MUTO

Last updated
MUTO
MonsterVerse character
Male and Female MUTO's.jpg
The MUTOs as depicted in Godzilla (2014)
First appearance Godzilla (2014)
Last appearance Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Created by David Callaham [1]
Gareth Edwards
Designed byMatt Allsopp [2]
In-universe information
AliasWinged MUTO (male) [3]
Eight-legged MUTO (female) [3]
Titanus Jinshin-Mushi (MUTO Prime) [4]

The MUTOs (acronym for Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) are fictional monsters, or kaiju , in Legendary Pictures' MonsterVerse media franchise. The characters first appeared as the antagonists in Godzilla (2014), directed by Gareth Edwards. While the term "MUTO" is mainly used to label the two parasitic monsters, it is intended to flag unidentified creatures. Edwards likened the term to UFO for monsters. Edwards noted that it took over a year to create a design intended to be new and different and credited a majority of the design to Matt Allsopp; inspiration was drawn from past American monster films.

Contents

The MUTOs have been positively received by critics and journalists; however, their designs had drawn comparisons with the Cloverfield monster. The characters and their variants had appeared in other media outside of Godzilla (2014).

Overview

Name

"MUTO" is an acronym for "Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism". Director Gareth Edwards stated that "it's basically the UFO of monsters". [5] However, the term is also used as a name for the two parasitic monsters in Godzilla (2014). [6] An early draft of the screenplay differentiated the male and female MUTO as Hokmuto and Femuto. [7] Official merchandise connected with the film refer to the male MUTO as "Winged MUTO" and the female as "Eight-Legged MUTO".

The term "MUTO" is also used to reference giant monsters who are yet to be named. Such was the case in the official prequel comic, Godzilla: Awakening, where a hive-minded superorganism from the Permian era that feeds on radiation, is identified as a MUTO before being designated as Shinomura ("Swarm of Death.") [8] In Kong: Skull Island , Bill Randa (played by John Goodman) states that the Monarch agency, first introduced in Godzilla (2014), specializes in the hunt for Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms. [9] Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) changes the monsters' designation from "MUTOs" to "Titans". [9]

Development

Concept artwork of the male MUTO featured in Godzilla: Art of Destruction. Winged muto kaiju.jpg
Concept artwork of the male MUTO featured in Godzilla: Art of Destruction.

Upon acquiring the license for Godzilla, Legendary Pictures had planned to feature two new monsters in addition. David Callaham's first draft featured early versions of the MUTOs where they were established as ancient enemies of Godzilla but never established as to why. When Gareth Edwards came aboard the project, he created a back story to bridge the gap between Godzilla's connection with the MUTOs. Edwards brainstormed the idea that, "When these Godzillas were on Earth, there was another creature that would kill them and lay its eggs inside their dead bodies. Therefore, if these creatures ever came back, part of their life cycle would be the ability to attract Godzillas to the surface to kill them for reproduction." [10]

In an interview, Edwards commented that it took over a year to design the MUTO creatures, stressing that it took that long to create something that was aimed to be new and different for today's day and age. Edwards and the design team looked towards past monster characters from such films as Jurassic Park , Alien , Starship Troopers and King Kong for inspiration and reflected back on what made these monsters and their designs so iconic. From this, the design for the MUTO monsters kept evolving and "mutating", according to Edwards, into a design he felt was more cohesive. [11] Edwards has credited artist Matt Allsopp for creating the majority of the MUTOs designs. Edwards stated, "The DNA of the MUTO is 80 to 90 percent from Matt, he was the main guy". Others contributed to the design of the MUTOs as well such as Weta, Rob Bliss, Steambot, and Legacy, who provided a 3-D model of the MUTOs. [2]

The film depicts the MUTOs as a sexually dimorphic species. The female is much larger and walks on eight limbs—the male is much smaller, with one pair of his eight limbs modified into wings for powered flight. Though the MUTOs have an arthropod-like appearance, filmmaker Guillaume Rocheron likened them more to vertebrates. [2] The angularity of the male MUTOs wing design was inspired by stealth aircraft. [12] As a side-effect of the radiation they absorb as food, the MUTOs are capable of causing electromagnetic interference, the male emitting EMP shockwaves from his claws and the female having an EMP field "Sphere of Influence" surrounding her instead. [13]

Reception

Oliver Gettell of the Los Angeles Times called the MUTOs "Godzilla's most important co-stars", praising them as threatening antagonists that encourage the audience to root for Godzilla. [14] Some viewers have been critical of the MUTOs' design, which was perceived to be similar to that of the monster from Cloverfield. [15] Collider added the MUTOs to their list of "Weakest to Strongest" MonsterVerse Kaiju, calling the male "nimble and durable" and the female "strong enough to toss Godzilla around" and that they pose a serious threat to Godzilla when partnered. [16]

In 2023, Mutotylaspis , a paguroid hermit crab from the middle Cretaceous (Albian) deposits of Vladimir Oblast (Central Russia) was named after MUTOs. [17]

Appearances

The term "MUTO" (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) was referenced in Kong: Skull Island (2017). [9] The parent super-species to the MUTOs, dubbed MUTO Prime and Titanus Jinshin-Mushi, appears in the graphic novel Godzilla: Aftershock. [18] A Queen MUTO, affectionately named "Barb" by director Michael Dougherty, was featured in Godzilla: King of the Monsters . [19] [20] The MUTOs, along with Godzilla and the creatures from Edwards' directorial debut Monsters (2010), were briefly seen in cave paintings in Rogue One (2016). Edwards stated that the characters were added by the crew as a joke. [21]

Films

Video games

Literature

Related Research Articles

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

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or kaiju, that debuted in the eponymous 1954 film, directed and cowritten by Ishirō Honda. The character has since become an international pop culture icon, appearing in various media: 33 Japanese films produced by Toho Co., Ltd., five American films, and numerous video games, novels, comic books, and television shows. Godzilla has been dubbed the King of the Monsters, an epithet first used in Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956), the American localization of the 1954 film.

<i>King Kong vs. Godzilla</i> 1962 film directed by Ishirō Honda

King Kong vs. Godzilla is a 1962 Japanese kaiju film directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd, it is the third film in both the Godzilla and King Kong franchises, as well as the first Toho-produced film featuring King Kong. It is also the first time that each character appeared on film in color and widescreen. The film stars Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, Yū Fujiki, Ichirō Arishima, and Mie Hama, with Shoichi Hirose as King Kong and Haruo Nakajima as Godzilla. In the film, Godzilla is reawakened by an American submarine and a pharmaceutical company captures King Kong for promotional uses, culminating in a battle on Mount Fuji.

<i>Kaiju</i> Japanese media genre

Kaiju is a Japanese term that is commonly associated with media involving giant monsters. A subgenre of science fiction, it was created by Eiji Tsuburaya and Ishirō Honda. The term can also refer to the giant monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities and battling either the military or other monsters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gamera</span> Japanese giant monster or kaiju

Gamera is a fictional monster, or kaiju, originating from a series of Japanese films. Debuting in the 1965 film Gamera, the Giant Monster, the character and the first film were intended to compete with the success of Toho's Godzilla film series. Since then, Gamera has become a Japanese icon in his own right, appearing in a total of 12 films produced by Daiei Film and later by Tokuma Shoten and Kadokawa Daiei Studio respectively, and various other media such as novelizations, manga, video games, and so on.

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

Rodan is a fictional monster, or kaiju, which first appeared as the title character in Ishirō Honda's 1956 film Rodan, produced and distributed by Toho. Following its debut standalone appearance, Rodan went on to be featured in numerous entries in the Godzilla franchise, including Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Invasion of Astro-Monster, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II and Godzilla: Final Wars, as well as in the Legendary Pictures-produced film Godzilla: King of the Monsters.

<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, most 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 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 silk worms, 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 kaiju, which first appeared in Ishirō Honda's 1964 film Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. The monster 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 or Ghidrah in some English markets.

Mutō is a Japanese surname. It is also romanized as Muto, Mutoh or Mutou.

<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.

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

Zilla is a fictional monster, or kaiju, in Toho Co., Ltd.'s Godzilla media franchise. The character first appeared in Godzilla (1998), released by TriStar Pictures. It was initially created as a reimagining of Godzilla but was later re-branded as a separate character. Patrick Tatopoulos designed it after iguanas with a slim theropod appearance rather than the thick, bipedal designs of Toho's Godzilla. TriStar's Godzilla, both the film and character, were negatively received by fans and critics. In 2004, it was featured in Toho's Godzilla: Final Wars as "Zilla". Afterwards, Toho trademarked new incarnations as Zilla, with only the iterations from the 1998 film and animated series retaining the Godzilla copyright and trademark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SpaceGodzilla</span> Fictional Godzilla monster or kaiju

SpaceGodzilla is a Godzilla clone kaiju that first appeared in Toho's 1994 film Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, as the main antagonist.

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

Godzilla is a Japanese monster, or kaiju, media franchise consisting of films, television series, novels, comic books, video games, and other merchandise. The franchise is centered on the fictional kaiju Godzilla, a prehistoric reptilian monster awakened and powered by nuclear radiation. The franchise is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the "longest continuously running film franchise", having been in ongoing production since 1954, with several hiatuses of varying lengths. The film franchise consists of 38 films: 33 Japanese films produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd.; and five American films, the first of which was produced by TriStar Pictures and the remaining ones by Legendary Pictures, with the latest being set for release in March 2024.

<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">Clover (creature)</span> Monster in the film Cloverfield

Clover is the production name given to the giant monster in the 2008 film Cloverfield. The creature was originally conceived by producer J. J. Abrams and was designed by artist Neville Page. In the film, the monster's name is never mentioned; the name "Cloverfield" is only given to the US Department of Defense case file of the incidents depicted in the film. The Department of Defense names the creature "LSA" for Large-Scale Aggressor in the film's Blu-ray special feature called "Cloverfield Special Investigation Mode".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gareth Edwards (director)</span> British filmmaker

Gareth James Edwards is an English filmmaker. He gained recognition for Monsters (2010), an independent film in which he served as writer, director, cinematographer, and visual effects artist. He subsequently directed Godzilla (2014), a reboot of Toho's Godzilla franchise and the first film in Legendary's MonsterVerse, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), the first installment of the Star Wars anthology series and an immediate prequel to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977). He returned to making original films with the science fiction thriller The Creator (2023); soon afterward, he was appointed as director for an upcoming Jurassic Park film scheduled for 2025.

<i>Godzilla</i> (2014 film) American film by Gareth Edwards

Godzilla is a 2014 American monster film directed by Gareth Edwards. Produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is a reboot of Toho Co., Ltd.'s Godzilla franchise, and the first film in the MonsterVerse. It is also the 30th film in the Godzilla franchise, and the second Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio. The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, and Bryan Cranston. In the film, an American soldier attempts to return to his family while caught in the crossfire of an ancient rivalry between Godzilla and two parasitic monsters known as MUTOs.

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

The MonsterVerse is an American multimedia franchise and shared fictional universe featuring Godzilla, King Kong, and other characters owned and created by Toho Co., Ltd. The franchise is produced by Legendary Pictures and currently distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures (films), Apple TV+ and Netflix (streaming), it consists of five films and two television series. The franchise has received a generally positive critical reception and has grossed $1.955 billion worldwide at the box office.

<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.

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

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or kaiju, in Legendary Pictures' MonsterVerse media franchise and based on Toho Co., Ltd.'s character of the same name. The character first appeared in Godzilla (2014), directed by Gareth Edwards. This incarnation of Godzilla is depicted as the sole survivor of a prehistoric superspecies, theorized by Ishirō Serizawa, acting as a force of nature that maintains balance. The character was initially designed by Matt Allsopp, modeled after the Toho version. It is the third incarnation of Godzilla to be created by an American studio, after Hanna-Barbera's 1978 animated series Godzilla and TriStar Pictures' 1998 film Godzilla, and overall the tenth onscreen incarnation of the iconic character.

References

  1. "Screenwriter Profile: Dave Callaham". Fresh Voices. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Cotta Vaz 2014, p. 82.
  3. 1 2 "Godzilla (2014) Licensed Product Guide". SciFi Japan. April 15, 2014. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  4. Nelson 2019, p. 110.
  5. "Facebook Q&A with Director Gareth Edwards". Facebook. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  6. Barton, Steve (October 28, 2013). "Good Morning Godzilla — More on New Kaiju Muto". Dread Central. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  7. Callaham 2012, p. 27, 56.
  8. Godzilla: Awakening, Max and Greg Borenstein, Chapter 1
  9. 1 2 3 Orquiola, John (July 21, 2018). "Godzilla 2 Has Renamed The MonsterVerse Creatures". Screen Rant. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  10. Cotta Vaz 2014, p. 22.
  11. "Godzilla" Director Gareth Edwards explains why monsters still matter on YouTube
  12. Cotta Vaz 2014, p. 114.
  13. Godzilla, 2014, Legendary Pictures
  14. Gettell, Oliver (May 20, 2014). "'Godzilla's' monstrous costars: What do MUTOs mean for the franchise?". LA Times.
  15. Woerner, Meredith (March 12, 2014). "First descriptions of the new Godzilla monster (that isn't Godzilla)". io9.
  16. Wooldridge, Zachary (July 6, 2022). "The 10 Major Monsterverse Kaiju Ranked Weakest To Strongest". Collider. Archived from the original on July 20, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  17. René H.B. Fraaije, Eduard V. Mychko, Leonid S. Barsukov, John W.M. Jagt (2023). "A new mid-Cretaceous hermit crab (Crustacea, Anomura) from Central Russia sheds new light on paguroid evolution". Cretaceous Research. 154: 105749. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2023.105749.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. Millican, Josh (April 2, 2019). "Meet MUTO Prime: The Latest Confirmed Titan in Godzilla: King of the Monsters". Dread Central. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  19. Whalen, Andrew (May 31, 2019). "Godzilla: King of the Monsters Monster List: All 17 Titan Names Revealed". Newsweek. Archived from the original on June 2, 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  20. JB Augustine (April 26, 2020). "Godzilla: King of the Monsters Director Michael Dougherty Reveals Design for Film's Mysterious "Queen Muto"". Bounding Into Comics. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  21. Holmes, Adam (November 30, 2016). "The Godzilla Easter Egg Star Wars: Rogue One Snuck In For Gareth Edwards". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2022.

Sources