Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Last updated

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Godzilla x kong the new empire poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Adam Wingard
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Terry Rossio
  • Adam Wingard
  • Simon Barrett
Based on Godzilla and Mothra
by Toho Co., Ltd.
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Ben Seresin
Edited byJosh Schaeffer
Music by
Production
company
Distributed by
Release dates
  • March 25, 2024 (2024-03-25)(TCL Chinese Theatre)
  • March 29, 2024 (2024-03-29)(United States)
Running time
115 minutes [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$135–150 million [3] [4]
Box office$571.8 million [5]

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire [a] is a 2024 American monster film directed by Adam Wingard. Produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and the fifth film in the Monsterverse franchise, also serving as the 38th film of the Godzilla franchise and 13th in the King Kong franchise. The film stars Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen. Hall, Henry, and Hottle reprise their roles from the previous film. In the film, Kong encounters more of his species in the Hollow Earth and must unite again with Godzilla to stop the tyrannical Skar King and the powerful, frost-breathing Shimo from invading the Earth's surface.

Contents

Following the box office and streaming success of Godzilla vs. Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic, Legendary announced a sequel in March 2022 and that filming would commence later that year. In May 2022, it was announced that Wingard would return to direct and Stevens had been cast as a lead. Filming began in July 2022 in Gold Coast, Australia, and finished in November 2022.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on March 25, 2024, and was released in the United States on March 29. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with many comparing it unfavorably to Godzilla Minus One , which had been released four months prior. It became a box office success grossing over $571.8 million worldwide against a production budget of $135–150 million, becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2024, the highest-grossing film of the Monsterverse, as well as in the Godzilla and King Kong franchises. A sequel is set to be released on March 26, 2027.

Plot

Three years after defeating Mechagodzilla, [b] Kong has established his new territory in the Hollow Earth and searches for more of his kind. On Earth's surface, Godzilla continues to maintain order between humanity and giant monsters, known as "Titans" — killing Titanus Scylla in Rome and resting in the Colosseum afterwards.

A Monarch observation outpost stationed in Hollow Earth picks up an unidentified signal. On the surface, the signal causes Jia, the last known survivor of the Iwi tribe from Skull Island, to experience hallucinations and visions, causing her adoptive mother and Kong expert, Dr. Ilene Andrews, to worry. Also sensing the signal, Godzilla leaves Rome and attacks a nuclear plant in France to absorb radiation. He then heads to the lair of the Titan Tiamat in the Arctic. Monarch believes Godzilla is strengthening himself for an oncoming threat.

When a sinkhole opens near his home, Kong discovers an uncharted realm where a tribe of his species has survived, including a juvenile named Suko. After a brief initial confrontation, Kong convinces Suko to lead him to the tribe's lair, and the two slowly bond on their journey.

Andrews and Jia, alongside Titan veterinarian Trapper and conspiracy podcaster Bernie Hayes, travel to Hollow Earth to locate the source of the signal. They find the Monarch outpost destroyed. As the group follows the signal, they discover a temple that leads them to a subterranean section that houses a surviving Iwi tribe, who communicate telepathically with each other, living beneath portals to the surface. Inspecting the temple, they realize that the signal was a telepathic distress call sent by the Iwi.

While observing Jia socializing with the Iwi, Andrews voices her fears to Trapper that Jia may choose to stay with her people and that Andrews would have to accept it. Inside a temple, Andrews uncovers hieroglyphics displaying the past and future: a tyrannical giant ape known as the Skar King once attempted to conquer the surface world and waged war against Godzilla's species, triggering an ice age in the process, but Godzilla defeated him by trapping him and his tribe deep within Hollow Earth. The prophecy also indicates that Jia is the key to reawakening Mothra.

Kong encounters the ape tribe and confronts the Skar King, who battles Kong with the latter overpowering him, forcing him to resort to summoning his enslaved ice-breathing Titan Shimo, using a crystal that causes her pain which forces her to submit to him. Shimo's ice breath injures Kong's right arm, causing frostbite. With Suko's help, Kong manages to escape, though he loses his axe in the process.

Sensing Jia, Kong locates the temple and is fitted by Trapper with a prototype exoskeletal glove to strengthen and heal his frostbitten limb. Unknown to them, another ape follows them, then informs the Skar King that the protective barrier leading to the surface portals has been opened. Jia successfully awakens the reborn Mothra.

Meanwhile, Godzilla kills Tiamat and absorbs cosmic radiation from her lair, which turns his dorsal plates magenta. Hoping to lure Godzilla to Hollow Earth to assist him, Kong surfaces in Cairo and calls out to him. Despite Kong's attempts to communicate, an enraged Godzilla attacks him, and a brief fight ensues until Mothra intervenes and soothes Godzilla. The three Titans return to the Hollow Earth and engage Skar King's forces in battle. Skar King and Shimo manage to use one of the portals to escape to the surface, forcing Godzilla and Kong, who again loses his axe, to chase them to Rio de Janeiro, where Shimo induces a second ice age at Skar King's command. The factions are evenly matched until Suko arrives with Kong's axe and destroys the crystal that controls Shimo. Shimo changes sides and freezes Skar King, letting Kong shatter him to pieces.

After undoing Shimo's ice age with his atomic breath, Godzilla returns to rest in the Colosseum. Jia decides to stay with Andrews. Mothra restores the protective barrier of the Iwi's home and the portals. Kong returns with Shimo and Suko to Hollow Earth, where he becomes the ape tribe's new leader.

Cast

Production

Development

In March 2019, producer Alex Garcia stated that Legendary Pictures hoped to produce more MonsterVerse films if they became successful, stating, "It's one brick at a time, each piece has to be as good as it can be, so right now it's all focused on this Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong . But could there be? Yeah, that's the hope if the movies turn out really well." [9] In February 2021, Wingard commented on the future of the Monsterverse, "I know where we could go potentially with future films." However, he noted that the Monsterverse was created "to a certain degree" to lead towards Godzilla vs. Kong. [10] He added that the Monsterverse is at a "crossroads", stating, "It's really at the point where audiences have to kind of step forward and vote for more of these things. If this movie is a success obviously they will continue forward." [11]

Godzilla vs. Kong was released on March 24, 2021, and became a box office and streaming hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. [12] The film grossed $470 million worldwide against a break-even point of $330 million, [12] [13] and became the most pirated film of 2021. [14] On April 4, 2021, Legendary's CEO Josh Grode commented on potential sequels, "we have a number of ideas for more movies." [15] That same day, the hashtag #ContinueTheMonsterverse began trending on Twitter, which was acknowledged by Legendary and garnered support from Jordan Vogt-Roberts, director of Kong: Skull Island (2017). [16] [17] On April 27, 2021, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Legendary was "quietly taking steps to stretch the series into one or more installments" while negotiating with Wingard to potentially return to direct. Various ideas were considered, with Son of Kong being one potential title. [18] In August 2021, Monsterverse writer Max Borenstein stated that "there will be some new, interesting installments coming" due to the success of Godzilla vs. Kong. [19]

On March 20, 2022, it was announced that a sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong was scheduled to commence filming later in the year in the Gold Coast, Queensland, and other locations in South East Queensland. [20] In May 2022, it was announced that Wingard would return to direct and that Dan Stevens had been cast as a lead. Wingard and Stevens had previously worked together on The Guest (2014). [21] In May 2022, Production Weekly reported that the film's working title was Origins. [22] On June 30, 2022, it was revealed that Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric McLeod, Brian Rogers, Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni would return to produce. [23] [24] On July 1, 2022, Toho confirmed that the film would feature Godzilla. [25]

Pre-production

Wingard recalled that preproduction on the film began in January 2022. [26] In August 2022, Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary announced a new synopsis and that Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Kaylee Hottle would reprise their roles from Godzilla vs Kong while Fala Chen, Alex Ferns and Rachel House would join the cast as well. It was also revealed that Wingard would collaborate once more with production designer Tom Hammock, editor Josh Schaeffer, composer Tom Holkenborg, and that Terry Rossio had returned to write the script with Jeremy Slater and Wingard's frequent collaborator Simon Barrett. [27] [24] Ultimately, Rossio, Barrett, and Slater received "screenplay by" credit, while Rossio, Wingard, and Barrett received "story by" credit; Michael Dougherty and Zach Shields, both of whom co-wrote Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong, shared off-screen "additional literary material" credit with James Ashcroft, Eli Kent, and Nicole Perlman. [28] [29] Extensive previsualization was done by The Third Floor, that included checking on Google Earth the locations in Rio de Janeiro that production wanted to use in the climactic battle. [30]

Filming

Principal photography commenced in the Gold Coast, Queensland, on July 29, 2022. [31] At the start of production, Ben Seresin was confirmed to have returned as director of photography. [32] In November 2022, it was reported that filming had finished in Australia and that crew gear revealed the film's potential title, at the time, as Godzilla and Kong. [33] A unit composed mostly of visual effects people went to Rio de Janeiro both to film the plates onto which the effects would be composited and to gather extensive data for a digital recreation of the city, that included aerial photography and Lidar. [34]

Post-production

The film's visual effects were supervised by Alessandro Ongaro. [35] Wingard confirmed that Mothra's inclusion was always part of the plan. However, Legendary did not have the rights to Mothra by the time that post-production began and used a placeholder character named "Phosphera" until the rights were secured. Wingard also refuted rumors that Phosphera was replaced with Mothra due to poor testing, iterating that Mothra was included as far back as the first draft. [36]

Scanline VFX did the opening scene with Kong being chased by "Wart-Dogs" - which were likened to wolves and African wild dogs, with "the twitchy, unpredictable energy of a hyena - and the climactic fights in both Egypt and Rio, along with the mechanical glove worn by Kong. [34] DNEG handled many scenes with Godzilla and Kong in the surface, along with the Hollow World's jungles and the Iwi's crystal pyramid. [37]

Wētā FX did the Hollow Earth, its giant apes - that added up to 130 in the scenes on Skar King's lair - and Shimo. Skar King was designed as a long and skinny orangutan to enhance its contrast to Kong, with supervisor Kevin Smith summing up with "Kong is Mike Tyson, but Skar King is a little shifty and more graceful". Its long arms required motion capture to be performed adding extensions and prosthetics to the performers. Its weapon built out of spines was described as particularly complex, featuring "108 or 110 vertebrae, plus the jaw handle and the thing at the end". Shimo was noted as an attempt at "a fine balance between creating something beautiful but also menacing at the same time" that would move in a cat-like manner, "not super brutal like Godzilla would be". Its ice breath had up to 30 layers of effects, including frozen vapor and ice shards. [38]

Wingard told the crew to not worry too much about scale and relative speed so the giant animals could still move quickly, with one of the adaptations being changing the gravity and speed of the water simulations. The rendering was done in 5K resolution given the film was shot with wide anamorphic lenses. [37] [39]

Influences

After watching the trailer for Godzilla Minus One (2023), Wingard and Ongaro decided to pay tribute to that film by recreating a shot of the ground bursting beneath Godzilla's footfall for the film's Rome sequence. [35] The Egyptian battle between Godzilla and Kong was inspired by the fight scene between Roddy Piper and Keith David from They Live (1988). [40]

Music

In August 2022, Tom Holkenborg was announced to return to compose as co-composers the film's score, after previously doing so for Godzilla vs. Kong. [41] In December 2023, it was announced that Antonio Di Iorio would co-compose the score with Holkenborg. [42] A single was released on March 13, 2024, by WaterTower Music, titled “Main Title Theme.” The full soundtrack album was released on March 22, 2024. [43]

For the Japanese release, artists Ai, Yaffle, and OZworld contributed to the track "Rise Together" as the film's theme and was released on April 17, 2024. [44]

Release

Theatrical

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire held its red carpet premiere at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre on March 25, 2024. [45] Afterward, it was released internationally on March 27 and in the United States on March 29, [46] and was released in Japan on April 26 via Toho. [47] It was previously slated to be released on March 15 and April 12. [23] [48] Incidentally, Toho's Godzilla Minus One was withdrawn from U.S. theaters eight weeks before the release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. [49]

Home media

The film was released on digital platforms on May 14, 2024, and on Blu-ray, DVD and Ultra HD Blu-ray on June 11, 2024. [50] Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire became available to stream on Max on July 4, 2024. [51]

Reception

Box office

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire grossed $196.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $375.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $571.8 million. [5] As of 2024, it holds the record for the highest-grossing Godzilla film ever. [52]

In the United States and Canada, Godzilla x Kong was initially projected to gross $50–55 million from 3,850 theaters in its opening weekend and an additional $80–90 million from 63 international territories. [3] After making $37 million on its first day, including $10 million from Thursday previews, the best-ever total for a Monsterverse film, estimates were raised to $75 million over the domestic weekend. It went on to debut at $80 million, topping the box office and becoming the second-best opening weekend of the series and the fifth-best Easter weekend of all time, behind Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Furious 7 (2015), The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) and The Fate of the Furious (2017). [53] In its second weekend, the film made $31.2 million (a drop of 61%), remaining in first. [54] In its third weekend, the film made $15.5 million, finishing second behind newcomer Civil War . [55] Meanwhile, the film debuted at number two in Japan, behind Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Pentagram. [56]

Critical response

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire received mixed reviews from critics. [57] [58] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 54% of 248 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.6/10.The website's consensus reads: "Come to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire for the sheer monster-mashing spectacle -- and stay for that too, because the movie doesn't have much else to offer." [59] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 47 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [60] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported 96% of audience members said the film "met or exceeded their expectations." [53]

Several critics compared the film unfavorably to Toho's Godzilla Minus One, which had been released in the United States in December 2023. [c] Owen Gleiberman of Variety found Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire mediocre, likening it more to a superhero film, but felt that it was misfortunate that the film was released too soon after Godzilla Minus One, comparing that film with "lyrical majesty" and Godzilla x Kong more like a "product", but admitted that the film delivers on the monster battles, praising the Rome battle. [61] Michael Philips of Chicago Tribune wrote, "Godzilla X Kong makes up for its own deficiencies with oddball flourishes. Wingard and the writers work like rogue chefs at an Olive Garden, tossing everything they can at any number of walls to see what sticks". [68] Pete Hammond from Deadline Hollywood likened the scenes with the Ape tribe to Planet of the Apes and noted that Godzilla, despite getting top billing and referenced repeatedly in the film, mostly plays a supporting role. He felt the human characters were the same "one dimensional caricatures" typically found in monster films, but admitted that they had a "nice rapport" regardless. Like Gleiberman, Hammond compared the film to Godzilla Minus One, calling it "far more impressive" than Godzilla x Kong and suggested that Legendary hire that film's team next. [62] James Berardinelli also expressed dissatisfaction for the film and suggested that Godzilla Minus One writer-director Takashi Yamazaki make the next Monsterverse film. [63] The Sioux City Journal criticized the film's visual effects as inferior to those in Godzilla Minus One. [64]

Beyond the main cast, the humans in this movie exist only to get squashed like ants by falling debris and mangled buildings. They are expendable, but it doesn't matter. The meaning of these films isn't in metaphor at all. It's in punching.

—Alissa Wilkinson, The New York Times [69]

The Guardian praised the choreography and cited Rebecca Hall's performance as "ever luminous", but felt that Dan Stevens and Brian Tyree Henry struggled to convey the comedy they were entrusted with for their parts. [70] The film's journey to the climax was a "mixed bag," wrote Empire , and its characters were "shallow but fun". [71] IndieWire attacked the CGI for being dull and not taking full advantage of its potential, suggesting that the filmmakers should have used Godzilla (2014) as a reference point to emphasize the gravitas of the monster scenes. [72] The Los Angeles Times described the film as a "roaring headache" but cited "two impressively goopy moments" in the beginning and the horror-like approach brought by the director "with a penchant for gleeful experimentation and over-the-top style". [73]

Sequel

Director Adam Wingard expressed interest in making a third film featuring both Godzilla and Kong, but noted that "it just depends on how Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire does and how things kind of shape out." [6] Wingard iterated that ideas have been discussed as to where to take the franchise onward and that he would take a "different approach" on the next film if he's invited back to direct. [74] [75] He also suggested that the next film could potentially follow Godzilla primarily and explore his perspective in the same way that The New Empire followed Kong. [76]

Commenting on the film's box office success, producer and Legendary's chairman of worldwide production Mary Parent said, "This is certainly an exciting result. We are in a good position to continue the journey, but let’s see how Godzilla x Kong unfolds." [77]

On May 10, 2024, Legendary announced that David Callaham, who wrote the early drafts for Godzilla (2014), will write a follow-up to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. [78] The following week, Legendary announced that Wingard would not return to direct due to scheduling conflicts, but expressed interest in Wingard returning in the future. [79] In June 2024, Legendary announced Grant Sputore (director of I Am Mother ) as the new director and that the film would be released on March 26, 2027. [80] [81]

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Wingard, the “x” in the film's title is silent, though he pronounces it in the abbreviation GxK. [6] The "x" is meant by Legendary Pictures to indicate more of a collaboration than a fight rematch. [7]
  2. ↑ As depicted in Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
  3. ↑ Attributed to multiple references: [61] [62] [63] [64] [65] [66] [67]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mothra</span> Godzilla kaiju

Mothra is a fictional monster or kaiju, that first appeared in the 1961 film Mothra, produced and distributed by Toho Studios. Mothra has appeared in several Toho tokusatsu films, often as a recurring monster in the Godzilla franchise. She is typically portrayed as a colossal sentient larva (caterpillar) or imago, accompanied by two miniature fairies speaking on her behalf. Unlike several other Toho monsters, Mothra is a largely heroic character, having been variously portrayed as a protector of her own island culture, the Earth and Japan. Mothra's design is influenced by silkworms, their imagos, and those of giant silk moths in the family Saturniidae. The character is often depicted hatching offspring when approaching death, a nod to the Saṃsāra doctrine of numerous Indian religions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Ghidorah</span> Godzilla kaiju

King Ghidorah is a fictional monster, or alien, or kaiju, which first appeared in Ishirō Honda's 1964 film Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. The creature was initially created by Tomoyuki Tanaka, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Shinichi Sekizawa as an homage to the eight-headed mythological Japanese dragon Yamata no Orochi. Although the name of the character is officially trademarked by Toho as "King Ghidorah", the character was originally referred to as Ghidorah, Ghidrah, or Monster Zero in some English markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mechagodzilla</span> Godzilla kaiju

Mechagodzilla is a fictional mecha character that first appeared in the 1974 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. In its debut appearance, Mechagodzilla is depicted as an extraterrestrial villain, a robot created by alien invaders to confront and destroy Godzilla. In subsequent iterations, Mechagodzilla is usually depicted as a man-made robotic weapon designed to defend Japan against Godzilla and other kaiju. In all incarnations, the character is portrayed as a robotic doppelgänger of Godzilla with a vast array of high-tech weaponry. Along with King Ghidorah, Mechagodzilla is commonly considered to be an archenemy of Godzilla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Kong</span> Fictional monster

King Kong, also referred to simply as Kong, is a fictional giant monster, or kaiju, resembling a gorilla, who has appeared in various media since 1933. Kong has been dubbed the King of the Beasts, and over time, it would also be bestowed the title of the Eighth Wonder of the World, a widely recognized expression within the franchise. His first appearance was in the novelization of the 1933 film King Kong from RKO Pictures, with the film premiering a little over two months later.

<i>Godzilla</i> (franchise) Japanese media franchise

Godzilla is a Japanese monster, or kaiju, franchise centering on the titular character, a prehistoric reptilian monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. The films series are recognized by the Guinness World Records as the "longest continuously running film series", having been in ongoing production since 1954, with several hiatuses of varying lengths. There are 38 Godzilla films: 33 Japanese films produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd., and five American films; one by TriStar Pictures and four films by Legendary Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monster movie</span> Film genre

A monster movie, monster film, creature feature or giant monster film is a film that focuses on one or more characters struggling to survive attacks by one or more antagonistic monsters, often abnormally large ones. The film may also fall under the horror, comedy, fantasy, or science fiction genres. Monster movies originated with adaptations of horror folklore and literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Wingard</span> American filmmaker (born 1982)

Adam Wingard is an American filmmaker. He has served as a film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, cinematographer, actor, and composer on numerous American films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Slater</span> American screenwriter

Jeremy Slater is an American writer and producer of film and television, known for his work on films such as Fantastic Four, Death Note and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and on television series such as The Umbrella Academy and The Exorcist, which Slater created, and on which he served as executive producer. He is the head writer and executive producer for the Disney+ miniseries Moon Knight.

<i>Godzilla vs. Kong</i> 2021 American film by Adam Wingard

Godzilla vs. Kong is a 2021 American monster film directed by Adam Wingard. Produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is a sequel to Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and is the fourth film in the Monsterverse. It is also the 36th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 12th film in the King Kong franchise, and the fourth Godzilla film to be completely produced by an American film studio. The film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, Lance Reddick, Kyle Chandler, and Demián Bichir. Brown and Chandler reprise their roles from the previous Godzilla film. In the film, Kong clashes with Godzilla after humans move the ape from Skull Island to the Hollow Earth, homeworld of the monsters known as "Titans", to retrieve a power source for a secret weapon intended to stop Godzilla's mysterious attacks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monsterverse</span> Shared fictional universe

The Monsterverse is an American multimedia franchise and shared universe featuring Godzilla and other sister characters owned and created by Toho Co., Ltd, as well as King Kong. The franchise consists of five films and two television series that have been produced by Legendary Pictures, with Warner Bros. Pictures distributing the films and the series being released for streaming on Netflix and Apple TV+.

<i>Godzilla: King of the Monsters</i> (2019 film) American film by Michael Dougherty

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a 2019 American monster film directed and co-written by Michael Dougherty. Produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is a sequel to Godzilla (2014) and the third film in the Monsterverse. It is also the 35th film in the Godzilla franchise, and the third Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio. The film stars Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O'Shea Jackson Jr., David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe, and Zhang Ziyi. In the film, eco-terrorists release King Ghidorah, who awakens other monsters known as "Titans" across the world, forcing Godzilla and Mothra to surface and engage Ghidorah and Rodan in a decisive battle.

<i>King Kong</i> (franchise) American media franchise

King Kong is an American monster media franchise that consists of thirteen films, as well as television, novels, comic books, video games, attractions, and other merchandise. The franchise is centered on King Kong, a giant ape living on a primordial island inhabited by prehistoric creatures. The original film King Kong was co-directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack and was released on March 2, 1933; it was a box office success, despite opening during the Great Depression. The film's stop motion effects by Willis H. O'Brien revolutionized special effects, leaving a lasting impact on the film industry worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Godzilla (Monsterverse)</span> Monsterverse character

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or kaiju, based on Toho Co., Ltd.'s character of the same name, and one of the protagonists in Legendary Pictures' Monsterverse franchise.

<i>Monarch: Legacy of Monsters</i> American monster television series

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is an American monster television series created by Chris Black and Matt Fraction and produced by Legendary Television. Based on Godzilla by Toho Co., Ltd, it is the sixth installment and second television series in the Monsterverse franchise. Following the events of Godzilla (2014), the series follows members of the Monarch organization as they encounter Godzilla and other monsters called Titans, across a half century.

<i>Godzilla vs. Kong</i> (soundtrack) 2021 film score by Tom Holkenborg

Godzilla vs. Kong is the soundtrack to the 2021 American monster film Godzilla vs. Kong. A sequel to Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), it is the fourth film in Legendary's MonsterVerse, the 36th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 12th film in the King Kong franchise, and the fourth Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio. Directed by Adam Wingard, the film features musical score written and composed by Tom Holkenborg, the fourth film composer to work on the MonsterVerse franchise. He was announced as a part of the film in June 2020, before a planned meeting with Wingard, two years, expressing his interest on working on the score due to his personal love for the Godzilla film series during his teen years. The recording of the score took place for nearly two years, and was bundled into a soundtrack album, released by WaterTower Music in digital and physical formats on March 31, 2021, coinciding with the film's United States theatrical release.

<i>Godzilla</i> (2014 soundtrack) 2014 film score by Alexandre Desplat

Godzilla: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 2014 American monster film Godzilla, which is a reboot of Toho's Godzilla franchise and also being the 30th film in that franchise. It is also the first film in Legendary's MonsterVerse and the second Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio. The score was composed and conducted by Alexandre Desplat, being the first film composer to work on the MonsterVerse franchise. The film score was released digitally by WaterTower Music on May 13, 2014, and a separate vinyl album was launched on June 17.

<i>Godzilla Minus One</i> 2023 film by Takashi Yamazaki

Godzilla Minus One is a 2023 Japanese epic kaiju film written, directed, and with visual effects by Takashi Yamazaki. It is the 37th film in the Godzilla franchise, Toho's 33rd Godzilla film, and the fifth installment of the Reiwa era. Set in postwar Japan, the film stars Ryunosuke Kamiki as a former kamikaze pilot suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after encountering a giant monster known as "Godzilla". The supporting cast includes Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki.

<i>Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire</i> (soundtrack) 2024 film score by Tom Holkenborg and Antonio Di Iorio

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the soundtrack to the 2024 American monster film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. A sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), it is the fifth film in Legendary's MonsterVerse, the 38th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 13th film in the King Kong franchise, and the fifth Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio. Directed by Adam Wingard, the film features musical score written and composed by Tom Holkenborg and Antonio Di Iorio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kong (Monsterverse)</span> Fictional character

Kong, also known as Titanus Kong, is one of the main protagonists of the MonsterVerse franchise. He is a species of intelligent and sentient Great Ape who is one of the few alpha Titans, and one of the most powerful creatures on Earth. He is one of the only survivors of his Great Ape species, the Kong species, that have been almost wiped out completely by the war between the Godzilla species and his kind and later on by the Skullcrawlers.

References

  1. ↑ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire -- New Trailer and Poster From Warner Bros. Pictures". SciFi Japan. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (12A)". BBFC . March 19, 2024. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  3. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony; Tartaglione, Nancy (March 26, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong Will Bunny Hop To $135M Global Opening As Legendary's Monsterverse Franchise Roars Past $2.5 Billion – Easter Box Office Preview". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  4. ↑ Murphy, J. Kim (April 6, 2024). "Box Office: 'Godzilla x Kong' Staying on Top, 'Monkey Man' Swings Into Second and 'The First Omen' Gets Crossed Up". Variety. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Coman, Monica (March 21, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Director Explains the Title, Confirms the 'x' Is Silent". CBR . Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  7. ↑ Raymond, Charles Nicholas (April 19, 2023). "Explaining The "X" And "New Empire" In Godzilla vs Kong 2's Title". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ Coley, Samantha (May 5, 2024). "The Best Fight Sequence in 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Almost Didn't Make the Cut". Collider. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  9. ↑ Mirjahangir 2019, 21:30.
  10. ↑ Goldberg, Matt (February 22, 2021). "Godzilla vs. Kong Director Adam Wingard on Avoiding an Issue He Had with 'Batman v Superman'". Collider . Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  11. ↑ Millican, Josh (March 22, 2021). "Exclusive: Godzilla vs. Kong Director Adam Wingard Explains Why No Post-Credits Scene". Dread Central . Archived from the original on March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  12. 1 2 Rubin, Rebecca (April 5, 2021). "Godzilla vs. Kong Is a Box Office and HBO Max Hit. Will It Shake Up the Future of Moviegoing?". Variety . Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Godzilla vs. Kong". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  14. ↑ Ortiz, Andi (January 26, 2022). "'Zack Snyder's Justice League,' 'Black Widow' Among 2021's Most Pirated Movies". TheWrap. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  15. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 4, 2021). "Godzilla Vs. Kong Propels Domestic Box Office Out Of Pandemic Depression With $48.5M 5-Day Opening". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  16. ↑ Barsanti, Sam (April 4, 2021). "Godzilla Vs. Kong fans adopt Snyder Cut tactics to try and get a sequel, and it might be working". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  17. ↑ Valdez, Nick (April 5, 2021). "Kong: Skull Island Director Backs 'Continue the MonsterVerse' Movement". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  18. ↑ Kit, Borys (April 27, 2021). "Godzilla vs. Kong Director Adam Wingard In Talks for Legendary's Next MonsterVerse Film (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  19. ↑ Hermanns, Grant (August 3, 2021). "Godzilla vs Kong Writer Teases Future MonsterVerse Movies". Screen Rant . Archived from the original on August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  20. ↑ Tulich, Katherine (March 20, 2022). "Godzilla vs. Kong Sequel to Film in Australia". Variety. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  21. ↑ Kroll, Justin (May 12, 2022). "Godzilla vs. Kong 2: Dan Stevens Reunites With The Guest Director Adam Wingard On Legendary Sequel". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  22. ↑ Production Weekly 2022, p. 40.
  23. 1 2 Chitwood, Adam (June 30, 2022). "'Godzilla vs. Kong' Sequel Gets 2024 Release Date; 'Dune 2' Pushed to November 2023". TheWrap . Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  24. 1 2 Parlevliet, Mirko (August 25, 2022). "Godzilla vs Kong Sequel Starts Filming". Vital Thrills. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Godzilla vs. Kong Sequel Announcement". Godzilla.com. Toho. July 1, 2022. Archived from the original on August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  26. ↑ Jr, Mike Fleming (March 22, 2024), "How 'Honey I Shrunk The Kids' Led Adam Wingard To Epic Scale Pics Like 'Godzilla X Kong:' The Film That Lit My Fuse", Deadline (video), event occurs at 25:05, archived from the original on March 24, 2024, retrieved March 24, 2024
  27. ↑ Vitto Oddo, Marco (August 25, 2022). "Godzilla vs. Kong 2 Synopsis Reveals New Details About Monsterverse Sequel". Collider. Archived from the original on August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Origins". Writers Guild of America West . Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Why Millie Bobby Brown Is Not Returning For Godzilla vs Kong 2". Screen Rant . February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on January 20, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  30. ↑ Failes, Ian (May 2, 2024). "'I really feel like the cameras tell half the story': Behind the visualization of 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire'". Befores & Afters.
  31. ↑ Paz, Maggie Dela (July 29, 2022). "Legendary's Godzilla vs. Kong Sequel Begins Production in Australia". Comingsoon.net. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  32. ↑ Nash, Anthony (August 2, 2022). "Godzilla vs. Kong Sequel Gets Working Title". Comingsoon.net. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  33. ↑ Jackson, James; Whitbrook, Gordon (November 11, 2022). "The Next Godzilla Movie Has an Unsurprising Title". Gizmodo . Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
  34. 1 2 Failes, Ian (April 30, 2024). "How Scanline made that Godzilla versus Kong fight amongst the pyramids" . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  35. 1 2 "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Has a Very Specific Homage to Godzilla Minus One". Gizmodo . March 15, 2024. Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  36. ↑ Taylor, Drew (March 30, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Ending Explained: Director Adam Wingard on That Big Cameo". TheWrap . Archived from the original on April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  37. 1 2 Failes, Ian (May 1, 2024). "'For Godzilla's walk, we put a speedometer on his feet just to see how fast they go'" . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  38. ↑ Failes, Ian (April 27, 2024). "Wētā FX artists on the 'punk' Suko, 'gangster' Skar King and 'cat-like' Shimo they crafted for 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire'" . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  39. ↑ Dan Sarto and Jon Hofferman (May 21, 2024). "Wētā FX Fashions Creatures Great and Small for 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire'". Animation World Network. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  40. ↑ Kuznikov, Selena (March 31, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong' Director Adam Wingard Says John Carpenter's 'They Live' Was a Major Inspiration". Variety. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  41. ↑ "Tom Holkenborg to Return for Adam Wingard's 'Godzilla vs. Kong' Sequel". Film Music Reporter. August 25, 2022. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Antonio Di Iorio Joins Tom Holkenborg to Co-Score Adam Wingard's 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire'". Film Music Reporter. December 3, 2023. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  43. ↑ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Available Now on WaterTower Music". Business Wire. March 22, 2024. Archived from the original on March 22, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  44. ↑ "Yaffle x AI、映画『ゴジラxコング 新たなる帝国』日本版主題歌を担当 日本語吹替版予告公開" [Yaffle x AI sings the Japanese version theme song for the movie "Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire" Japanese dubbed version trailer released]. CDjournal (in Japanese). April 12, 2024. Archived from the original on May 5, 2024. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  45. ↑ Chuba, Kirsten (March 26, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Stars Joke That CGI Monsters Were "Such Divas" on Set". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  46. ↑ Dick, Jeremy (February 14, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Gets Action-Packed Trailer Uniting the Iconic Titans". Comic Book Resources . Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  47. ↑ "ゴジラ×コング ザ・ニュー・エンパイア（原題）". Eiga.com. Archived from the original on May 27, 2023. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  48. ↑ Treese, Tyler (August 24, 2023). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Release Date Pushed Back". Comingsoon.net. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  49. ↑ McPherson, Chris (February 3, 2024). "Godzilla Minus One Is Leaving Theaters Early". Collider . Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  50. ↑ Taylor, Drew (May 7, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Sets Digital, 4K Blu-ray and DVD Release". TheWrap . Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  51. ↑ Carson, Lexi (June 27, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Sets Max Streaming Date in July". Variety . Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  52. ↑ Scott, Ryan (May 6, 2024). "Godzilla X Kong Is Now The Highest-Grossing Godzilla Movie Ever At The Box Office". SlashFilm. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  53. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 31, 2024). "They Have Risen: 'Godzilla x Kong' Conquers Easter Box Office With $80M Opening; Legendary Monsterverse Franchise Crosses $2 Billion – Sunday AM Box Office". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on March 30, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  54. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 7, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong' Rising To $30M; 'Monkey Man' Sees $10M, 'First Omen' Jinxed With $8M+ – Box Office". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  55. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 14, 2024). "' Civil War' Takes Box Office Spoils With $25.7M Opening, Best Ever For A24 – Sunday AM Update". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024.
  56. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (April 28, 2024). "Skadoosh!: Kung Fu Panda 4 Crosses $500M WW; Challengers Widens Offshore Net; The Fall Guy Starts Overseas Action – International Box Office". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  57. ↑ Malhotra, Rahul (April 2, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Destroys Kaiju-Sized Global Box Office Milestone in Less Than a Week". Collider . Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  58. ↑ Fuster, Jeremy (March 29, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong Roars to $10 Million From Thursday Previews". TheWrap . Archived from the original on March 30, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  59. ↑ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved November 15, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  60. ↑ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  61. 1 2 Gleiberman, Owen (March 28, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Review: A Godzilla Spectacle Minus One Thing: A Reason to Exist". Variety. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  62. 1 2 Hammond, Pete (March 28, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Review: The Titans Of The Monsterverse Join Forces Against Evil But It Is All Still Just More Of The Same Stomp Fest". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  63. 1 2 Berardinelli, James (March 29, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire". Reelviews Movie Reviews. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  64. 1 2 Miller, Bruce (April 4, 2024). "REVIEW: Godzilla x Kong assembles an Oppenheimer's worth of monsters". Sioux City Journal . Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  65. ↑ Grierson, Tim (March 29, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: Review". Screen International . Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  66. ↑ "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire review: flimsy monster mash". Digital Trends . March 29, 2024. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  67. ↑ Luxford, Victoria (April 5, 2024). "Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire is a low IQ addition to a sagging franchise". City A.M. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  68. ↑ Philips, Michael (March 28, 2024). "Review: 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire' is a worthy 'When Hairy Met Scaly II'". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  69. ↑ Wilkinson, Alissa (March 28, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Review: Running Out of Steam". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  70. ↑ Lee, Benjamin (March 28, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire review – breezy, forgettable monster sequel". The Guardian . Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  71. ↑ Warmann, Amon (March 28, 2024). "Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire Review". Empire . Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  72. ↑ Ehrlich, David (March 28, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Review: Titans Team Up in Goofy Sequel That's Always Silly but Rarely Fun". IndieWire. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  73. ↑ Walsh, Katie (March 28, 2024). "Review: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is monster math that becomes a headache". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  74. ↑ Tinoco, Armando; Sitek, Natalie (March 25, 2024). "'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire' Premiere: Director Adam Wingard On Possible Third Film To Complete MonsterVerse Trilogy". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  75. ↑ Davids, Brian (March 26, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong' Director Adam Wingard Talks His Cat's Influence on Godzilla and Lance Reddick's Role in 'The Guest 2'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 12, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  76. ↑ Knight, Rosie (March 29, 2024). "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Ending Explained by Director Adam Wingard (and Post-Credits Check-In)". IGN. Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  77. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (April 8, 2024). "MonsterVerse Future Looks Bright After 'Godzilla x Kong'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  78. ↑ Kit, Borys (May 10, 2024). "'Godzilla x Kong' Follow-Up Enlists 'Shang Chi' Scribe Dave Callaham to Write (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  79. ↑ Kit, Borys (May 21, 2024). "Adam Wingard Not Returning for 'Godzilla x Kong' Sequel (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  80. ↑ Couch, Aaron (June 6, 2024). "Legendary's 'Godzilla x Kong' Followup Sets Director Grant Sputore". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 6, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  81. ↑ Stephan, Katcy (June 28, 2024). "Warner Bros. and Legendary Set Denis Villeneuve Event Film for 2026, Next MonsterVerse Movie for 2027". Variety. Archived from the original on June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.