Pacific Rim 2 News: Are we up for a different kind of sequel this time? Screenrant previously elaborated on a theory that the upcoming Guillermo del Toro masterpiece could actually be a prequel than a sequel, going through the history of Herc's family as Max Martini shared:

"It's funny, I fell in love with this character. The key component was this relationship I had with my son, exploring the dysfunction and the loss, so where does Herc go from here? I don't know. It'll be interesting to see where Guillermo (del Toro) and Travis Beacham take it. I don't know if it's a prequel or a sequel, but if it's a prequel you'll learn more about Herc's family history. But Guillermo has such a vivid imagination, it could go anywhere."

While we take Martini's musings with a pinch of salt, Del Toro remarked that they are currently formulating ideas that are not the usual route. The film will allegedly highlight different parts of the world to give it a different feel! He even told The Wall Street Journal:

"All of this happens prior to the first movie, and it gives you a little more depth into the background of certain characters that will appear in the second movie. So by the time the second movie comes out, you will have probably one year of the animation airing, and you will have three years of the comic book series ongoing."

"The series tackles the stories that happened to pilots working in the Shatterdome, but also cadets learning how to become pilots," he shared.

"It was hard to create a world that did not come from a comic book that had its own mythology, so we had to sacrifice many aspects to be able to cram everything in the first movie. Namely, for example, 'the Drift,' which was an interesting concept," director Guillermo Del Toro told The Wall Street Journal.

So who are the characters that we should all watch out for?

"The characters I love will return. Raleigh, Mako, Newt, Gottlieb and who knows, maybe even Hannibal Chau - but we are taking them into a fresh territory that will display amazing sights and battles. The first film set the stage and now we're ready to have a blast."

Charlie Hunnam recently confirmed his reappearance in this sequel as Raleigh. The director even gave a brief overview of his character:

"We are taking the characters into a completely different journey this time because Raleigh (played by Hunnam) for me solved his problem the minute he was able to go full circle and save Mako by sacrificing himself, which is what he couldn't do with his brother. He's not on that journey anymore, he's on a new journey," (via IB Times).

Del Toro also revealed his favorite character in the film - Mako Morin played by Rinko Kikuchi.

Pacific Rim 2 will arrive in 3D and IMAX theaters on April 7th, 2017.