
As a sequel to Pacific Rim, the 2018 sci-fi action is set in 2035, ten years after the events of the previous film, and sees former pilot and Marshal Stacker Pentecost’s son, Jake, returning to the Pan Pacific Defense Corps to stop a renewed Kaiju threat. Unlike its predecessor, whose tone leans more toward atmospheric monster-movie roots, Pacific Rim: Uprising is faster-paced and more heavily action-driven. It currently holds a 42% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 37% audience rating, while it earned only $290.9 million at the box office against a budget of $150–176 million. In contrast, Pacific Rim, made for $190 million, boasts a 72% critics’ score, a 77% Popcornmeter rating, and amassed $411 million at the box office.
Pacific Rim Uprising arrives on Hulu next month. Stay tuned to Collider for further streaming news.
Release Date
March 23, 2018
Runtime
111 minutes
Director
Steven S. DeKnight