Blood will be spilled, cities will be annihilated, a war for existence will commence and Earth will find its one true protector in next month’s release of the “Godzilla vs. Kong” movie. The cinematic MonsterVerse, which contains both the iconic lizard and the giant ape, began with Gareth Edwards’ “Godzilla” in 2014 and has blossomed into an expansive story grounded in the reality of nature versus humanity with “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and “Kong: Skull Island.”
As the collection of movies builds up to the ultimate rematch of the mighty Godzilla and the ferocious King Kong, something that has been overshadowed is the rich history of these characters — their stories could fuel creative journeys on the big screen for years to come. The ancient duel between the two titans will certainly be one for the ages, but it will also serve as an important step forward in the MonsterVerse story as these two protect themselves from the wrath of humanity. The direction this path is taking us is the question of the day.
These monsters have been cinematic staples since their inception. In 1933, King Kong was brought from Skull Island to New York City and climbed the Empire State Building. The movie became a legendary presence in filmmaking and continues to inspire many creators today. In 1954, the Japanese film “Gojira” was released, featuring everybody’s favorite fire breathing mega dragon for the first time.
The two behemoths already faced off in their first color appearance in the revolutionary 1962 film “King Kong vs. Godzilla.” Since then, over 50 films, as well as countless books and graphic novels, have been released between the two characters. The lore and stories of these monsters are infinite, and fans can only hope that “Godzilla vs. Kong” will convey the expansiveness of the MonsterVerse. Many have wondered about what the future holds — look no further than the deep antiquity of these two magical beasts. Here are some stories that fans can see unfold after a king is crowned in “Godzilla vs. Kong.”
Mecha-King Ghidorah vs. Godzilla
King Ghidorah made his entrance into the MonsterVerse in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” as a primary foe to Godzilla, and after Ghidorah’s defeat, one of his three heads was recovered by the evil Alan Jonah in a post-credits scene. The intense rivalry between the two behemoths first began in 1962’s “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster” and — with the hint that Ghidorah will return in some shape or form in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” — all things point to Mecha-King Ghidorah as the villain to come next.
Mecha-King Ghidorah is a robotic recreation of the original King Ghidorah that humanity uses to try to destroy Godzilla in 1991’s “Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah,” and the severed head found by Jonah can certainly be a catalyst behind the metallic revival of the demonic monster in upcoming MonsterVerse films.
Destroyah
Destroyah, who first went toe-to-toe with Godzilla in 1995’s “Godzilla vs. Destroyah,” was created as a result of an anti-oxygen bomb that was used in humanity’s attempt to finally kill Godzilla. This bomb was part of the “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” story, which plants a seed for Destroyah’s return. The harrowing sea creature has been considered one of Godzilla’s most deadly foes, and as the MonsterVerse continues to grow, the appearance of the oxygen-destroying bomb could foreshadow the creature’s reappearance in the MonsterVerse. Watch out for Destroyah: Will this leviathan emerge from the depths of the sea to have a future showdown with Godzilla?
King Kong
King Kong’s story is a bit less expansive than Godzilla’s adventures of destruction. The story of Kong being captured from Skull Island and then wreaking havoc throughout the streets of New York has been repeated over and over again. However, the MonsterVerse seems to be seeking more depth with the giant ape.
With a creative take on Kong that differs from his original appearances, the character seems to be moving toward new stories with new villains. Kong could take on some of Godzilla’s foes, he could team up with Godzilla after their movie, he could die in his battle with the king of the monsters or the directors and writers could design a new story for Kong.
Mechagodzilla
Many fans seem to believe that Mechagodzilla is the true villain behind the shadows of the upcoming “Godzilla vs. Kong.” Humanity’s trust in Godzilla weakens in the midst of their panic about colossal beings ruling the Earth, and it seems like the perfect time to introduce Mechagodzilla, created by humans to protect themselves from the threat of flesh-and-blood Godzilla.
Mechagodzilla’s introduction came in 1974’s “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla” and was first seen as a technological replica of everybody’s favorite monster. Aliens built this iteration of the robot because they wanted help in the overthrowing of Earth. Mechagodzilla is the most recurring Godzilla villain, appearing in a total of five Godzilla films, and if the robot of terror does not reappear in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” it will without a doubt come back to eradicate Godzilla in future MonsterVerse films.
New Stories for Godzilla
The MonsterVerse has shown incredible respect for the history of these characters, it has also strayed far away from the original stories that have made these two monsters so famous. The tone of this new story is more mystical and metaphorical and begs the question, “How would humanity react if we were overtaken by monsters that cause a natural disaster with every step that they take?”
The MonsterVerse provides commentary on humanity’s intrinsic flaws, the impacts of war and the belligerence of humanity’s presence upon nature. With the fresh creativity in the new series of movies, many original monsters have already been introduced, such as Behemoth and the MUTOs, who ravaged through the world in 2014’s “Godzilla.” This element of the new movies has been as exciting as it is mysterious and leaves the MonsterVerse film canon open to limitless possibility. The writers and directors of the future movies will most definitely incorporate their own twists and turns, as well as the new monsters that have been created.
With the combination of the characters’ history as well as a fresh take on the classic story of monsters ruling above humanity, the MonsterVerse has been set up for massive success. Fans could not be any more excited for “Godzilla vs. Kong” set to premiere on March 25, but they should be even more excited for what is to come next.
