As for the comment of the film's co-creator and currently working as the film's producer Guillermo del Toro, "I am very proud and happy to welcome John into a fantastic sandbox. The Pacific Rim universe will be reinforced with him as a leading man as it continues to be a multicultural, multi-layered world. 'The World saving the world' was our goal and I couldn’t think of a better man for the job."
Lastly, the production of Pacific Rim 2 will begin in the fourth quarter of 2016. The is directed by Steven S. DeKnight (Marvel's Daredevil) and is currently slated for an August 2017 release.