When you work on a Star Wars film, success in other films is not a given. For every Harrison Ford, there are a number of Hayden Christensens, Mark Hamills and Jake Lloyds whose post-Star Wars careers weren’t all that stellar. However, it looks like this curse is going to skip John Boyega.
Deadline is reporting that Boyega has signed on for the starring role in Pacific Rim: Maelstrom, the sequel to 2013’s Pacific Rim. Boyega’s Upper Room Productions has also joined the project as producers.
Boyega will be playing the son of Idris Elba’s Stacker Pentacost from the first film. The sequel will be directed by Steven S. DeKnight from a script by Derek Connolly. The film is set to start production in the fourth quarter of this year.
While I liked Boyega’s performance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I felt that he had more to offer in the right project. I really loved Pacific Rim, and I think he’ll be great in a lead role in that universe.
