What is a Jaeger? That’s a very good question.
It’s you, times a thousand. It’s a skyscraping mech capable of beating transdimensional monsters to a pulp, and in Pacific Rim: Uprising, director Steven S. DeKnight (Daredevil) will be introducing moviegoers to a new fleet of Jaegers – each with a name more wonderful than the last.
From Guardian Bravo to Titan Redeemer, the Pacific Rim universe has always worn its heart firmly on its oversized metallic sleeve, with each individual Jaeger being bent and shaped to properly represent the city it guards. They’re the near-future equivalent of gladiators, essentially, and for the US of A, Gipsy Avenger will become the country’s newfound mascot in 2018.
In line with early rumors, Avenger is ostensibly a remodeled version of Gipsy Danger from the original Pacific Rim, and to help add context to today’s SDCC promo, Legendary and Warner Bros. have posted new plot details for the sequel, confirming that it’ll take place a full 10 years after the first.
It’s been ten years since The Battle of the Breach and the oceans are still, but restless. Vindicated by the victory at the Breach, the Jaeger program has evolved into the most powerful global defense force in human history. The PPDC now calls upon the best and brightest to rise up and become the next generation of heroes. When the Kaiju threat returns, we will be ready.
Headed up by John Boyega (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), who plays the part of Jake Pentecost, Pacific Rim: Uprising features an all-star cast, but the sequel’s towering robots are basically characters in their own right.
In order to get us all up to speed, Legendary and Warner Bros. have now posted new intel on the Mark VI fleet, which ranges from the brute Titan Redeemer to the super-sleek Saber Athena. If you want to take a closer look at those walking skyscrapers, the gallery above includes high-res blueprints for all five ‘bots.
GIPSY AVENGER – Gipsy Avenger honors the heroic legacy of her namesake as the flagship leader of the Mark VI fleet. More than just a Jaeger, she is a symbol of hope to millions.
BRACER PHOENIX – A Mark V brute that can still run with the VI’s, Bracer Phoenix shoots from the chest, with a centrifugal vortex cannon that is as spectacular as it is deadly.
SABER ATHENA – The sleekest and most elegant Jaeger ever created, Saber Athena is the fastest in the fleet, wielding twin blades in hyper-acrobatic combat.
TITAN REDEEMER – Built for brute force and armed with a seismic morningstar, Titan Redeemer is the walking wrecking ball of the new fleet.
GUARDIAN BRAVO – Designed for combat at range, Guardian Bravo wields the Elec-16 Arc Whip: a proto-metallic successor to the chainsword, and brings a new sophistication to the chainsword’s whiplash move.
Now that The Predator has relocated to August, Pacific Rim: Uprising has a relatively clear shot at box office glory when it opens on February 23rd, 2018. It’ll screen via IMAX theaters, too, in keeping with the series’ “go big or go home” mentality.