The Pacific Rim franchise has thrilled fans with its colossal robot battles and monstrous creatures. Whether you’re a longtime follower or a newcomer, knowing the correct order to watch the Pacific Rim movies is key to understanding the larger story arc. With the franchise spanning multiple films and an animated series, it’s essential to follow the right sequence for maximum enjoyment. This guide provides a straightforward look at the order to watch Pacific Rim, Pacific Rim: Uprising, and Pacific Rim: The Black, ensuring you catch every explosive moment.
How Many Pacific Rim Movies Are There?
1. Pacific Rim (2013)
The first movie, Pacific Rim, set the stage for an epic battle between humankind and monstrous creatures from another dimension. Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film is a visual spectacle filled with large-scale fights and an intense storyline that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
In Pacific Rim, the Kaiju, giant sea creatures from another world, begin attacking cities across the globe. In response, humanity creates Jaegers, towering robots controlled by two pilots connected through a neural bridge. These machines are humanity’s last hope for survival. However, the battles are fierce, and the Jaegers are slowly losing ground as the Kaiju become more powerful.
Key characters include Raleigh Becket, a skilled Jaeger pilot, and Mako Mori, an aspiring pilot with a tragic past. They team up under the leadership of Stacker Pentecost, who commands the Jaeger program with unmatched determination.
The film does an incredible job of blending action with human drama. The connection between the pilots, known as “drift compatibility,” adds an emotional layer to the intense robot-versus-monster battles. By watching this film first, you’ll understand the origins of the Kaiju threat and the heroic efforts to stop them.
This movie sets the foundation of the series, introducing crucial plot points like the breach between worlds and the technology behind Jaegers. For fans of action and sci-fi, this is where it all begins.
2. Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)
Set a decade after the original, Pacific Rim: Uprising takes the epic battles to a new level. This sequel shifts the focus to Jake Pentecost, son of the legendary Stacker Pentecost from the first film. Jake, once a promising Jaeger pilot, has abandoned the military life and drifted into a more rebellious lifestyle. However, when a new and even deadlier Kaiju threat emerges, Jake is forced back into the fight to protect humanity.
The plot of Uprising revolves around an evolved Kaiju attack that’s more organized and destructive. In addition to the Kaiju, a new type of enemy Jaeger is introduced, which complicates the situation for Jake and his team. The movie offers more dynamic battle sequences with improved visual effects, showing larger-than-life fights between Jaegers and Kaiju. The action feels bigger, faster, and more intense than in the first film.
Jake teams up with Nate Lambert, a close friend and fellow Jaeger pilot, as well as a young trainee, Amara Namani. The trio, with the help of the new generation of Jaegers, must stop this new wave of Kaiju and save the planet from total annihilation. The bond between Jake and Nate, combined with Amara’s ingenuity, adds emotional depth to the non-stop action.
While Uprising doesn’t reach the same emotional heights as the original, it expands on the Jaeger-Kaiju conflict, introducing new technology, new characters, and more complex battles. Fans of the original will appreciate the increased focus on large-scale destruction and new Jaegers designed for the next wave of Kaiju war.
3. Pacific Rim: The Black (TV Series 2021–2022)
Pacific Rim: The Black takes the Pacific Rim universe in a new direction with an animated series released on Netflix. The story follows Taylor and Hayley Travis, siblings left behind in Australia after the continent is overrun by Kaiju. Unlike the large-scale battles of the movies, this series focuses on survival, offering a more personal and intense experience as the siblings search for their missing parents.
The story is set several years after the events of Pacific Rim: Uprising, but it takes a more intimate approach. With most of Australia abandoned, Taylor and Hayley discover an old Jaeger, which they must learn to pilot in order to stay alive. As they journey through the dangerous Kaiju-infested landscape, they encounter both new enemies and surprising allies.
The series provides new insight into the Pacific Rim world, expanding the lore with deeper exploration of the Kaiju threat. The stakes are still high, but the tone of the series is darker and more character-driven than the films. Themes of family, sacrifice, and survival are at the forefront as Taylor and Hayley struggle to navigate the horrors of a post-apocalyptic landscape.
Fans of the films will appreciate the continuation of the story, with references to the events of Uprising and hints at a larger conflict looming on the horizon. The series also adds more emotional depth to the world of Pacific Rim, focusing on personal stories within the broader Kaiju-Jaeger war.
Viewing Order Explained
When it comes to watching the Pacific Rim franchise, following the correct sequence ensures you don’t miss out on the larger storyline. The release order is recommended, but understanding the chronological order can help if you want to follow the timeline of events closely.
Release Order:
- Pacific Rim (2013)
- Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)
- Pacific Rim: The Black (2021–2022)
Watching the films in this order allows you to see how the story evolved over time. The first movie lays the foundation for the Kaiju vs. Jaeger conflict, introducing the key characters and the overall threat. Pacific Rim: Uprising builds on this by exploring the aftermath of the initial conflict and raising the stakes with new technology and more powerful enemies. Finally, Pacific Rim: The Black delves into a more personal story while continuing the larger narrative, giving viewers a different perspective on the post-Kaiju world.
Chronological Order:
- Pacific Rim (2013) – Set in 2025
- Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) – Set in 2035, ten years after the first film
- Pacific Rim: The Black (2021-2022) – Occurs roughly five years after Uprising, around 2040
By watching in chronological order, you’ll experience the events in the exact order they happen. However, the release order is usually recommended to preserve the storytelling intended by the creators.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I watch Pacific Rim: Uprising without seeing the first movie?
Skipping the first movie will make the plot of Uprising harder to follow, as it builds on events and character backstories established in Pacific Rim.
2. Is Pacific Rim: The Black connected to the movies?
Yes, it follows the events of Pacific Rim: Uprising and explores a new story in the same universe, focusing on new characters.
3. Will there be a third Pacific Rim movie?
Currently, no official plans for a third movie have been announced, but there are rumors about more content possibly coming in the future.
4. Do I need to watch the animated series to understand the movies?
No, the movies stand alone, but the series adds more depth to the world and continues the storyline after Uprising.
5. What order should I watch the Pacific Rim movies and series?
Watch in release order: Pacific Rim (2013), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), and then Pacific Rim: The Black (2021–2022).
Wrapping Up
The Pacific Rim franchise offers thrilling battles, emotional stories, and a fascinating world of Jaegers and Kaiju. Whether you’re watching for the first time or revisiting the series, following the correct order—Pacific Rim (2013), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), and Pacific Rim: The Black (2021–2022)—enhances your experience. The combination of action-packed films and the personal journey in the animated series ensures that fans stay engaged from start to finish. Dive into this sci-fi saga and enjoy every moment!
