Derek Connolly (Jurassic World) has had a full schedule the last several years, and it just got even busier now that Legendary has lined up the in-demand writer to work on the screenplay for Pacific Rim 2.

According to THR, Connolly will step behind the keyboard for Pacific Rim 2, the sequel to Guillermo del Toro's 2013 film that saw giant human-controlled robots known as Jaegers do battle against the colossal Kaiju with Earth's fate hanging in the balance.

It was previously revealed that del Toro will produce but not direct the sequel, and that Steven S. DeKnight (Spartacus, Netflix's Daredevil) will instead step behind the camera to helm the follow-up film.

Jon Spaihts (The Mummy, Doctor Strange, Prometheus) previously worked on the Pacific Rim 2 screenplay, with del Toro and Zak Penn also offering input on the story, but it's unclear if Connolly will start from scratch or work on additions and revisions on pre-existing material.

A new release date for Pacific Rim 2 has not yet been revealed, and it's currently uncertain who will come back to reprise their roles of the survivors from the first film.

After collaborating on the Jurassic World screenplay with Colin Trevorrow (who he previously worked with on 2012's time travel drama Safety Not Guaranteed), Connolly was brought on board Legendary's Kong: Skull Island to work on the script's final draft, so it makes sense that Legendary would also look to Connolly to help polish or restructure Pacific Rim 2. Additionally, Connolly is also working on the screenplay for the Jurassic World sequel, due out in 2018.

Are you excited to see what Connolly can bring to the Pacific Rim universe? Let us know in the comments section below, and stay tuned to Daily Dead for more updates on the upcoming Jaeger vs. Kaiju showdown.

Derek Connolly (pictured right) with Colin Trevorrow:

Source: THR
  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.