Henry Cavill’s next space movie will make up for this short-lived sci-fi franchise that deserved so much better

It was recently announced that Henry Cavill is joining the cast of Amazon MGM’s Voltron, which is especially exciting because this giant robot movie could finally do what Pacific Rim never could. Although science fiction is a vast and creative genre, there are many tropes and stories that are particularly popular with audiences. One of them are films about giant robots, or mechas. Of Transformers for the Power Rangers, locks captivated spectators for decades. Now, Amazon MGM is preparing to take advantage of this beloved trope in a way that other franchises have sadly failed to.

A franchise that could be considered a failure in some aspects Pacific Rim. First released in 2013, Pacific Rim is a science fiction monster movie set in a world where humans are at war with Kaiju, huge sea monsters from another dimension. To save Earth, society creates the Jaegers, huge humanoid robots that can fight the Kaiju. The story follows a Jaeger pilot’s final attempt to take down the monsters. Despite being the beginning of a potentially incredible franchise, Pacific Rim it eventually petered out after just two films, leaving countless viewers desperately wanting more.

Cavill’s Voltron Could Be the Giant Robot Movie Franchise That Pacific Rim Couldn’t Be

How Voltron Will Be Like Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim hasn’t become a significant franchise, but Cavill’s Voltron film might be able to catch on where Pacific Rim stopped. Voltron originated as an animated television series inspired by several different Japanese anime that premiered in 1984. After its initial release Voltron continually returned to television throughout the 80s, 90s and 2010sresulting in about six different Voltron series. Notably, the live action film has been in development since 2007. Overall, the story follows a troop of space explorers who pilot a mecha called Voltron.

Although Voltron has a significantly different premise than Pacific Rim, It’s easy to see how the two franchises pursue the same goal. Both Voltron and Pacific Rim aims to impress the public with huge locks and evil monsters. Voltron may occur in space, but in a way, Pacific Rim The futuristic version of Earth looks like an entirely different planet. In short, both franchises are interested in the relationship between humans and technology, the creation of massive mecha, and the fight to save humanity against otherworldly entities.

The Pacific Rim Franchise Wasn’t a Failure (But It Only Got Two Movies in 11 Years)

The Future of the Pacific Rim Explained

To be clear, Pacific Rim It wasn’t a complete failure of a franchise. The first film in particular was a huge success. Earning over $400 million at the box office and earning a Rotten tomatoes score of 72%, Pacific Rim laid a solid foundation for the future. In reality, several different elements led to Pacific Rim downfall: too long between films, a disappointing Pacific Rim sequel and a new director, among other things. In this way, Voltron could be what Pacific Rim I never had the chance to be due to difficult external factors.

It should also be noted that Pacific Rim has not completely disappeared. In 2021, Netflix released an animated series called Pacific Rim: The Black, which acts as the third installment in the overarching franchise. The series won two seasons and 71% in Rotten tomatoes. Plus a live action Pacific Rim The TV series is currently in development, although it is still in the early stages. That’s why, Pacific Rim You still have time to reach your full potential, although the journey may look a little different than expected.

How Voltron will be different from Pacific Rim and other giant robot movies

Voltron Environment Explained

Voltron certainly has the chance to create an incredible new film franchise, just as Pacific Rim, but in general, the next film it will be a little different from other mecha movies. Where giant robot films tend to be quite edgy and dark, touching on themes of apocalypse and war, Voltron It’s a little lighter. The franchise often focuses on bright colors and teamwork rather than the overarching conflict between mecha and monster. Due to this, Voltron human characters will be much more important than in franchises like Transformers.

Furthermore, Voltron will definitely benefit from Cavill’s casting. Often mecha films cast big stars, i.e. Pacific Rim Charlie Hunnam and Idris Elba, but Cavill is a little different. Of Superman to The wizard for your next reboot Highlander, Cavill is a pro at launching franchises. He’s an actor who can appeal to a lot of viewers, and his dedication to accuracy makes him a solid choice for this much-loved source material. However, Voltron has many tricks up its sleeve and can hopefully avoid the tragic fate of Pacific Rim.