Our new Original is all about the world of monsters. It was only recently that the first "King Kong" movie, which premiered in movie theaters 90 years ago on March 2, 1933, celebrated its anniversary. So, what could be more appropriate than to talk about his next big appearance in Legendary's so-called MonsterVerse?

After the mighty ape finally met the radioactive giant lizard in 2021's "Godzilla vs. Kong", today we devote ourselves to the upcoming sequel "Godzilla vs. Kong 2", which will be released in cinemas in 2024. We wish you lots of fun with our new Original episode!

Plot

Legendary's MonsterVerse is one of the most profitable movie series in recent years: so far, it includes 2014's "Godzilla", 2017's "Kong: Skull Island", 2019's "Godzilla 2: King of Monsters" and, of course, "Godzilla vs. Kong". The four movies together grossed nearly $2 billion. That's remarkable considering that "Godzilla vs. Kong" was released in the midst of the pandemic, and hence at a time of a very struggling movie industry. The fact that audiences still flocked to theaters demonstrates the franchise's immense popularity.

It's only natural that the producers want to build on this success: As we already know from the official synopsis, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" follows on directly from the story of its predecessor. For this reason, we should first recall everything that actually happened in part 1, as the plot is definitely more complex than that of many other monster action movies. Be aware that there is a high risk of spoilers for those of you who haven't seen the first part yet!

The plot of "Godzilla vs. Kong" is set five years after the victory of Godzilla over the extraterrestrial dragon King Ghidorah. On Skull Island, King Kong awakens, under the close watch of monarch scientist Dr. Ilene Andrews. He forms a bond with young Jia, who is a member of the Iwi tribe and also Ilene's foster daughter. The two disagree on how to deal with the giant ape, as releasing it would probably bring Godzilla, the King of the Titans, to the scene. Meanwhile, far away from Skull Island, Godzilla is up to no good and attacks an ex-employee of Apex Cybernetics unprovoked. In the process, they also come across signs of the Hollow Earth theory; there are even energy signals and indications of an ecosystem of its own.

Despite Ilene's hesitation, King Kong is finally loaded onto a ship. She fears that he might clash with Godzilla, as was the case with their ancestors. Kong, who is chained on the ship, becomes increasingly anxious and communicates this to the deaf Jia by sign language. It doesn't take long for Godzilla to make his way to the heavily guarded convoy and knock over Kong's ship. The first epic clash between the two ensues, for Kong is freed from his shackles during the attack and immediately battles Godzilla. By means of a trick, the ship's crew manages to deceive the vastly superior Godzilla, causing him to leave.

Meanwhile, the energy signal is measurable in Antarctica and Kong is supposed to lead the team to the origin of the Titans there. He makes his way through a tunnel and a portal, where the world of the Titans finally appears to them: The Hollow Earth theory has been confirmed. After Kong fights off some other Titans, he grabs his ancestor's axe. With this, he is a lot stronger than before, as the axe can use the mysterious energy of the Hollow Earth. Back on the Earth's surface, the second fight between Kong and Godzilla occurs. This time, however, things look much more balanced thanks to the axe. Nevertheless, Godzilla is still the more powerful and remains the alpha leader. It soon becomes clear that both must work together for a final fight and that the proverbial hatchet must be buried. After all, the shady Apex Corporation has been working for years on its own titan, with which they want to secure the supremacy among the giant monsters on earth: The Mechagodzilla!

The teamwork finally pays off and Mechagodzilla is defeated in an epic final battle. You can also see the Titans parting on good terms after winning the fight and paying respect to one another. The final scene of the movie shows Kong in the Hollow Earth and Godzilla going back to Earth. This implies that both are the respective rulers of their own realm and thus won't get in each other's way.

One can tell with this ending that it could certainly be seen as a final conclusion. This is also pointed out by director Adam Wingard, who has stressed in the past that a conscious decision was made not to choose an overly open ending. If some kind of cliffhanger had been built in, everyone would only be talking about what's to come and not about the movie itself.

Possible Storyline of "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire"

Now we want to discuss the possible storyline of the long announced sequel. If some leaks are to be believed, the new adversary of Godzilla and Kong has already been revealed: It is said to be the so-called SpaceGodzilla, which first appeared in the 1994 film "Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla" by Toho. Visually, the two look confusingly similar, even though SpaceGodzilla is considerably stronger than his counterpart from Earth. He also scores with an above-average intelligence, which gives him an additional advantage in the fight against other Titans. He uses clever tactical maneuvers, for example, to come out victorious in most battles. His personality is also fundamentally different from other Titans. Apart from the fact that he is one of the strongest representatives of his kind, he is also characterized by a sly, malicious nature.

A controversial matter is the origin and backstory of SpaceGodzilla. While it is known that he is a clone of the real Godzilla, it is not known how his DNA got into space. One theory is that parts of Godzilla's genetic material were accidentally dispersed into space by Mothra, where it took on a life of its own and eventually led to the creation of SpaceGodzilla through a black or white hole, respectively. This version is also used in "Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla", but the story was slightly altered in the "Godzilla" toys made by Trendmasters. Here they talk about SpaceGodzilla being a hybrid of Godzilla and the alien Biollante. The latter had a crystalline form, which in turn explains the gigantic crystals on SpaceGodzilla's body. By the way, Biollante is also a creature that was originally created from Godzilla's DNA. So it's not yet possible to accurately predict which direction will be taken in "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire".

It is also questionable how SpaceGodzilla will fit into the current MonsterVerse - should he indeed be the main villain. Adam Wingard, who will return to his role as director, already talked about the rough direction of "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" in an interview with Deadline two years ago. Having already introduced the Hollow Earth, the sequel will probably explore this place in more detail. They might delve into the history of this mysterious location and tell the story of the Titans, especially about how they came to Earth in the first place.

It is possible that at the beginning of "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" there will again be a clash between the two protagonists. As we know, the two parted peacefully. However, we still can't speak of a really amicable relationship. Rumor has it that a comradely coexistence could be disturbed by the introduction of a fellow species of King Kong. This fits well with the repeatedly rumored possible title "Son of Kong", which already points to more than just one giant ape. This ape may want to take revenge on Godzilla and cause great chaos in the Hollow Earth.

In the official synopsis that Warner Brothers published last year, there is only talk of a new common enemy that Godzilla and Kong can only defeat as one. In addition, a more detailed explanation of the history of Skull Island and the general background of Kong and Godzilla's existence is hinted at. Thus, there are indeed some clues to the plot of the officially still untitled "Godzilla vs. Kong" sequel. Nevertheless, many story details have been deliberately kept under wraps so far.

By the way, it will not stop at one sequel: Several films based on the previous MonsterVerse have been planned. So it's quite conceivable that this film will also lay the groundwork for further sequels. With currently 32 Japanese "Godzilla" films, there should be plenty of inspiration in any case.

Production & Cast

Production on "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" has been ongoing for quite some time. Shortly after the successful release of "Godzilla vs. Kong", there were initial statements from those responsible that implied a sequel. Then, nearly a year ago, it was announced that filming would start a few months later on the Australian Gold Coast and in the region of South East Queensland. It was likewise quickly announced that director Adam Wingard had once again been chosen to direct the movie and that "Downton Abbey" star Dan Stevens would be playing the lead role. Later on, it was revealed that actors Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle as Jia, would make a comeback. They will be joined by "Irma Vep" actress Fala Chen, "EastEnders" actor Alexander Ferns and Rachel House, who can currently be seen in the Australian comedy series "Heartbreak High".

Filming took place between June and November 2022, meaning that post-production is currently in full progress. At the end of July, footage from the set attracted a lot of attention, showing people fleeing from a beach. Based on this, there will probably be at least one scene in the film that takes place on the Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro. Shortly after the end of filming, a new title for the film was circulating on the Internet, namely "Godzilla and Kong". Whether or not this will eventually be the actual name of the film, has not been officially confirmed as of yet. The sequel is expected to be released in cinemas on March 15, 2024.