The fate of the sequel to Guillermo Del Toro‘s monster-robot spectacle Pacific Rim has been stuck in oblivion for quite some time now. First, it was slated for a 2017 release, but Universal recently pulled it off the docket. Then, after a short period it was put back onto the table, with Del Toro having said that a script was done. Unfortunately where the sequel stands now is Del Toro off the director’s chair with Daredevil showrunner Steven S. DeKnight taking his place. That isn’t a necessarily bad move, but along with that, The Hollywood Reporter says that a new scribe will be taking another crack at the script before production begins.

Derek Connolly, one of the co-writers of last year’s hit Jurassic World, is the newest writer in a long line that have already done drafts and rewrites for Pacific Rim 2. The plot is being kept under wraps for the time being, and it is not clear whether Connolly will be doing minor tweaks or an entirely new draft altogether. A screenwriter like him does seem like a smart move, considering the massive financial success of Jurassic World, as well as other potentially big moneymakers that he’s penned such as Kong: Skull Island and a science-fiction film called Intelligent Life starring Lupita Nyong’o.

Considering Pacific Rim‘s mild box office earnings, it’s lucky we are even getting a sequel at all. It is a shame, however, that Del Toro is no longer helming the project. The first film has gained a posthumous fan base since its theatrical run back in 2013, so it’s very possible that the sequel could evolve into something quite huge.

Pacific Rim 2 is “scheduled” for release on August 4, 2017.