We reported on Monday that director Guillermo del Toro will make Pacific Rim for Legendary Pictures before At the Mountains of Madness. Today, Legendary Pictures issued a brief press release confirming that Pacific Rim will indeed be Guillermo del Toro's next directorial project. Take a look at the press release below, and read on for more details after the release.

"Legendary Pictures announced today that Guillermo del Toro is directing the company's upcoming feature, Pacific Rim, confirmed as his next film. The film has already entered pre-production and will begin principal photography in September 2011. Pacific Rim will be released during summer 2013 and will be produced by Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni for Legendary Pictures and Guillermo del Toro.

Stated Guillermo del Toro: "We started developing Pac Rim a while ago with the mad passion and enthusiasm of a project unwatched and unchecked by politics or comparisons. We designed and shepherded the movie we want to make. We start shooting in September and we hit the ground running because we are so in sync. My partnership with Legendary represents, both in scale and creative demands, a huge step forward for me."

Guillermo del Toro recently spoke out about At the Mountains of Madness being delayed, and how Tom Cruise is still willing to star in the project, despite delays in his negotiations.

"I have learned in the last few years that God laughs as we make plans. The beauty of it is, in the last few days, I spoke to Tom, who has been incredibly supportive and who said, 'Let's keep going, let's make this movie down the road.' He's definitely that interested and that happy where we were creatively. So we have good legs to travel on, if the time and the opportunity present itself. But we're going to fight for that to happen. I've been offered four or five times at different studios the chance to make this movie in what I think was the wrong way. With $20 million or $30 million less than what I need, with a contractual PG-13, and I don't want to do it that way."

The director also clarified that he isn't exactly aiming for an gory, R-rated version of At the Mountains of Madness, but he doesn't want to be locked in to a PG-13 version before he has even started.

"Ultimately, I think the MPAA could rule the movie PG-13 because the movie and the book are not gory. If that is the outcome, fine. But I don't want to put the PG-13 on paper, for one reason. We created Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, thinking we would be safe looking for PG-13 because we had no profanity, no sex, no gore, but we made a very intense movie in a very classical mold. And the MPAA gave it an R. They said the movie was too intense for a PG-13. The only think I know about Mountains is, I do not want it to be bloody, I do not want it to be crass, but I want it to be as intense as possible. And those discussions were had in the open. Everyone knew this was my position, that I knew I was asking the chance for the movie to be what it needs to be. I don't think it's a good idea to relinquish that on paper."

Although Guillermo del Toro isn't completely certain he will make At the Mountains of Madness, after Pacific Rim, the director is determined to make the movie.

"Frankly, I think we've come so close with Mountains that to me it's an indicator of the great possibility we will get to make it, as soon as possible. As long as the idea stays fresh and no one beats me to it, in terms of the origins of the monsters, the scope and the aspect of Antarctica where these creatures are discovered, I will continue to press forward. I'm knocking on wood. I have great partners in Jim Cameron and Lightstorm, and Don Murphy and Susan Montford, great partners in this adventure who are not giving up and not letting me give up."