The battle of the Titans that was Godzilla vs. Kong ended in something of a draw, with the two putting their pheromones behind them to take on Mechagodzilla. After that, Godzilla went back to roaming, and Kong returned to take his place as king of the Hollow Earth. But nothing in the Monsterverse is as easy as that. At CCXP on Sunday, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures unveiled the first trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which sees our big boys team up again against a new foe… and get some new upgrades to boot.

The biggest (ha) thing to notice about the new trailer is Godzilla seems to have some kind of power-up. His scales and atomic breath are bright pink rather than cool blue. Not sure exactly what that indicates, but it’s an evolution for sure. This is not a new thing for the big lizard in previous Toho movies, but it’ll be a first for the Monsterverse. Additionally, Kong at one point seems to have a power glove. They must need to up their game against the evil, scary-looking ape.

Along with the trailer, we also got a glimpse of the new poster for the movie, which is pretty rad.

Adam Wingard, who directed Godzilla vs. Kong, returns for GxK, along with stars Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Kaylee Hottle. Joining them will be Dan Stevens who gets to experience the wild awe of the Hollow Earth for himself.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will hit theaters April 12, 2024.

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Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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That very familiar Godzilla roar is currently coming from a very odd source. Thanks to the folks at IGN, we’ve discovered how one Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Godzilla fan has mashed up both properties together for a fan film. Created by sumoguri2323 on Twitter, they have made a whole Godzilla-inspired film entirely within Tears of the Kingdom, and it’s genuinely a sight to behold. And it’s all thanks to Tears of the Kingdom’s customizable crafting mechanics. You can watch this short fan film, which currently has over a million views on Twitter and counting, down below.

In this short video, we witness as a Lurelin Village must contend with the Zonai/Godzilla hybrid kaiju emerging out of the ocean depths. And it’s about to treat the poor village and its inhabitants in the very same manner that Godzilla usually does with Tokyo. They created the mashup of Godzilla and the Zonai using Zonai materials and devices and the Ultrahand ability. We see tanks fire on the rampaging creature with abandon. But once we hear that familiar roar, and see the electricity charge up its spine? We just know that the poor village is toast. Also, points for using the classic Godzilla theme from the old Toho movies. It really adds to the whole mood.

Godzilla is having quite a moment this year. The Big Guy currently appears (sporadically anyway) in the excellent Monarch: Legacy of Monsters series on Apple TV+. Plus, he’s starring in two movies. There’s the Japanese Godzilla Minus One, and next year’s continuation of the Monsterverse version, with Godzilla x Kong: The New Kingdom. But we’ll take any version of the King of the Monsters we can get. Even one with a Legend of Zelda makeover. Now, is anyone out there up for Zonai/Mothra mashup?

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a very big show. Of course, part of the reason is it features Godzilla, the big man himself. And it has a fair amount of other massive creatures to stretch the frame. But it’s also a show full of big mysteries, big characters, and big, big relationships. And that’s exactly how the makers of the show want it. We spoke to executive producers-developers Chris Black and Matt Fraction and executive producer-director Matt Shakman about making a show about people in which Godzilla also appears. Plus, hey, secret organizations and Snake Plissken fighting monsters.

Monarch, the clandestine organization of monster tracking, has always been a force for good in the Monsterverse movies. Right away, however, the series positions them as a bit less trustworthy. They have some secrets, some skeletons in the closet. “They’re the scientists and the soldiers and the protectors and the people who are studying and defending us against Titans,” explained Black. “The movies are told very much from the inside looking out. We thought a fun approach to this was to flip that perspective really 180 degrees and tell the story from the outside looking in. You don’t know who Monarch are, that they just show up at the site of this horrible disaster. Did they know it was coming? Did they cause it? Who are they? What rights and responsibilities do they have here? And to build a mystery around that, that pulls our characters down this rabbit hole.”

The same holds true for Godzilla himself. In the 2014 Godzilla film, the King of the Monsters defends the Earth from MUTOs, but definitely not San Francisco, its people, or especially its buildings. Fraction tells us the giant lizard needs to remain a possible threat in the series, which takes place a year after that first film. “It’s the Godzilla show. We wanted Godzilla, right? He’s the King of the Monsters. He’s got to be in it. But, it was about building this human narrative that takes our cast on a global adventure and figuring out what’s the most painful, inconvenient, dangerous time to disrupt that quest with an encounter with a giant monster. It was really about creating spectacle and obstacle that stopped our characters from getting the answers that they want.”

“Very specific to episode one,” Black added, “we made a decision that we didn’t want Cate (Anna Sawai) to have a monster in her life in that story. That the only time you see Godzilla in Cate’s story, is in her flashback. Because we wanted the monster she’s dealing with in that storyline is her father.” Indeed, Hiroshi Randa and the secrets he kept from Cate and her half-brother Kentaro (Ren Watabe), who did not know about each other, is the driving factor in the show. It isn’t Godzilla.

“I think that’s what the brilliance of what these guys constructed,” Shakman said, “is that it isn’t drama scene, spectacle scene, drama scene. It’s one sort of intertwining, beautiful narrative where the monsters are a part of the world. They have to deal with them sometimes on a banal level, sometimes in an exciting and dangerous way, but their whole lives are affected by the presence of these monsters.

“We tell the story of how Cate encounters Godzilla, and we’ve seen a portion of that sequence already in Godzilla 2014. We shot our own version of it, but it’s sort of interesting that we were on the other side of the bridge and you could almost have followed anybody on that bridge that day and there would’ve been an interesting family story and a story of trauma and how lives have been changed by how the world has changed around them.”

The Randa children and their respective families are, as Black explains, the key relationship of the show. Shakman agrees, adding “They’re siblings, but they come from such different backgrounds, cultural backgrounds. They were raised in completely different circumstances, and they both have an idea of who their father is that is different and is challenged.”

Like Godzilla, Hiroshi ends up as both hero and villain. “He’s both good and bad, depending on your perspective,” Shakman continues. “Humans occupy similar terrain in this show. And certainly the father who looms large over the story has a larger agenda, but ends up leaving behind a certain emotional damage as well. So how do you reconcile those things? How do you navigate them? It’s what the show is about, at least in the present. Certainly in the past there are elements of that too.”

“In the past,” Fraction adds, “we have a scientist and we have a soldier, and they encounter two forces of nature, one human and one titan. And how those encounters influence and affect them in the past create the man Hiroshi Randa became, the father he was to these two characters, and everything ties together. It’s all ultimately asking the same question.”

But we also need to address the Kurt Russell of it all. Russell plays former Monarch soldier Lee Shaw, and his son Wyatt Russell portrays Shaw at the birth of Monarch itself. It’s a fascinating on-screen tandem role, and one the makers of the show couldn’t be happier they pulled off.

“Like Godzilla,” Shakman pointed out, “he’s one of the characters who crosses through the timelines. He’s an important point of view character in the past, learning about monsters, figuring out this world. And then he’s the wise sage who guides our young, newer generation in the present. It was obviously two important parts that needed two great actors. And as we made the list of all the great actors, oh my gosh, there’s an actor on each list who happens to be related and bear a striking resemblance to each other.

“Lo and behold,” he continued, “one of them, Kurt Russell, who we all grew up loving as much as we loved Godzilla. And Wyatt is an incredible actor who’s doing brilliant work. They got to make a character together. And yeah, there’s a little bit of Snake Plissken in there. But there’s also a lot of what Wyatt brings, and they’re very different performers. They have a different style and approach. It was fun to make the show and to have Kurt sit at the monitor behind and sort of watch what Wyatt was doing, or Wyatt watching his dad and to figure out how they could make something together that was new for both of them.”

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters airs weekly on Apple TV+.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post Why People Are the Heart of MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS appeared first on Nerdist.

The Monsterverse has given us a plethora of enormous creatures of all stripes since it began in 2014. Not only Godzilla, Kong, and Mothra, but brand new and memorable ones, like the MUTOs and Skullcrawlers. The Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters not only expands the lore of the Monsterverse with mysteries behind the organization’s creation, but has also shown us a number of awesome new Titans in only a few episodes.

We spoke to Sean Konrad, the show’s visual effects supervisor, about some of these new creatures, and revisiting the Golden Gate Bridge scene from ’14’s Godzilla.

“That sequence,” Konrad explained, “the way that Gareth [Edwards] had shot it was very much meant to be from the human point of view. That was one of the really cool things he did. You’re able to get a sense of movement and build the scale of Godzilla by moving through the environment from that point of view of the bus. We definitely wanted to stay true to that when we approached the scene [for Monarch].

The scene in the show, which depicts Cate Randa (Anna Sawai) looking up at the enormous visage of Godzilla while her bus of school children rests precariously next to her, is an iconic moment in the first episode. It was also an iconic moment in the movie, which Konrad explains was almost going to just be what we saw. “There was early talks,” he said, “like, should we just reuse some of the footage from the movie? And ultimately, we came down on the side of that would feel really cheap, and we wanted to do something that really allowed Cate to have an emotional moment.”

But simply showing Godzilla, or the Titans, is not going to ensure they work on-screen. Konrad told us, “It’s a lot of the same problems that existed in the feature films where you have to build up scale. The way you do that is you take atmospherics—rain—and that helps us give some sense of reference to the size of a thing. Explosions then sort of dot in and give you that scale.”

But that’s only part of it. Konrad explained so much of the believability of the monsters comes down to practical filming. “You’re not going to put kids on a bus rig that will tilt back,” he said. “So we had a kid physically in a bus and he was okay to fall backwards onto a mat. But we couldn’t actually have him tip and go over the edge, so we had to digitally take over the bus in a lot of shots in order to make it do that, and then to keep it rocking and rolling on the edge as it’s precariously perched there. Fortunately, we had a lot of stuff in the scene, like rain and smoke that could help us hide details when we were concerned about showing too much of the interior of the bus and making that not work with the exterior.”

Konrad also let us in on a major trick for these Titans that seems obvious in retrospect. It’s all about location. Where is the creature? What would the environment have to say about how the creatures look, move, and behave? “The crab [a.k.a. Mantleclaw] you see in the first scene in episode one, we were standing on this wonderful peninsula made of lava rock and we’re like, ‘Well, this is a cool material. Let’s make a crab made of this!’ So it’s looking at your environment and trying to make them feel like they seamlessly fit in.”

For the Ion Dragon, the creature we meet at the end of episode two, Konrad and team had to go a different direction. “With this one, we wanted it to be incongruent. We want it to be like, why the heck is that thing here? So we took the mouth of an angler fish—which belongs in the bottom of the ocean, where it should stay—and you put that into the middle of the jungle and then we give it wings. Then you’re like, ‘Why the hell does this fish have wings?'”

This explains the rest of its distinctive physique. “[We gave] it this almost gargoyle-ish body with this big, spiny tail,” Konrad said. “Really what you’re trying to do is do the same philosophical ideas of, okay, we’re going to use the natural world as inspiration for our creatures for the initial concept. We want to tie it to these concepts. But ultimately, what we want to do is make it really weird and crazy and tie into mythological creatures and the forms and silhouettes that they have.”

“We wanted a dragon,” he continued, “and so we’re kind of going into that direction. But we didn’t want to make it a dragon that has already been seen on TV a million times. And so finding that unique carve-out is hugely challenging, because you don’t want to step on the features’ toes or the comics’ toes or any of those kinds of things. So you find something that feels unique to your universe.”

Another such critter made its first appearance in episode three. The “Frost-Vark” is a giant mole-like creature that lives underground in Alaska. It can emit freezing energy. This is very unlike anything in our world. That proved quite difficult to for the teams of designers. “That was a creature where we had a design that we loved and we put it into the shots and we were like, this is just fundamentally not working,” Konrad explained. “We went back to the drawing board, literally, and our concept artists at Wētā re-concepted. And then the Framestore team kind of picked up on that and added more detail. And even as we were finishing it, we were like, ‘There’s still things missing.'”

“One of our Apple executives had made a couple of suggestions of, ‘Okay. Well, let’s add a little bit more like snow and blood on it and make it look like it’s just been through a little bit more.’ And that sort of ended up being the sweetening thing that made it feel a lot more realistic.” It paid off for Konrad, who cites the Frost-Vark as his favorite on the show.

“I really love the ice mole creature that we’ve got in there,” he said. “We really get to linger on the ice creature a little bit more. He’s in two episodes back to back, and you get a whole Jaws-like chase scene with it. And that’s kind of the fun of it. I really love being able to explore it and get that personality.”

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters drops episode three Wednesday, November 22, on Apple TV+.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post How MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS Brought New Titans to Life appeared first on Nerdist.

We all have our own traditions when it comes to Thanksgiving week here in the United States. Maybe it’s to hang up holiday decorations, or to gorge yourself on various pies, or even just watch your grandpa fall asleep watching football. Those are all well and good, but wouldn’t you rather add some giant monsters and transforming heroes to that? This year, TokuSHOUTsu is hoping you’ll do exactly that. From Monday November 20 through Monday, November 27, enjoy a marathon of tokusatsu programming handpicked by a variety of luminaries and fans of the genre. Hey, one of those is me!

That’s right, I am one of the privileged few who got to pour through the massive TokuSHOUTsu archives to choose our ideal lineup. Episodes of TV and feature films will dot each of the eight days. Dozens of seasons of the Ultra series, several of Super Sentai, four seasons of Kamen Rider, plus loads of Godzilla and Gamera movies are all up for grabs. Each of us got to program a whole day’s worth of programming. And who are the good folks making the choices? Check out the schedule below!

TokuSHOUTsu is coming home next week for Thanksgiving with a fiery feast of curated action and adventure! Enjoy a week+ of schedules chosen by an array of special guests that have been given full kitchen access to everything on TokuSHOUTsu. Look for your favorite transforming heroes, giant monsters, and all the rock quarry explosions you can handle! The takeover is happening Monday – Monday! Here is the full list of guest programmers:

Monday 11/20 – Jeff Gomez (Ultraman Connection)

Tuesday 11/21 – Monster Island Buddies

Wednesday 11/22 – Phil Szostak (Lucasfilm)

Thursday 11/23 – Kyle Anderson (Nerdist) i.e. ME

Friday 11/24 – RangerBoard

Saturday – Toku Chris (Toku Nation)

Sunday – Daniel Van Thomas (voice of Ultraman Zero!)

Monday 11/27 – Mach Dent

TokuSHOUTsu will announce the complete schedules in the coming days, but I’m excited to share what episodes and movies you’ll find on Thursday, November 23, the day I programmed. That’s right! It’s Thanksgiving Day. You have it off of work, so why not see what I have in store? I’ll tell ya now, it has a lot of Ultra. Specifically, Ultra Q, Ultraseven, and Ultraman Mebius, three of my favorite series in the franchise. But I share the wealth, too. Godzilla vs. Hedorah, the weirdest and most underrated Showa-era movie, episodes of Kamen Rider (1971) and Kamen Rider Kuuga (2000), plus Chojin Sentai Jetman (my favorite Sentai season) are here too.

Here’s the whole of my day below:

The whole kit and kaboodle starts on Monday, November 20. And be sure to watch my picks along with me in between bites of stuffing on Turkey Day.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post TokuSHOUTsu Announces Week of Special Guest Programmers appeared first on Nerdist.

The giant lizard Godzilla (maybe you’ve heard of him) has been around for 69 years. Nice. When the first movie came out in 1954, it was a clear allegory to Japan’s Postwar turmoil following the U.S. dropping atom bombs. Atomic energy created Godzilla, which led to more devastation. Over the years, Godzilla has gone from adversary to savior and back again. The last Japanese-made film was 2016’s Shin Godzilla which recontextualized the threat for a new generation. Now, Toho will take us all the way back to the beginning with Godzilla Minus One. Take a look at the terrifying new trailer for Godzilla Minus One below.

The synopsis for the movie shares, “Post-war Japan is at its lowest point when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster, baptized in the horrific power of the atomic bomb.” And we see that power crystallize in our latest Godzilla Minus One trailer, which puts the kaiju at center as it reigns down horror. At the very of the tease, we see the emergence of some kind of glowing appendages. And that can only mean bad news. This Godzilla is pure terror on land and sea and is not holding back as it seeks to cause destruction.

Setting this new movie in the aftermath of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki devastation is also an interesting and harrowing new wrinkle in the Godzilla mythos. We’re used to seeing him demolish buildings, but what if the buildings are already destroyed? I wonder if any of the politics of the U.S. occupation following Japan’s surrender will be there at all. It’s clear from the trailer and the title, that Godzilla is just another horror for the people of Japan to deal with, one of many.

In addition to the new trailer, there is also a sweet new poster for Godzilla Minus One.

Godzilla Minus One is written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, who also wrote and directed 2019’s excellent Lupin III: The First. Clearly he has no problem tackling some of Japan’s biggest pop culture icons. The movie will open in Japan on November 3 and in the United States on December 1, 2023.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

Featured Image: Toho

Originally published on July 11, 2023.

The post GODZILLA MINUS ONE Trailer Sees Kaiju on a Rampage with Terrifying New Powers appeared first on Nerdist.

Every major pop culture property has its own unofficial day. May the 4th is of course Star Wars Day. The Star Trek franchise gets two days, April 8 and September 8. And yes, even the King of the Monsters, Godzilla, has a day to himself, on November 3. As a way of celebrating the atomic lizard this year, Youtooz Collectibles is unleashing a whole new collection of Godzilla items and other notable kaiju, too. Of course, this includes his eternal enemies like Kong and Mechagodzilla. You can check out images of these new Youtooz Collectibles of Godzilla and friends below in our gallery.

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Among the items in this collection is a classic Godzilla plushie, featuring the giant Tokyo-wrecker in his original classic look. There’s also a Mothra plushie, a modern Godzilla plushie, a Kong plushie, and a Limited Edition Mechagodzilla plushie. Each of these is 9 inches tall. There’s a Godzilla and a King Ghidora that both stand 3.9 inches tall and a 3.6 inch Mothra as well.

Have you ever wanted to drink a beverage from the head of a mean, green lizard? There’s a Godzilla mug. Currently, the modern Godzilla and the Kong plushies are sold out, as are the Kong on Throne, the Heat Ray Godzilla, and the Godzilla vs. Kong figurines. But you never know when Youtooz is going to restock.

Due to licensing restrictions, the Godzilla collection only ships to addresses in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. With Monarch: Legacy of Monsters arriving soon, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire hitting theaters next year, now is the perfect time to stock up on cool collectibles featuring the characters from the Monsterverse. We all need a few more giant monsters in our lives.

The post Celebrate Godzilla Day with YouTooz’s Kaiju Collectibles appeared first on Nerdist.

November 3 is a very special day in the annals of history. It’s my wedding anniversary. End of article. Oh, and November 3 is also Godzilla Day, the yearly celebration of Toho Studios’ infamous King of the Monsters. We are all very excited for the release of the next movie in the Japanese film series, Godzilla Minus One, and fans will be able to preorder tickets for it on Godzilla Day. The movie hits cinemas in North America on December 1. But don’t fret! Several other Godzilla offerings are available that weekend, including a one-night-only screening of the first film in the Millennium Era, Godzilla 2000.

Just so there’s no confusion, the Godzilla 2000 nationwide screening actually take place on Wednesday, November 1. It’s anticipatory for Godzilla Day.

After seven movies from 1984 to 1995, Toho relaunched the Godzilla continuity in 1999 with Godzilla 2000. It saw a theatrical release in North America in summer 2000 and was the last Japanese Godzilla movie to have such a release until Shin Godzilla in 2016. The movie depicts a world where Godzilla is a literal force of nature, like hurricanes or tornados, and a government agency tracks his movements. At the same time, an ancient, frozen flying saucer is discovered and suddenly springs to life. The aliens need genetic information only Godzilla possesses. What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? Kaiju battles! We’re definitely looking forward to Godzilla 2000 returning to theaters for Godzilla Day 2023.

But that is not the only Godzilla goodness in store. Both the Pluto TV Godzilla channel and Shout TV (Shout! Studios’ streaming service) will marathon giant monster movies all day long on November 3. Shout!’s sister channel, TokuSHOUTsu, will likewise stream kaiju movies all week long in the lead-up to Godzilla Day, beginning October 30.

More information on the Godzilla 2000 theatrical screening is at Fathom Events’ website.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post One-Night-Only Screening of GODZILLA 2000 and More Highlight Godzilla Day 2023 appeared first on Nerdist.

You actually have to hand it to Monarch, the fictional clandestine government agency in Legendary’s Monsterverse. They have somehow managed to hide the existence of creatures the size of most skyscrapers from the entire world. Well, until now that is. Dun dun dunnnnnn. In the latest trailer for the Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, we get a little bit more info about the many secrets the group have kept, and the one former soldier ready to blow some whistles. Also Godzilla is there for some boom-boom claw.

As the trailer explains, Anna Sawai’s character Cate was present in San Francisco when Godzilla made landfall in 2014’s Godzilla. A lot of people screamed, ran for cover, or stared in awe. But some filmed, like they expected it. This leads her to a collection of files from her father which contains information about Monarch. She, her brother, and friends eventually meet up with Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell) who once served under Monarch back in the ’50s (when he was played by real-life son Wyatt Russell). Together, hopefully, they can get to the bottom of why this planet isn’t ours like we thought.

The trailer also shows us a bevy of monsters, creatures, and titans of all sorts. We see John Goodman, as his character from Kong: Skull Island, running from long-legged monsters on said water-surrounded landmass. It culminates in Shaw saying they could use some help. The conclusion gives us a gorgeous shot up Godzilla’s scaly back until he gives his iconic roar. Always gets us.

The 10-episode series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will debut November 17 with two episodes followed by weekly episodes through January 12.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post New MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS Trailer Proves Secrets Can’t Be Contained appeared first on Nerdist.

The world’s most notorious giant monsters, Godzilla and Kong, are pretty much unstoppable. And woe to any major urban area that’s in their way. So who does one call when the world’s greatest kaiju need to be stopped from rampaging? Why, the world’s greatest superheroes of course. Coming this fall from DC Comics and Legendary Comics is Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, a new limited series that finds Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest duking it out with the King of the Monsters and the Lord of Skull Island.

The upcoming seven-issue series, made in partnership with Toho International, comes to us from the creative team of writer Brian Buccellato (Detective Comics), artist Christian Duce (Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point), and colorist Luis Guerrero. It kicks off next month, but we’re looking further into the future. We have a synopsis of December’s Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #3, as well as an exclusive look at the variant covers for that issue, in our gallery below.

Click To View Gallery

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #3 

Written by Brian Buccellato/art by Christian Duce/cover by Drew Johnson/variant cover by Jonboy Meyers/variant cover by Mike Deodato Jr./1:25 variant cover by Simone Di Meo/1:50 variant cover by Arist Deyn   

$4.99 US/40 pages/3 of 7/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)/On Sale on 12/19/23 

Superman and Godzilla have gone head-to-head with devastating consequences in Metropolis as the Justice League scrambles to protect their homes from the monsters—Supergirl encounters Kong on Skull Island and Wonder Woman takes on Behemoth on Themyscira! Lost in the monster mayhem, though, are Lex Luthor and his Legion of Doom… what nefarious connection do they have to everything?

In the first issue, Clark Kent is enjoying a night off with a very important dinner with Lois Lane. Then, the entire city shudders under the weight of the monstrous Godzilla, who emerges from the bay. Soon, the wall between worlds is breached… with Godzilla, Kong, and the Monsterverse emerging on DC’s Earth. In the second issue, the giant beasts threaten cities all over the globe, from Metropolis to Gotham City to Themyscira. So the Justice League scrambles to protect the citizens. We’re not sure what Green Arrow is going to do with a bow and arrow against giant monsters, but we can’t wait to find out!

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #1, written by Brian Buccellato with art by Christian Duce and Luis Guerrero, will arrive at comic shops on October 17.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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The last time we saw the world of Legendary’s Monsterverse, Godzilla and Kong had just fought each other and then Mechagodzilla. And while we know the next movie will continue their adventures in the Hollow Earth, that won’t be the next time we see the King of the Monsters. Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters brings the action back to just after 2014’s Godzilla, the destruction of San Francisco, and the realization that monsters are real. The first trailer for the show is out now, along with the news that it’ll premiere November 17!

The series follows Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell) who, following Godzilla’s skirmish with the M.U.T.O.s, relays the story of Monarch, the secret agency designed to monitor monster activity on the planet Earth. Back in the ’50s, we see a young Shaw (Wyatt Russell) beginning work on the Monarch project. The teaser also gives us a glimpse at John Goodman, reprising his role of Bill Randa from Kong: Skull Island. Older Shaw watches a testimony from Randa from, presumably, the ’60s.

The series synopsis states:

Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco, and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.

Other cast members include Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will premiere November 17 on Apple TV+.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

The post First Trailer and Premiere Date for MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS appeared first on Nerdist.

We know from the movies thus far in the Monsterverse that Monarch, the organization which investigates the various titans on (and in) the Earth, has been around for a good long while. At least as far back as the 1970s, as we learned in Kong: Skull Island. And while the subsequent movies have focused on Monarch’s activities now, the new Apple TV+ series, officially called Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, will give us some backstory. And some frontstory. Plus, in case you were worried, some first-look images from Monarch: Legacy of Monsters reveal Godzilla himself will roar in the show. Take a look!

In a recent release, Apple TV+ confirmed that the title of their Monsterverse series would be Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The official plot synopsis for the series is as follows:

Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga—spanning three generations—reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.

Yes, you read that correctly. In the Monarch series, Kurt Russell will play the character of Shaw in modern day, while his son Wyatt will play Shaw in the ’50s. That conceit alone is worth a watch, we’d say. Other members of the cast include Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski… And, of course, Godzilla, who is ready to show his teeth in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

This Monsterverse series will consist of 10 episodes. It is co-developed by Chris Black (Severance, Star Trek: Enterprise, Outcast) and Matt Fraction (Hawkeye). Matt Shakman (Wandavision) directs the first two episodes. 

Click To View Gallery

Hailing from Legendary Television, the Godzilla and Titans live-action series is executive produced by Black, Fraction and Shakman alongside Joby Harold (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, Andy Goddard (Carnival Row, Downton Abbey), Brad Van Arragon (Yellowjackets, Carnival Row), and Andrew Colville (Severance, Star Trek: Discovery). Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character.

While we don’t know yet when Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will release, this fall is looking pretty good. So get ready for a decade-spanning Monarch mystery, with the King of the Monsters in tow.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The two biggest and most popular Titans surely can’t stay dormant for long. Godzilla, the mighty lizard with atomic breath will clomp his way back to the movies soon. Along with him will be none other than Kong, the king of the hollow Earth. After 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong ended in something of a draw, a rematch of legendary proportions is very necessary. Luckily, a big screen follow-up is happening. Here’s everything we know about the Godzilla vs. Kong sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Title

The Godzilla vs. Kong sequel is called Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Plot

The official synopsis is as follows:

This latest entry follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.

Behind the Scenes

Adam Wingard, who directed Godzilla vs. Kong, will return to direct this film. He’ll be the first director in Legendary’s Monsterverse series to helm a second film so far. He’s working from a script by Terry Rossio (Godzilla vs. Kong), Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight) and Simon Barrett (Wingard’s longtime collaborator on movies like You’re Next and The Guest). The film is being produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric Mcleod, Brian Rogers, Thomas Tull, and Jon Jashni, with executive producers Josh Grode, Adam Wingard, Jay Ashenfelter, Jen Conroy, Kenji Okuhira, and Yoshimitsu Banno.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Cast

Returning cast members to the series include Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle. All three joined the franchise with Godzilla vs. Kong. New cast members include Dan Stevens, who starred in Wingard’s The Guest. Other new cast members including Fala Chen (Shang-Chi), Alex Ferns (The Batman), and Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok).

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Release Date

The movie has an expected release date of March 15, 2024.

Originally published on August 26, 2022.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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Godzilla and Kong have fought the greatest kaiju the world has ever seen, not to mention Mechagodzilla and each other. So naturally, the two legendary titans are now taking on the world’s greatest superheroes. The world of DC Comics’ most iconic heroes will collide with Legendary’s Monsterverse in Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong. The upcoming seven-issue series, made in partnership with Toho International, launches in October. The creative team consists of writer Brian Buccellato (Detective Comics), artist Christian Duce (Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point), and colorist Luis Guerrero. You can check out images of this battle of the century in our gallery below:

Click To View Gallery

Here’s the official synopsis from DC Comics and Legendary Comics:

What starts as a routine clash between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom takes a dangerous turn when the wall between worlds is breached…with Godzilla, Kong, and the Monsterverse emerging on DC’s Earth! What ensues will be a brawl of unprecedented scale and destruction!

DC President Jim Lee said in a statement, “As a comics fan, there’s nothing more fun and exciting than exploring those amazing ‘What If’ situations that come up when fandoms cross streams! In this case, it’s a matchup of the world’s greatest Super Heroes who take on not only the King of the Monsters—Godzilla—but the mighty Kong himself!“

SVP and publisher of Legendary Comics Robert Napton added the following, “There have been a couple of classic crossovers since I started reading comics: Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans. And we hope Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong joins that list of unforgettable meetings.”

Here’s a fun fact. This crossover will officially make it so Godzilla has battled not only the League, but also the Avengers. No comic book universe is safe from his atomic breath.

The first issue will have a main cover by Drew Johnson and variant covers by Jim Lee and Scott Williams; Rafael Albuquerque, Francesco Mattina, Dan Mora, and Alan Quah will also illustrate variant covers. Among the variants will be a Godzilla and a Kong “Roar Sound FX” gatefold variant cover. Both of these were drawn by Christian Duce, on sale November 14. Sound chips in the covers will have both Godzilla and Kong deliver actual battle roars when readers open them.

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #1, written by Brian Buccellato with art by Christian Duce and Luis Guerrero, will arrive at comic shops on October 17.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Pluto TV, the free, ad-supported streaming service, has made its name on hyper-specific, 24-hour channels made up of shows and movies on repeat. They have a Mystery Science Theater 3000 channel, for example. They were the first FAST service to have a tokusatsu channel, to my knowledge. It’s good fun, and you’re likely to find stuff there you want to see. Add to that, on July 1, Pluto TV will debut its Godzilla channel, which, among its 30 film library, will have two movies that have been hard to find in North America for a very long time.

The Showa-era Godzilla movies—which span from 1954-1975—are pretty readily available in the USA. Hell, Criterion put out a whole box set of them. But the Heisei-era movies—spanning 1985-1995—have been a bit spottier. A few have gotten disc releases; even fewer have been on streaming. But Pluto TV will include both 1989’s Godzilla vs. Biollante and 1991’s Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, which have been wholly unavailable here for ages. Both movies come from director Kazuki Omori.

Godzilla vs. Biollante, came a few years after the Heisei-era kickoff The Return of Godzilla. For my money, it’s one of the best in the whole series. It follows a scientist working for the government who has to try to make a creature capable of fighting the dangerous king of the monsters should he return. The scientist combines found Godzilla cells with cells of both a carnivorous plant and his own daughter to create a rapidly metamorphosing creature, dubbed Biollante. Biollante’s final form looks kind of like Audrey II with a crocodile head. It’s rad.

The follow-up movie, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, is an all-out fantasy adventure. With time travel! It features a team of scientists, military guys, and a psychic woman (who recurs throughout the series) who go back in time to WWII where they discover a living dinosaur that, once hit with the atom bomb, became Godzilla. Unfortunately, the Futurians, a group of people who brought the time machine to our heroes in the first place, create a kaiju of their own—King Ghidorah—to subjugate Earth.

These movies are definitely of their time, in a good way. If you’ve only ever seen the OG movies in the series, you may be surprised at the high quality of the effects. Toho did not skimp on the model work here. While my personal preference is for Biollante, both movies deliver on loads of great monster fighting and compelling personal narratives.

Pluto TV’s Godzilla channel will launch July 1. In addition to the 30 aforementioned movies, it will also have the whole 1998-2000 animated Godzilla: The Series. That cartoon, while a spinoff of the ’98 Roland Emmerich movie, is actually very good. Enjoy big lizards and destroyed scale models this July 4 weekend!

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The last battle between Godzilla and Kong in the aptly named Godzilla vs. Kong ended, expectedly, in a draw. Kong took his place as ruler of the Hollow Earth while Godzilla returned to the ocean to continue doing whatever he wants. He’s Godzilla; are you gonna tell him what to do? But we knew a rematch/reteam was on the horizon, we just didn’t know the name. Until now. Coming in 2024, Warner Bros. and Legendary present the ominous Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. There’s even a nifty little animation to go along with it.

The official press release promises a new threat that neither Titan will be able to face alone. Therefore, they’ll have to team up, won’t they? The movie “will transport audiences into the unexplored depths of a brave new world of spectacular new monsters, heroic adventurers, and awe-inspiring set pieces on a scale unlike anything ever seen before. This promises to be a true cinematic spectacle that demands to be seen on the biggest screens possible.” The MonsterVerse is looking good.

Adam Wingard returns to direct Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire with his longtime collaborator Simon Barrett writing the screenplay. Returning cast members include Rebecca Hall as Dr. Ilene Andrews, Brian Tyree Henry as fan-favorite Bernie Hayes, and Kaylee Hottle as Jia. Also joining the cast of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is Dan Stevens, Fala Chen, and Rachel House. 

The two Titans team up when Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire hits theaters March 15, 2024.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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It’s one of the greatest rivalries in all of pop culture. And we’ve seen it play it on film (twice), in comics, in board games, and, of course, in video games. We’re talking about Godzilla vs. Kong. Now, the ultimate battle of Titans is getting the digital pinball treatment. Zen Studios, the makers of the Pinball FX franchise, together with Legendary Entertainment, have joined forces to create the new Pinball FX Godzilla vs Kong Pinball Pack. You can check out a trailer for the game right here:

Players can take on three monstrous tables, including Kong Pinball, Godzilla Pinball, and Godzilla vs Kong Pinball. The pack joins Zen Studios’ robust library of over 100 pinball tables. These include games inspired by everything from Star Wars to the Addams Family. You can read a statement from Zen Studios on this latest iteration of the epic battle between the King of the Monsters and the ruler of Skull Island.

We take pride in working with top tier companies like Legendary Entertainment, and it is really special to bring their beloved characters and worlds to life in unique and innovative ways on the pinball table. We are thrilled to establish our partnership with Legendary with three amazing pinball tables based on Godzilla vs. Kong. We are not stopping here, as we have more exciting pinball projects in the pipeline that we can’t wait to share with our players.

Godzilla vs Kong Pinball Pack is also simultaneously releasing on Pinball FX for PlayStation, Xbox, and the Epic Game Store on April 13, 2023. And all of you gamers out there looking to enjoy Pinball FX tables? You can subscribe to Pinball Pass for $14.99 per month. This offers unlimited access to almost 80 tables in the Pinball FX library. We expect Pinball FX to release Godzilla vs. Kong for Nintendo Switch in July of this year.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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Despite their tendency to stomp on major cities and cause billions in property damage, people just love Godzilla and his fellow kaiju. In fact, we love them so much that we kind of wish we could have them as pets. Pets that happen to have the ability to spit atomic fire on everyone who annoys us. Well, we might not be able to have any kaiju as pets in real life. But now, we have these adorable, squishable mini versions, and they’re really the next best thing. Yes, Godzilla Squishmallows are now available, and you can own Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla.

Thanks to US Today News (via Comic Book), we’ve seen the first images of Godzilla and his pals from their own collection of 8″ Squishmallows. The four-part line was announced this week, and Toy Drops is overseeing the distribution of these adorable little beasts. Along with the King of the Monsters, the first wave of four includes Rodan, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla. You can check out several images right here.

Squishmallows Godzilla actually looks a lot like adorable nephew Godzooky from the old 1970s Godzilla cartoon. Mothra looks like some kind of lost Pokemon character from the ’90s. Little Mechagodzilla looks like what would happen if R2-D2 and BB-8 had a very angry baby. And Rodan looks like “what if a Cabbage Patch Kid was also a dinosaur?” Which is not a bad thing at all.

Godzilla and pals follow other licensed Squishmallows toys like Pokemon, which had Gengar and Pikachu selling out almost instantly. The Nightmare Before Christmas characters like Jack and Sally have some Squishmallows too, and even Spider-Man Miles Morales has one. But we think that the Japanese kaiju are the cutest ones so far. Sorry about it, Jack Skellington. There’s just nothing cuter than a tiny cuddly version of a deadly prehistoric monster that breathes fire and really hates Tokyo. You can order these precious monsters right here and here.

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It’s always a joy when you learn people who make things you love also love other things you love. Speaking for myself, the great John Carpenter has made at least 10 of my all-time favorite movies. From Halloween to The Fog to The Thing, Carpenter has earned his nickname as the Master of Horror. So it’s a delight to hear he also loves Godzilla movies! We obviously think very highly of the giant lizard too. Not only is Carpenter a ‘zilla fan, but he’ll host Shout! Factory TV‘s Masters of Monsters weekend in November.

Beginning November 3, Carpenter will sit down to present his four favorite monster films directed by Ishiro Honda: Godzilla, The Uncut Japanese Original (Gojira), Rodan, Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster, and The War of the Gargantuas. John Carpenter will make appearances throughout the Masters of Monsters marathon to discuss his great love and admiration for the franchise.

As Carpenter fans will know, he’s a very accomplished musician and composer. Hell, he’s composed some of the most iconic themes of all time. So he knows a thing or two. In our below exclusive clip, Carpenter discusses the brilliant work of composer Akira Ifukube. Ifukube composed music for nearly 300 films (wow!), including a truly staggering number of Godzilla and other kaiju films. He also, chiefly, came up with Godzilla’s distinctive noises.

Masters of Monsters kicks off Thursday, November 3, at 6pm and 8pm PT with the original Godzilla. On subsequent nights at the same times, tune in for Rodan, Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, and The War of the Gargatuas. That last one is Brad Pitt’s favorite movie, fun fact. The watch party for Gargantuas takes place on TokuShoutsu’s Twitch, while the watch party for Ghidorah will be on Scream Factory TV. Shout! Factory TV, TokuShoutsu, Scream Factory TV, and Shout! Cult will all be streaming the original program. For more information about the Masters of Monsters Godzilla movie marathon, please visit MastersofMonsters.com.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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It appears actor Dan Stevens will be the next Hollywood star to take on a giant lizard and a big ol’ gorilla. According to a press release on Thursday, the Legion star will reunite with director Adam Wingard on the next Legendary MonsterVerse film, which will be a direct sequel to 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong. The actor-director combo previously worked together on the excellent 2014 thriller The Guest, for which Stevens got ripped as all hell. The currently untitled film will release on March 15, 2024.

Stevens will join other new cast members including Fala Chen (Shang-Chi), Alex Ferns (The Batman), and Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok). Returning cast members from Godzilla vs. Kong will include Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle.

The movie will be “an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own.” The press release goes on to say the new movie will “delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.”

Godzilla vs. Kong was the first in the franchise to pit the two titans against each other. Godzilla previously starred in Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla and Mike Dougherty’s 2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters; Kong had previously led Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ 2017 movie Kong: Skull Island.

Stevens has worked a whole lot in the past few years, from Disney’s Beauty in the Beast live-action remake to Netflix’s Eurovision Song Contest. You can currently see him as White House Counsel John Dean in the Starz limited series Gaslit. Prior to Godzilla vs. Kong, Wingard also directed 2016’s Blair Witch and 2017’s Death Note.

More news of the two big battlers and their Hollow Earth exploits as we hear them. Who knows what other massive beasties might show up in the next installment. (We’re holding out hope our girl Mothra comes back. We need her in our lives, please. #Justice4Mothra) As mentioned, the untitled MonsterVerse film will reportedly release in 2024.

Originally published June 30, 2022.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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After leveling San Francisco in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, you might assume the King of the Monsters would want to take a bit of a breather. Not so! Godzilla and the other titans, along with the exploits of monster-tracking organization Monarch, will return in a brand new series heading to Apple TV+. According to a release by Apple, the series will follow on from GvK and “explores one family’s journey to uncover its buried secrets and a legacy linking them to the secret organization known as Monarch.” And we now know exactly who will make up this cast.

According to its release, alongside Godzilla, the Apple TV+ series will also star:

Anna Sawai (“Pachinko,” “F9”) as ‘Cate,’ a former schoolteacher and a G-Day survivor, she travels to Japan to settle family affairs but instead uncovers a family secret. Tired of running from her problems, she is determined to find answers.

Newcomer Ren Watabe (“461 Days of Bento”) as ‘Kentaro,’ an intelligent, creative and curious young man who has yet to find his own path. He will embark on a quest to learn more about his revered yet mysterious father and discover his own talents in the process.

Kiersey Clemons (“Hearts Beat Loud,” “The Young Wife”) as ‘May,’ an American ex-pat with a roguish exterior that she uses to protect herself as well as others. Whether it be deciphering a code or finding the loophole, she is always three steps ahead of everyone around her.

Joe Tippett (“Mare of Easttown,” “The Morning Show,” “Rise”) as ‘Tim,’ an office drone who dreams of secret agent adventure. His overconfidence gets him in trouble in the field, but he is determined not to fail his organization.

Elisa Lasowski (“Versailles”) as ‘Duvall,’ an expert operative with unwavering confidence in herself and her skills. She also possesses a wry sense of humor, which she uses to guide her less field-oriented colleague. 

Variety has also revealed that Anders Holm will join the show in an unknown, recurring role.

The series will be produced by Legendary Television. Co-creators Chris Black and Matt Fraction will executive produce. Fraction is, of course, the writer of a million great comics, including the run of Hawkeye that inspired the recent Disney+ series. Black, who will also serve as showrunner, has written for and produced a number of series. They include Star Trek: Enterprise, Mad Men, and most recently Outcast, based on the Robert Kirkman comic. Matt Shakman (WandaVision) will direct the first two episodes of the Monsterverse series.

Safehouse Pictures’ Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell will also executive produce along with Toho Co. Ltd. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita will executive produce for Toho. Toho owns the Godzilla character and has licensed the rights to Legendary for this series. It’s a natural byproduct of their long-term relationship on the film franchise.

Since 2014, the ever-growing Monsterverse has included the movies Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). An upcoming anime series, Skull Island, is also on the way.  We’ll keep you in the loop about any further news for the Godzilla series but for now, we’re just excited to see the big boy and his court of giant monsters on our screens more often.

Originally published on March 19, 2022.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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The King of the Monsters is back. But for once, it seems the city of Tokyo is safe. This time, the one and only Godzilla is hitting the British coast. But he’s here to save the day from a possibly more deadly monster than himself, the deadly Battra. And it’s just in time for Battra’s 30th anniversary too, as the winged kaiju first appeared in 1992’s Godzilla vs. Mothra. The action takes place in Godzilla Rivals: Battra from IDW Comics, written by Nerdist’s very own Rosie Knight, and illustrated by Oliver Ono.

You can check out the first six pages of Godzilla Rivals: Battra, along with all three variant covers, below. Series artist Oliver Ono illustrates Cover A, while Mark Martinez does the honors for Cover B. Tradd Moore handles the art on Cover C. And you can read the official synopsis for the one-shot premiere issue right here:

In a quiet beachside town ravaged by constant sewage spillages and toxic waste dumps, something is stirring. Deep under the rolling hills that surround Hackney-on-Sea, Battra is awakening, driven by a single goal: to destroy mankind and save planet Earth. The only thing that can stop the monster is Godzilla, but he hasn’t been seen in decades and has never ventured to the cold shores of the English coast…until now.

Robbie runs a small bookshop, but her real passion is monsters. She’s spent years researching the myth of Godzilla and his fearsome foes, and now that hypothetical experience is about to become a life-saving tool. Can Robbie locate Godzilla? Will Godzilla alone be enough to defeat Battra? Is Battra really wrong? And will the goddess Mothra make an appearance? Godzilla Vs. Battra will reveal all. 

Click To View Gallery

Godzilla Rivals: Battra arrives on August 3, with a cover price of $7.99 U.S./ $10.00, Canada.

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No matter how realistic and made to scale modern geek toys for adult collectors get, we’re never getting a life-size Godzilla figure. No one has shelf space or a rec room that can hold a figure that’s 984 feet tall. (At least not yet). But, they can still make some pretty huge toys based on the world’s premiere kaiju. And this latest collectible statue of the undisputed King of the Monsters puts all others to shame.

Prime 1 Studio is releasing a new, ginormous Godzilla statue, based on his most recent appearance in Godzilla vs. Kong. And you can see the first images of this incredible collectible from Prime 1 Studio right here. You can just hear that familiar roar looking at all of these images.

Standing over 34 inches tall, Prime 1 Studio’s Gigantic Masterline Godzilla is a full 10 inches taller than their previous Godzilla statue, the UDMGVK-01 Godzilla Final Battle. The immense size of this version allows for unbelievable crisp detailing and realistic textures. Prime 1 Studio’s artists have given life to Godzilla’s hyper-detailed scales, dorsal fins, and Kaiju anatomy.

Godzilla’s paint job renders realistic colors faithful to his most recent film appearance. Godzilla stands on a polystone base, covered in the debris of a destroyed cityscape that he no doubt angrily stomped on. Just look at all that collateral damage our favorite big mean atomic-powered lizard has done.

So, how much will this incredible statue cost you? It’s a mere $2,499. But we know that there’s a very well-off Godzilla superfan that is going to want to put down the cash for this bad boy. Now, the real question is will Prime 1 Studio release a King Kong statue of the same size? This version of the lethal lizard is from Godzilla vs. Kong after all, so it stands to reason that he’s next. They’ve already released Ultimate Diorama versions of the battling Titans, so anything is possible.

You can click here to pre-order your Prime 1 Studio’s Gigantic Masterline Godzilla. He comes in both a regular version, as well as a heat-ray version.

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It’s a long tradition. The “cute baby version” of a popular cartoon character. Sometimes it’s junior versions of Fred Flintstone or the Muppets. And sometimes, it’s Scrappy-Doo. But did you know that the King of the Monsters, Godzilla, also had an adorable baby version of himself in his own ’70s cartoon series? He sure did. And his name was Godzooky.

But half of the animated adventures of Godzilla and Godzooky have been unavailable to the public for decades, for unknown reasons. But just announced by Toho, the long-lost second season of Godzilla is coming exclusively to their Godzilla Official YouTube channel, starting on June 6. You can watch the trailer for Godzilla season two right here:

Godzilla premiered in 1978, and was created by Hanna-Barbera, the kings of Saturday morning cartoons in the ’70s and ’80s. In the cartoon, Godzilla was in full “good guy mode,” helping the crew of the Calico, a hydrofoil research ship. Whenever bad kaiju reared their ugly heads out of the water, the Calico crew had a signal with which they could summon Godzilla. And he’d always bring his little nephew along, Godzooky.

Hanna-Barbera never answered who the heck Godzilla’s sibling was that spawned this nephew, figuring kids wouldn’t care where he came from. (Spoiler alert: We DID want to know). Godzooky had little wings and always tried to breathe fire like his Uncle, but they were usually just smoke rings. Honestly, Godzooky kind of got in the way, but we loved him anyway. Who wouldn’t love a baby Godzilla?? Hanna-Barbera knew their audience.

The show ran for two seasons on NBC, with its final episode airing in 1979. It also ran on Tokyo Channel 12 in Japan. Twenty years later, in 1998, there was another Godzilla cartoon show. But that one was tied into the 1998 movie, which had the totally wrong-looking Godzilla. Also, there was no Godzooky, which instantly made the 1978 series superior. Fans will soon be able to binge the original (and best) Godzilla toon in its entirety on June 6.

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It’s not exactly a boon to have Godzilla show up in your city. Even when he’s fighting on the side of good there’s always a whole lot of collateral damage. However, there are two places we always love to see our favorite sea monster. One is on the big screen. The other is when he arrives in our home with some great new merchandise. And now the iconic kaiju can adorn your home’s walls—without destroying them—in style, thanks to Mondo’s new Godzilla prints celebrating classic films in the franchise. Two versions of the print release in April and third is set for later in the year.

At noon ET on April 7, Mondo will have two new Godzilla prints for sale at The Drop. The first celebrates director Kazuki Ōmori’s 1989 film “Godzilla vs. Biollante.” Artist Tom Whalen’s colorful piece features Godzilla in battle with the memorable foe. The piece captures Biollante’s unique makeup, which includes plant DNA, Godzilla chromosomes, and cells from the dead daughter of Biollante’s grief-stricken creator.

There will initially be two versions available. The more colorful original ($55) measures 36 x 24-inches and features nine metallic inks. It’s limited to just 275 prints and we doubt it will last long. Neither will the English red-themed version ($75). It comes in at the same size, but will only have 150 copies for sale. If you miss either or want to collect them all, Mondo says it will release “a special third version” of the print later this year.

But you don’t have to wait to grab their second original new Godzilla print. Mondo is continuing what it calls its line of “titanic exploration of Godzilla’s Showa Era” with another work from artist Attack Peter. The 20 x 30-inch, single-color linocut print comes on Lokta paper. It pays homage to the 1955 movie Godzilla Raids Again. Only 120 prints will be available ($100). Each comes signed and numbered by Attack Peter himself.

We never want to see Godzilla show up in our city unless it’s on a screen or poster. But with the limited number of copies these prints will have we’ll still have to be on high alert if we hang one up. We’re not the only ones who love Godzilla. And we’ll definitely keep on the look out for the third print coming later in the year.

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Nobody throws down quite like Godzilla. Whether destroying Tokyo (and environs) or protecting it from alien invaders, the radio active lizard king is the undisputed champ. Even after 67 years, Godzilla has kept his title belt for almost all of it. An impressive record for any combatant. The good folks at TokuSHOUTsu and Shout! Factory TV want to help all you Godzillaphiles out there relive some of the big guy’s best moments. This Wednesday, November 3, 2021, enjoy a 48-hour kaiju marathon, followed by four-movie marathons every Friday. They’re calling it Friday Night Kaiju!

TokuSHOUTsu will stream 17 classic kaiju films, most of them featuring Godzilla. Beginning Wednesday, November 3 (which is Godzilla’s birthday, don’t ya know), at 12 midnight, you can enjoy two days straight of kaiju antics and mayhem. Beginning with the original Godzilla, subsequent films, including Godzilla Raids Again (1955), will air in chronological order. In addition to 15 Godzilla movies, the marathon will also include the 1956 feature Rodan and the 1966 film The War of the Gargantuas, one of Brad Pitt’s favorite movies. Fun fact.

TokuSHOUTsu

Then, starting Friday, November 5, enjoy four-movie marathons. Beginning at 4pm PT/7pm PT, watch four back-to-back kaiju flicks. Not a bad weekly movie night, eh?

Godzilla vs. TokuSHOUTsu: Friday Night Kaiju Lineup

11/5/21

Godzilla, The Uncut Japanese Original (Gojira) (1954)

Rodan (1956)

Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster (1964)

11/12/21

The War Of Gargantuas (1966)

Invasion Of Astro-Monster (1965)

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

11/19/21

Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep (1966)

Son Of Godzilla (1967)

Destroy All Monsters (1968)

All Monsters Attack (1969)

11/26/21

Godzilla, King of The Monsters! (1956)

Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

Terror Of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Don’t worry if you can’t make the marathons (hey, everybody has their own schedules, right?). All 17 of the movies are also available on-demand to watch any time you want via ShoutFactoryTV.com or on the Shout Factory apps. Do you mostly watch stuff on Tubi? Well you can find them there too.

Go Godzilla wild all November long!

Featured Image: Toho

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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It’s always the perfect time to look back at the storied history of the giant monster movie icon known as Godzilla. Since 1954, Godzilla has been running amok. He’s been creating memories, starring in many movies, and becoming a pop culture staple on the way. We’ve revisited all the 30 plus movies in the series and ranked them from least good (because there’s literally no such thing as a bad Godzilla movie) to best for your reading pleasure!

33. Godzilla (1998)

Sorry Matthew Broderick, but this ’90s American take on Gojira is a bit too Hollywood for us. Still, we were really into the fact that here Godzilla is a (maybe) girl. If you like spectacle blockbusters this relatively tame CG-filled offering is still a whole bunch of fun.

32. Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2018)

Though Netflix’s series is a very entertaining trilogy of monster anime, as standalone Godzilla films they can’t compare to the men-in-suits madness of classic Toho. But if you enjoy hard sci-fi and gorgeous animation, it’s still definitely worth checking out. These are the only animated canon flicks.

31. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1964)

An epic B movie masterpiece, this was originally meant to be a King Kong film. Rankin and Bass rejected it though, so it was repurposed as a Godzilla movie. Centering on the titular sea creature, this Pacific Island-set monster movie features some bank robbers on the run who end up helping the locals free themselves from the grip of a terrorist organization and a giant shrimp.

30. Terror of Mechagodzilla (1978)

This sequel to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla has a whole lot of good monster fun as the heroic reptile faces off with his robotic rival. Notable mentions here go to the brilliant aquatic Titanosaurus, as well as the inexplicable alien subplot.

29. Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)

This millennium’s take on Godzilla rewrote the monster’s history whilst paying homage to the original 1954 classic. It also has one of the coolest and most sci-fi-heavy origins for its titular antagonist. He’s spawned after a wormhole opens up and a magical ancient dragonfly appears and births the egg that will become Megaguirus.

28. Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)

The ’00s Godzilla movies knocked it out of the park when it came to wild plots. In this 50th anniversary flick, Godzilla is trapped under the icy wilds of the Antarctic, and humanity turns to an army of mutated monsters to protect them. This also signifies our first list appearance of Minilla, Godzilla’s beautiful chonk (adoptive) son who turns up at the end of the film to convince his dad to show mercy on his fellow Titans.

27. Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1995)

A definite inspiration for TriStar’s ’98 offering, this is the ultimate cheesy popcorn entry from the original Godzilla canon. It’s essentially about Godzilla battling a UFO discovered deep under the sea, and it’s as good as it sounds. It’s also worth a watch for fans of the MonsterVerse as it gets deeper into the concept of studying monsters and shares thematic resonance with Monarch and their mission.

26. Son of Godzilla (1967)

This one features the first appearance of the beautiful chubby baby Godzilla known as Minilla. The best part of this very lovely movie is the sequence where Godzilla tries to train his young charge on how to use his radioactive powers! It’s very cute and we will protect Minilla with our lives.

25. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)

Probably one of the better known later Godzilla films in America due to its distribution on PPV by Sony, this is a prime example of a Godzilla flick delving so deep into lore and in-universe science that it becomes a little dense. But it also includes a rad Godzilla/Rodan team-up and a new baby Godzilla!

24. Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

One of the darker entries in Godzilla canon, this film relies heavily on the anti-nuclear messaging that was a vital theme throughout the series, though it’s a far cry from the more colorful flicks of the ’90s. Godzilla vs. Biollante features some Silent Running-style hard sci-fi and a wild gardening/soul transference subplot.

23. Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

This brilliantly entertaining entry sees a young woman, Lieutenant Akane Yashiro, made a scapegoat for the failures of the government after she fails to kill Godzilla. Years later, a remote-controlled version of Mechagodzilla is presented as an alternative to human fighters, but when the new weapon goes wild, only Akane can save the day.

22. Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is emblematic of Toho’s turn towards more family-friendly movies featuring huge monster battles with iconic creatures. Here we see the reptile face down a group of mutated creatures who kill his other child, Godzilla Jr. Sad times.

21. Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

With a wacky theme park-centric plot, Godzilla vs. Gigan is one of the weirder offerings from the six-plus-decade franchise, and it’s totally splendid. If you enjoy organized monsters, peaceful tourist attractions, and lots of aliens, then this is a must watch.

20. Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla (1994)

It was hard not to make this number one just because of the name and concept, as well as the fact that Spacegodzilla is just so cool. This outrageous sci-fi romp sees Mothra and Biollante mysteriously choose to take some Godzilla DNA into space where the new titular iteration is created. It doesn’t end well, as you can imagine.

19. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1976)

The introduction of Mechagodzilla is a monumental moment and offers up a super fun flick with some particularly impressive suit work. Leaning into the more spiritual and mythic elements of Godzilla lore, this entry includes priestesses, visions of the future, robot-Godzilla, and even a cruise ship. Basically, it’s very, very good.

18. Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)

An egg-filled extravaganza, this is a rad reimagining of Mothra lore that added a whole bunch of cool canon regarding the history of the protector of Earth and her battle against the human-created Battra. Unexpected monster team-ups abound!

17. Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

An interesting addition to Godzilla canon, this film focuses on an author who, while writing a book about the beast, makes a startling discovery about his origins. Without spoiling all of its secrets, there’s also a very fun time travel subplot as well as some very good dinosaur content.

16. King Kong vs. Godzilla (1956)

The third Godzilla film to grace our screens was a crossover mashup between two of cinema’s biggest monster icons. It’s an iconic battle that was repeatedly shown on network television all over the world and is an interesting film to revisit in the lead up to Godzilla vs. Kong.

15. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

Dethroning the original monster mashup, Adam Wingard’s wickedly entertaining 2021 flick is a true monster masterpiece. It’s fun, frantic, and full of action. It follows Kong as he’s sent to help stop Godzilla but quickly ends up on wild Journey to the Center of the Earth style romp. There’s also an epic final act battle that will please even the most traditional Kaiju fans.

14. Return of Godzilla (1984)

This is a rad first offering from the so-called Heisei era of the series, which sees Godzilla appear out of a volcano only to terrorize Japan once again. This is a rare later Godzilla movie where the monster is primarily an antagonist rather than a hero, and it ends with the good chonk boy back in his Volcano.

13. Godzilla (2014)

The first entry into Legendary’s MonsterVerse, Godzilla was a more serious attempt at adapting the Japanese creature feature for Western audiences. Centering on the human dynamic and teasing the more monstrous aspect until the third act, the big reveal is worth the wait and this gritty Godzilla paved the way for the studio’s crossover monster-mash shared universe.

12. Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Some very good Godzilla-vs-tentacle-monster action here as a tiny sea organism feasts on Earth’s pollution and becomes a monstrous-size beast, wreaking havoc on the world with its poisonous menace. Things are looking dire until Godzilla appears.

11. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

The fourth Godzilla film is a marvel of Japanese sci-fi and is filled with solid Godzilla action as well as a great new suit design. And, of course, the wonder of Mothra. It’s a great film to check out before or after you’ve watched King of the Monsters so you can truly understand the power of the Queen of the Monsters, Mothra.

10. All Monsters Attack (1969)

Disclaimer: this is often seen as one of the lesser Godzilla movies, but the wild story about a young boy who is kidnapped by monsters only to create an imagined scenario where he can communicate with Godzilla’s son Minilla makes this one of our top 10 faves. It’s weird, wonderful, and showcases the narrative ingenuity of the series. Plus, Minilla is the best.

9. Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)

This space exploration movie sees astronauts discover an alien planet that’s being ravaged by the mysterious Monster X, who Godzilla fans will immediately recognize as Ghidorah. Lots of space monster goodness here as Godzilla and Rodan are transported to Planet X to help the inhabitants deal with their three-headed dragon problem.

8. Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)

If you’ve ever wondered about the origin of King Ghidorah rather than his alter-ego Ghidorah, this ’01 entry is perfect for you. Not only is it filled with rad big boy battles but it also explains how that good ol’ gold three-headed monster gets its wings! Spoiler alert… Mothra is involved.

7. Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

The dream for any Tokusatsu fan, Godzilla vs. Megalon offers up not only Godzilla fighting the titular creature who was created by a race of peaceful underwater sea-dwellers sick of humanity, but also features Jet Jaguar, a giant robot who was originally going to be a standalone hero and was designed by a kid who won a Toho art competition.

6. Destroy All Monsters (1968)

One of the key parts of Godzilla lore is cemented here with Monster Island playing a major role as the Japanese government collects the monsters and places them there for the protection of the human race. Sadly for those very humans, some hot female aliens have turned up and brainwashed those in charge of the monster-prison, leading to all-out monster fight madness.

5. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

King Ghidorah is a key part of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and he was first introduced in this mid ’60s entry that established the three-headed beast as a formidable foe for the franchise star. Just like the newest movie, here Ghidorah stars alongside Rodan, Mothra, and Godzilla, but this story focuses on his origin as well as the Japanese monarchy.

4. Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

The second film in the series, this is an epic sci-fi flick that introduces one of Godzilla’s original enemies turned ally, Anguirus, as well as showcasing Toho’s talent for expansive storytelling. It also introduced the trope of freezing Godzilla as a way of stopping the marauding beast.

3. Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)

Easily one of the best monster-mash movies of all-time, Tokyo S.O.S. shares a lot of DNA with Godzilla: King of the Monsters and is just as much fun. After creating Mechagodzilla in 1974, it’s revealed that the reason Godzilla can’t help but return to Tokyo is due to the Japanese government using his bones to create their robotic weapon. Mothra threatens humankind and basically tells them to fix up. Sadly, humans never do, so an all-out war begins.

2. Shin Godzilla (2016)

This 2016 reimagining of the cult figure was a powerful meditation on natural disaster, ecology, and trauma. Plus, it featured a badass new Godzilla design that reinvigorated the franchise and seems as fresh and vital as the first film despite being the 31st in the series.

1. Godzilla (1954)

The original and still the best. A monumental monster movie that took inspiration from the greats whilst still creating something entirely new, it’s hard to top the film that started it all. If there’s one classic film to check out before you watch King of the Monsters, this is it.

Images: Toho/Legendary

Originally published June 3, 2019.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Stern Pinball has partnered with Toho International for an all-new line of pinball machines based on one of cinema’s most iconic monsters. And that classic big lizard is coming with a big modern twist. The Godzilla games also mark the debut of Stern’s new Insider Connected system. Each machine comes with a QR code reader. It lets players interact with the pinball machine and lets store owners maximize play for customers. From Stern’s August announcement for the new feature:

“The platform is designed to enhance and extend player engagement with the games across both home and commercial environments. It also presents professional operators of the pinball machines with a robust set of tools to drive location play, build player loyalty, analyze performance, make adjustments remotely and maintain the machines.”

Unlike the pinball machines themselves, the Insider Connected system is free to use. We doubt fellow Godzilla fans will have any qualms about pumping quarters into them though. Available in three models—Pro, Premium and Limited Edition—they don’t need an interactive feature to make them a must-play for movie monster lovers.

From fighting an invading alien force intent on controlling Earth, to bringing down bridges and buildings, to facing Mechagodzilla, there’s plenty of in-game stories to enjoy.

Stern Pinball

Godzilla pinball machines and accessories are available to order from authorized Stern Pinball distributors all over the world. The base Pro Model can be yours for $6,899 US. The Premium Model for $8,999. And the Limited Edition for $10,499. If you want a Limited Edition machine don’t delay. They are limited to just 1,000 machines.

And if Godzilla happens to destroy any city with one of them, they’ll be even harder to find.

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The kaiju clash we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived! Godzilla vs. Kong hit theaters and HBO Max last week, and not only does the film deliver on all the giant monster battles you could hope for, but it’s also packed with easter eggs and references for eagle-eyed fans to enjoy. Dan journey’s into the Hollow Earth to break down some of the details you might have missed on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

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The fight of the century is almost here! Godzilla vs. Kong comes to theaters and HBO Max on March 31. To celebrate, Nerdist’s Rosie Knight sat down with stars Alexander Skarsgård, Eiza Gonzalez, Demian Bechir, and Julian Dennison to talk about the most anticipated monster melee of the century, the deep weirdness of the Hollow Earth, and much more.

The post Godzilla vs. Kong Cast Talks Hollow Earth, Monster Fights, and More appeared first on Nerdist.

Rosie Knight sits down with Godzilla vs Kong director Adam Wingard to talk about tackling a big budget monster movie when coming from the indie film world, where he pulls inspiration from, and a hint at who the real champion will be. Get into the head of the man behind the monsters on Nerdist Now.

The post Godzilla vs Kong Director on How to Handle Big Budget Monsters (Nerdist Now w/ Rosie Knight) appeared first on Nerdist.

We enjoyed Godzilla vs. Kong for the neon-dazzled action spectacular that it is. But I personally share a complaint about the movie that I’ve seen elsewhere on social media. That the human characters are one-note, unmemorable, and have no real impact on the story. It’s especially egregious considering how many of them there are and how long we spend with them this time around. This new iteration of the MonsterVerse really nails the titular big guys, but I’m hard-pressed to name a single human character without looking them up, outside of Millie Bobby Brown’s Madison. And even then, I couldn’t tell you her last name.

Legendary Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures

Some might argue that the humans are really besides the point. Whenever a film involves Godzilla and King Kong, they’re the necessary focus. And while I suppose that’s partially true, I still think it’s a missed opportunity for more. Yes, the Titans deserve the spotlight, but think of how much better films like this would be with interesting human characters to take us on an emotional journey. When I think about the monster films of my own youth—notably, Steven Spielberg efforts like Jurassic Park—I remember the people as much as the scaly giants.

I also don’t think it’d take much effort to improve upon this. If anything, modern monster blockbusters waste more time and money jam-packing their films with characters than they would reeling it in a little. Here are some of the main ways films like Godzilla vs. Kong could mend their human problem.

Universal Pictures

Save the reveal

I’ll try not to get too bogged down in Jurassic Park comparisons. (Even though it’s a perfect movie that really nails the points I’m trying to make.) But a big thing that stands out in that original 1993 film is how long it takes to see the actual dinosaurs. Sure, we get a peek at the velociraptor in the prologue, but it’s purposely obfuscated from full view. That means, by the time Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler—and we, the audience—finally see the dinosaurs in full, it’s a transcendent and awe-inspiring cinematic moment.

Spielberg is the master of this kind of slow-burn reveal. He used the same tactic in Jaws. The shark in that movie doesn’t appear in full until an hour and 21 minutes into the film. That gives us plenty of time to get to know the human characters. And when we finally see the “monster,” it’s through their eyes. This leads to a more profound emotional response. It really increases the level at which we’re willing to buy into the fantasy.

Now, Godzilla vs. Kong doesn’t have the luxury of a momentous reveal, because it’s a sequel to several other monster movies. Instead, it opens with a sequence focused on Kong; he’s the first character we witness. I won’t outright call this a mistake, but I still think prolonging the first time we see the Titans would have been more effective. It certainly works better in the case of Godzilla, whose later arrival in the film feels more weighted.

20th Century Studios

Keep the humans in a single location 

Your definition of “monster movie” may vary. Anything with a monster character can reasonably qualify. I tend to think of movies where the monsters happen to be giant, similar to Godzilla and King Kong. But I also think of films like Alien and The Thing. Those films are arguably more human character studies that happen to feature aliens, but they both employ a tactic that we could apply to films on a grander scale. And that’s that they keep their humans together, and in the direct warpath of the monsters at hand.

A lot of newer blockbuster monster movies get high on the whole “global threat” aspect, to the point that we follow different sets of characters all over the world. It’s hard to feel much of anything for a set of humans when the action pulls away from them constantly. Creating a more intimate setting gives us a sense of place, upping the immediate threat level and raising the stakes. (This is actually why I believe Kong: Skull Island is the best entry in the modern MonsterVerse. We spend most of the runtime on the eponymous island, with a distinct set of characters.)

Even if the movie wants to jump locations—as in the original King Kong film from 1933—keeping the core characters together maintains this idea. We’re still with a small set of individuals, and not just darting all over, trying to keep tabs on where everyone is in the world. The more centralized and streamlined we get, the easier it is to focus on the people experiencing this grand spectacle.

Legendary Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures

Give each main character a memorable introduction 

This one should be simple, but one thing I’ve noticed a lot of late is just how many movies jump right into plot without establishing our heroes. Godzilla vs. Kong brilliantly sets up Brian Tyree Henry’s Bernie Hayes, but he’s about the only new character who gets a proper introduction, punchy character traits, and a backstory. Everyone else just sort of… appears. We might hear a line here or there about how they fit into the story, but the film devotes no real time to making them interesting or unique.

Again, think of Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, who we meet as he playfully torments a kid with a raptor claw. This tells us everything we need to know about the character. That he’s a scientist studying dinosaurs. He has a good rapport with kids even though he dislikes them. He’s devoted his life to understanding creatures he never thought he’d actually see alive. All threads that play throughout the film, until the final moment, when he soars into the sunset post-dino trauma with his arms around the kids he’s come to love.

Giving humans memorable introductions and a clear arc isn’t that hard. It’s screenwriting 101. So it’s kind of a bummer how often people are just plopped into blockbuster monster movies with no personality traits or interests outside of their direct motivations. This can also be accomplished by shrinking your cast list to the most important players. There’s no need to have 15 main characters when five or six can accomplish the same goal. That can also help keep the focus on the main monsters so we can devote time on their characterization, too.

All in all, I enjoyed Godzilla vs. Kong and look forward to revisiting it in the future. The titular characters are so beautifully handled and there’s enough popcorn fun to keep it entertaining. But I’d love to see future large-scale monster movies incorporate interesting, intimate human stories as well. It’s relatively simple to do so, and will help make these movies more memorable in the long run.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

The post How to Fix the Human Problem in Blockbuster Monster Movies appeared first on Nerdist.

The fight of the century that we’ve been waiting oh so long for is nearly upon us. Godzilla vs. Kong is dropping in North American theaters and HBO Max on March 31. But the film has already debuted overseas to massive acclaim and box office. This all serves to just have us even more amped. And whether you’re rooting for the Skull Island champ or the atomic lizard, you’re definitely going to want some of this sweet new merch announced by the folks at Mondo to commemorate the big brawl.

Mondo

Want a refreshing drink while relaxing and getting ready to watch the big fight go down? You’re going to need a stylish way to do it, then. Godzilla vs. Kong: Godzilla black satin tiki mugs are on the way, designed and sculpted by Mondo’s Hector Arce. Also coming is a killer “Heat Ray” variant.

Here’s what the mug’s designer had to say about his latest creation: “When I got this project I instantly knew how I wanted this awesome version of Godzilla interpreted in tiki form! The scales and textures lend itself perfectly to a tiki aesthetic.”

Mondo

Of course, there is also a companion tiki mug featuring the Eighth Wonder of the World, the mighty Kong. The mug comes in two versions, black satin like Godzilla’s, along with a brown variant. Mondo’s Mike Bonanno is the mug’s designer, and he sculpted it along with Tufan Sezer. Bonanno said, “This was an incredibly fun one for me to work on and it was a challenge coming up with a nice companion to the amazingly textured Godzilla that Hector designed.”

The mugs will set you back $60 each. Variants are limited to runs of 500 each.

Mondo

And of course, there will be posters. Mondo is once again teaming with the artists at Phantom City Creative for an exclusive print. Each poster measure  24″ x 36″ inches. There’s an English version as well as a Japanese-language version, and showcase identical designs which blend the two legendary beasts into one optical illusion. Each poster will be available in limited edition runs of 200, both for $50.

All these cool Godzilla vs. Kong products will be available from Mondo starting on March 30.

The post Pour a Drink in Mondo’s GODZILLA VS KONG Tiki Mugs appeared first on Nerdist.

Who can deny the beauty of two giant monsters duking it out and destroying a city? The monster mashup has long been a cinematic tradition. In Adam Wingard’s newest entry to the Monsterverse, we finally get an American outing worthy of its iconic predecessors. Godzilla vs. Kong delivers impressively massive fights, gorgeous cinematography, and impossible chemistry between two beautifully rendered CGI beasts. Better yet, it’s all wrapped up in the kind of old school, big-budget sci-fi adventure that feels rare in the superhero-saturated landscape of Hollywood.

HBO Max

The setup is simple. Even if you haven’t seen the previous Monsterverse movies, you can jump right in. Godzilla is on a rampage. The only way to stop him is to enlist the help of Kong for a mysterious—and spoilery—mission. Wingard jumps straight into the action with an impressive Godzilla attack that teases just how much fun he’s going to have with the monster fights. These are true monster masterpieces too. You can see every slap, punch, kick, destroyed building, and terrified citizen. There’s a scope and scale here that is needed, as well as a clarity of vision and visuals, that really make the film stand out in the often grainy and sometimes downright ugly modern action aesthetic.

But Godzilla vs. Kong is a neon-hued delight. Cameras sweep over giant monster shoulders as the pair duke it out around the world. Wingard uses techniques from fight movies and martial arts films as we flip flop around the two very big boys at the center of the flick. It’s an interesting take which makes the fights pack a little more punch as we feel the impact that each of the battles have on the respective monsters. If you think we’re talking a lot about fights it’s because this movie has a lot of them. At least a third of its 110 minute run time centers on incredibly shot monster action including a wicked 20 minute bout in the final act. The entertaining power of those alone can’t be understated, but Godzilla vs. Kong also establishes personalities and motivations for both that make the fights feel like they matter.

HBO Max

Kong: Skull Island did a great job of establishing a new tone for the Monsterverse. It also added a little attitude to its adolescent monkey king. But Wingard crafts a caring and kind elder Kong. Driven by love for his home and those around him, he’s truly a (very cuddly) hero you can root for. Kong’s human companions, Jia (Kaylee Hottle) and Ilene (Rebecca Hall), help build that out well. In classic kaiju movies, having a human heart has always been key. Hottle especially delivers on that with a stirring performance full of sweetness and compassion.

Dr. Nathan Lane (Alexander Skarsgård) and Maia (Eiza González) build out the final parts of what we’ll call “Team Kong,” and they do it with style. Skarsgård is charming as ever as a fringe scientist with a specialty in wild theories about the Hollow Earth. González shines as the capable and cold representative of the mysterious APEX corp. The enigmatic and shady Walter Simmons (played with aplomb by Demián Bichir) plays her father, and the head of APEX . His wicked performance suggests that Bichir probably had the most fun of anyone in the movie.

HBO Max

While Godzilla might seem harder to humanize, we get a solid angle on the radiation-breathing beast here and much of that is thanks to the incredible VFX team. Millie Bobby Brown returns as his human advocate, and she’s joined by the wonderful Julian Dennison as her long suffering friend and reluctant adventurer. The teens soon seek out Brian Tyree Henry’s Bernie, a Titan truther and podcaster who has infiltrated APEX.

Team Godzilla is just as charming as Team Kong and brings a few more laughs than their counterparts. Brown has really come into her own as an actor. She delivers some good angsty teen humor as well as an unswaying loyalty to the giant lizard which I found wholly relatable as someone who loves Godzilla. Dennison gets to play up to his cute comedy strengths here and even gets a big hero moment in the final act. It’s a sterling trio and both teams stand out from what came before with the distinct lack of military members or MCU-style militarization.

HBO Max

That’s where the secret strength of Wingard’s film lies. Many modern sci-fi films rely on militarization to “ground” them. Not only does this film shirk that tradition but it has zero interest being realistic. Instead, it’s very aware of just how much fun you can have in a film about a giant lizard and giant monkey punching each other. At every turn Wingard veers further into the fantastical but never loses sight of why viewers are here: to see the big boys fight. There are two central stories that Godzilla vs. Kong explores as it speeds towards its epic finale and one is nothing short of hardcore SFF. It’s an unexpected narrative choice that’s supported by incredible creature design, settings, and some impossibly cool vehicles too. Along with neon action and gorgeous cinematography, this is a truly great looking sci-fi film.

Viewers looking for an enjoyable sci-fi romp will enjoy this just as much as those who just want to see those big boys fight. Fans of the Monsterverse will be delighted with how this builds out the lore and legend of the Titans. And cinema lovers may just find an unexpected favorite in this great looking and ambitious monster movie. In the words of the late Dr. Serizawa: “Let them fight.”

4/5

Godzilla vs. Kong hits HBO Max on March 31.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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Godzilla vs. Kong… why must they fight? 

Legendary Pictures

Instead, Godzilla and King Kong might compete in a track meet of sorts; think Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games except with the two most famous beasties in cinematic history. Each contest will test a different heroic quality that’s essential for Earth’s supreme prodigious protector to possess. The monster who wins the most contests will ultimately earn the title—no punches necessary.

Legendary Pictures

Godzilla vs. Kong Pacifist Tournament for Earth Supremacy

1. Aquathlon

To kick our hypothetical Olympiad off, Earth’s would-be-champions might deign to start simple, with a race. What if Godzilla is nestled deep in the Pacific while Kong is taking care of business on Skull Island when, suddenly, an existential, planetary threat pops up on the other side of the world? If humanity is going to pin its last hope to one kaiju, it should be the one who can get there first. So, naturally, the duo could race to determine which monster is fastest. Of course, Earth is 71% water which means the race would have to cover both land and sea.

Ultimately the aquathlon favors Monster Zero One himself: Godzilla. He lives in the ocean and is an expert swimmer. Kong may have an advantage on land, but the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer shows humans helping the big gorilla stay afloat with a boat, implying that the poor ape can’t swim too well. If Godzilla and Kong competed in an aquathlon for the ages, Godzilla would come out on top.

Winner: Godzilla

Legendary Pictures

2. Naked and Afraid

As the hypothetical pacifist tourney to determine Earth’s ultimate protector continues, it’s important to shift gears a bit. There’s more to defending humanity than pure physical supremacy, so we must consider different sorts of contests to better test Godzilla and Kong’s more intangible qualities. At the NFL Scouting Combine, for example, aspiring players are asked weird, outlandish questions in order to figure out how they act when they’re caught off guard. Since our monsters aren’t necessarily talkative types, they must be thrown into uncertain scenarios. Humans can then gauge what the monsters’ reactions say about how they’d handle an entire planet’s reliance. For example, Godzilla and Kong might show their true colors in a Naked and Afraid-style survival situation to determine which is the most adaptable.

…

Okay wait, actually, both beasts’ entire existences could be described as “Naked and the Top of Any Conceivable Food Chain,” so maybe this one just proves they’re both up to snuff in that category. It’s a tie.

Winner: Tie

Legendary Pictures

3. Bobbing for apples

King Kong and Godzilla may both be able to take care of themselves out in the wild, but humanity’s champion must also care for humanity. Clearly there is only one contest to determine which is the better provider: the monsters would have to bob for apples. To make this work, humanity would have to collectively agree to dump the planet’s entire apple supply into one ocean. This is an easy task to coordinate; humans famously get along so well. Then it would be up to Godzilla and Kong to return the apples to the humans.

This goes without saying, but the monster that could bring back the most apples would inherently care about humans more. That monster would also prove to judges that they possess more physical aptitude for  taking care of their teeny human charges. Our hypothetical aquathlon has already determined Godzilla’s naval superiority—plus the dude has the largest maw that anyone has ever seen. Godzilla could fit so many apples in that thing.

The lizard runs away with this one; the bobbing for apples belt must go to the Primeval Champion himself.

Winner: Godzilla

Legendary Pictures

4. Monopoly

If there’s a big fate-of-the-planet battle and one of these monsters manages to defend all of humanity, that battle is going to inevitably decimate whatever economic infrastructure exists in that part of the world. Because of this, the Pacifist Tournament must determine which monster hypothetically possesses the financial acumen to help humanity rebuild. This contest would test the fiscal responsibility of these two legendary cinematic powerhouses utilizing the same method friends and families have used to test their own economic mettle for almost a century: Monopoly.

Of course, no board game could ever be large enough for our mighty beasts to conceivably play. Instead, rather than passing “Go” on a piece of binding board, Godzilla and Kong would scale the game to the Big Apple and play using New York City itself. Surprisingly, the monster-sized version of Monopoly would take hardly any time at all—likely because no one would have the courage to tell Godzilla that he’s supposed to build hotels, not destroy them. Through a Monopoly board game lens, Godzilla’s hotel destruction could be considered the same as mortgaging all his properties—an obvious white flag. Coin-Kong (his nickname on Wall Street) takes this one.

Winner: Kong

Legendary Pictures

5. Health Class Fake Baby

The final contest tests perhaps the most important quality that a monstrous protector of the planet should possess: emotional intelligence. What good is it to have a champion that can punch a hole in a skyscraper if humans can’t talk to them about how the battle makes everyone feel? To really see whether Godzilla or Kong have humanity’s collective back, they must undergo the same emotional trial as teenagers across the United States. They must care for that tiny fake baby from health class.

Godzilla’s hulking frame and indelicate disposition would immediately put him at a disadvantage. People don’t call him “The God of Destruction” for nothing, and Godzilla’s approach to caring for this small fake child would be that of an estranged uncle desperately trying to impress his nibbling. Unfortunately, the “cool trick” Godzilla would use to amaze the child is just his atomic breath. The health class baby doll wouldn’t stand a chance. On the other hand, Kong’s loyal and protective nature has long been established. This sympathetic behavior is further fleshed-out in the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer due to his relationship with a little girl named Jia. Much like that trailer, Kong would lock eyes with the small, fake baby doll and know, fundamentally, that they are one and the same.

Kong would obviously come away with this one playing the part of the fussy parent; carrying the doll on his large back, cradling it as he swings across Skull Island, and making sure it gets fed and burped at the appropriate intervals.

Winner: Kong

Final Score:

Godzilla — 3, Kong — 3

It turns out, this entire thought experiment leaves humanity no closer to peacefully determining which kaiju should be our champion. Godzilla and Kong must fight because they’d be equally matched in a scientifically sound, peaceful super contest. The only way to break the tie is to have Godzilla and Kong slug it out anyways, and nobody will know who comes out on top of that bout until Godzilla vs. Kong premieres on March 31.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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The wait is almost over! We’re only one week away from the kaiju clash of the century in Godzilla vs. Kong. But thanks to a new trailer, it seems like there may be another challenger entering the ring and that a major fan theory has finally been confirmed. Dan breaks down all the details about the secret, long-rumored villain who will be joining the brawl on today’s episode of Nerdist News!

Read more about Playmates’ Godzilla vs. Kong toy collection on Nerdist: https://bit.ly/3tInpIw

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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It’s not exactly a secret that Mechagodzilla will factor into the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong. But a new teaser for the film really plays up his appearance. Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros., and Toho released a trailer titled “Salvation” over the weekend. And though most of the footage is stuff we’ve already seen, it ends with a glimpse of some familiar-looking red eyes. Let’s take a look.

Yeah, that’s Mechagodzilla alright. And again, his appearance isn’t really a surprise. Eagle-eyed fans spotted him in the first trailer for Godzilla vs. Kong. He even appears in official merchandise for the upcoming movie. But it’s still exciting as hell to see him get just a tease in a piece of promotional material. His involvement in Godzilla vs. Kong teases a whole new layer to the monster flick than just a simple big boy showdown.

Mechagodzilla first appeared in the 1974 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. In that film, he’s an extraterrestrial foe of the eponymous giant lizard. In subsequent iterations, he’s usually a manmade threat. The robotic character, along with Ghidorah, is considered one of Godzilla’s primary foes. So seeing him here? It’s got us super hyped, to say the least.

Legendary Pictures / Warner Bros.

Recently, Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard also hyped up the appearance of Mechagodzilla in his film. He took to Instagram to pose with the aforementioned toy version of the character. “The cat’s out of the bag,” he labeled the photo. Some will call this a spoiler, but honestly, we’ve all known this was coming for a while, so it’s kind of nice to see the filmmakers just acknowledge it out in the open instead of playing coy.

Godzilla vs. Kong is so close now we can almost taste it. The epic showdown arrives in theaters and will stream on HBO Max on March 31. That’s next week!

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Who doesn’t love to watch giant monsters battle it out on the big screen? Creature features have long been a stalwart of Hollywood for good reason. This year, two of the biggest boys around are going to face down in Godzilla vs. Kong. Big-screen creature features are somewhat of a rarity these days with made-for-TV and home-video films taking up the majority of monster movie releases. That means this is a huge moment for fans of the genre. But as monster lovers everywhere know, this isn’t the first time that the two Titans have duked it out.

While we’re all waiting for Godzilla vs. Kong, it seems like a great time to look back at their original matchup. Back in 1962, Godzilla auteur Isihiro Honda took on the third film in the burgeoning franchise. But in the US, a strange team-up was stirring, one that would change the shape of cinema forever. Stop-motion icon Willis H. O’Brien, who’d overseen the King Kong effects in the groundbreaking original film, had a plan. He wanted King Kong to fight a giant foe, one who could only be imagined by the most nightmarish of brains: Frankenstein. Yes, the film that would become King Kong vs. Godzilla began as something even stranger, named Kong vs. Prometheus. Sadly, that movie would never come to be. O’Brien’s idea was stolen and sold to Toho, who replaced Frankenstein with Godzilla and history was made.

A giant monkey fighting a giant reptile makes a lot of sense in an era where stop motion and suits were the norm. Especially in a landscape where spectacle sells and audiences were hungry for movie monsters. Ironically, the story also aims to satirize the nature of shock TV and movie choices made by desperate execs. It all begins with a pharmaceutical company that wants to bring more attention to the shows that he sponsors. Of course, the only logical answer is to steal a massive monkey and bring it to Japan. There’s plenty of commentary here as the nefarious CEO gets jealous that Godzilla gets more press than his shows, so he attempts to usurp him with his new huge creature that he’s procured from the far-off Farou Island. But as we all know, humans can never control the beasts they capture and all hell breaks loose.

Toho

Just like the 1954 Godzilla, which sparked the longest-running franchise of all time, there are two distinct cuts of King Kong vs. Godzilla. There was, of course, the original Japanese one. And then there was the badly Americanized version which was extensively recut and supplemented with unnecessary new scenes. The US version cuts some of the drama and satire around the notion of ratings and shock tactics to draw in audiences. It also included new segments focused around news reports. It’s an echo of the documentary-style retelling they used for the recut 1954 Godzilla film. There were other changes, too, with the dub varying distinctly from the topics of conversation featured in the Japanese version, as well as the fact that the US release completely disregarded the original score, instead using archival tracks from the Universal catalog.

The one thing that both versions of the film share, though, is virulent racism. No matter which one you watch, you’ll find that to be true. It all comes down to Skull Island. The inhabitants of the island from where Kong hails are all portrayed by actors in brownface. The sequence plays into the nastiest and most racist “savage” stereotypes. And it’s a disappointing reminder that this kind of racism is global. When adapting the film for American audience, the studio never considered cutting out the racist sequences. Even as they cut around the rest of the film. This is one of the things that the new film will hopefully reckon with as they head back to Skull Island.

Legendary Pictures

Despite there being two cuts, one of the most resounding urban legends around the film is untrue. For years it was rumored—and exacerbated due to lack of access—that in the US version Kong won and that in the Japanese cut Godzilla took the victory. In fact, in both versions Kong is the victor, leaving Godzilla’s fate unclear as he disappears under the ocean. It became such a huge pop culture legend that many thought it was true. But with both versions now available to monster-movie fans everywhere, you can see the less interesting truth for yourself. After all, who really believes that Kong could beat Godzilla? Not this writer! But that’s exactly what happened in the original matchup.

No matter which one prevails this time around, their history is a storied one. And this strange third entry into the Godzilla franchise is where it all began. Let the big boy battle (re)commence!

Godzilla vs. Kong hits HBO Max and select theaters on March 31.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Luckily, the relevant information became quickly clear. That’s thanks in large part to the film’s characters, whose motivations and arcs give Godzilla vs. Kong a sense of momentum and clarity. Yes, the film centers on the epic showdown between the eponymous Titans. But the human journeys inform what we need to know about everything going on in the world after the events of King of the Monsters. The cast is also conveniently split into two camps, as director Adam Wingard recently explained to us over Zoom. There’s Team Godzilla and Team Kong.

We happened to be on set during a Team Godzilla day. That meant spending time with actors Brian Tyree Henry, Millie Bobby Brown, and Julian Dennison. (We also got to chat with Shun Oguri, whose allegiances are a little less clear—but more on him in a bit.) We learned about how their characters fit into the plot, what’s led them together, and how their storylines inform the larger story of Godzilla vs. Kong. We were also given some insights into characters we didn’t get to watch in action, thanks to producer Alex Garcia, who walked us through the film’s story.

Here’s what we learned on the set of Godzilla vs. Kong about the film’s characters. And why they provide a unique spin on what we’ve seen thus far in the MonsterVerse.

Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Where Godzilla vs. Kong begins

When we arrived on set, Garcia gave us a brief rundown of Godzilla vs. Kong‘s plot. (Or at least, of the things he could tell us—I have a feeling there’s another layer to this film that will only be revealed when it premieres.) Essentially, we start on Skull Island. It’s five years after King of the Monsters, where we learned that there many Titans on Earth, and that Godzilla is the apex predator. But Godzilla has been acting erratically for the last few months, and no one knows why.

Monarch, the scientific organization introduced in the Legendary films, is reacting to the global fear of the emergence of these creatures. It’s spent a lot of time and money creating entrances into the Hollow Earth, in the hopes of drawing the creatures back to where they came from. This mission doesn’t exactly go according to plan, which kicks off the events of Godzilla vs. Kong.

Chuck Zlotnick/Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Madison, Josh, and Bernie

One of the major returning characters in Godzilla vs. Kong is Millie Bobby Brown as Madison Russell. In King of the Monsters, Madison’s mother Emma (Vera Farmiga) sacrificed herself to save Madison and her father Mark (Kyle Chandler) from Ghidorah. When the story picks up, Madison is living with her father, but carries her mother’s memory with her.

“Five years have gone by and Madison has grown up,” Brown explained to us. “It’s definitely a coming-of-age story for her. Her storyline has evolved greatly in the way she deal with things, her attitude towards life. […] [She’s] really trying to follow in her mother’s footsteps, and strength-wise she’s become more strong, more independent, and understands what she needs to do. […] She’s basically a badass.”

Garcia described Madison as an “advocate” for Godzilla in the film. She spends her time trying to vindicate the Titan. This leads her down a path of discovery, especially when she learns of Monarch’s Hollow Earth plan. She’s afraid for Godzilla’s life, and goes on a “fact-finding” journey to uncover what she believes to be a conspiracy caused by a mysterious organization called APEX. Madison is joined by her good friend Josh Valentine (Julian Dennison), who Dennison called the “realist in the duo.” They also cross paths with Brian Tyree Henry’s Bernie Hayes, a former employee of APEX who hopes to expose the group for what it really is.

Henry described Bernie as an “inside conspiracy theorist” who runs his own podcast. “He just really wants to do what’s right for mankind and do what’s right for these kids and do what’s right for what he believes in, because he kind of saw this coming,” Henry explained. “He wants to make sure he kind of leaves a legacy for himself, because he doesn’t want his work to be in vain. I feel like it’s easy to call him a crackpot, it’s easy to call him a crazy guy—which he is, he is. But at the same time there’s heart to him. There’s this loyalty he has. He just wants to make sure the world doesn’t get destroyed.”

Like Madison, Bernie’s also reeling from the loss of a family member. Because of this, the trio forges an emotional bond. One that clearly translated to life. We watched Henry, Brown, and Dennison film a scene together, where their comedic chemistry jumped out. They have a really playful bond—also witnessed in our joint interview with Brown and Dennison, who are hilarious together.

“I get a little nervous sometimes when I think about working with teenagers in this capacity because what they have to do and what they’re called upon is so difficult and so hard,” Henry explained. “And especially with Millie, there’s an emotional center for what [Madison’s] lost from the previous movie. So my duty is just to be there to nurture them, and just protect them in this way. I kind of refer to myself as the Brienne of Tarth of this movie.”

Vince Valitutti/Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Ren Serizawa and APEX

We also got to spend a few minutes with Japanese actor Shun Oguri, who plays a character named Ren Serizawa in Godzilla vs. Kong. If that last name sounds familiar, it’s because Ren is the son of Dr. Ishirō Serizawa, played by Ken Wantanabe in Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Ren Serizawa is an employee of APEX; he’s a scientist who works under Demián Bichir’s Walter Simmons. Oguri couldn’t tell us much about his role, but said that Ren “is a character who wants to protect Earth.” He also said that Ren’s goal is a little different than that of his father.

Oguri also mentioned that APEX is “trying to solve the Titan problem.” So how does this mission conflict with—or fit into—Monarch’s plan? That’s the big question, and feels just as pertinent as who will win between Godzilla and Kong.

Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Team Kong

We didn’t spend any time with the “Team Kong” side of the Godzilla vs. Kong cast. But Garcia and Wingard filled in a bit of information about these characters, as did costume designer Ann Foley. Alexander Skarsgård plays Nathan Lind, a geologist affiliated with Monarch who spearheads the initial Hollow Earth mission. He wants to use Kong to aid in his goals as a means of survival. There’s also Rebecca Hall as Ilene Andrews, another figure instrumental in Kong’s storyline. In the trailer, we see her help a young girl named Gia who’s emotionally connected to Kong. According to Foley, Andrews is Gia’s adoptive mother.

Eiza González also stars as Maya Simmons. She previously referred to her character as “comedic,” so she’ll likely add another layer of humor to the project.

Of course, the real stars of the show are the characters in the title. The humans are mostly conduits to the story between Godzilla and Kong. The Titans have their own emotional journeys to go on in the film. So, how will all of these people—as well as organization like Monarch and APEX—factor into their showdown? And is there more going on to the story, perhaps involving mechanized versions of the MonsterVerse characters?

We don’t have to wait long to find out. Godzilla vs. Kong arrives in theaters and on HBO Max on March 31.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks. 

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There were a lot of uncertainties headed to the Australia set of Godzilla vs. Kong. It was March 2019, two months before Godzilla: King of the Monsters‘ release. And here we were, a group of film journalists about to visit the set of its sequel. Outside of a few pretty obvious observations—namely, that Godzilla would survive King of the Monsters—we knew little about the first film’s plot. All we knew was that it would somehow pave the way for an epic fight between two of cinema’s most legendary monsters: Godzilla and King Kong.

We learned quite a bit on set that day. And even more when we spoke with director Adam Wingard on Zoom almost two years later. But what stands out best in my memory is the root of the story. The whole reason for pitting two giant creatures against one another in the first place. The Legendary MonsterVerse is an epic world, yes, but also an intimate one. Godzilla vs. Kong, above all else, is a story about two misunderstood beings.

Warner Bros. Pictures / Legendary Pictures

Godzilla and Kong as characters

“For me […] one of the most important things going into this film was treating Godzilla and King Kong like actual characters,” Wingard said. “They have personalities and they have definitive things that they will and won’t do, and so it was always trying to bring that out first and foremost.”

On set, producer Alex Garcia called Godzilla a “misunderstood hero” who’s fighting for humanity. Likewise, he noted that Kong is a lonely figure, hoping to find another like him, and learning there really aren’t any. The film follows his emotional journey.

So yes, Godzilla vs. Kong pits the two against one another, as the title implies. But it also explores who they are as individuals and what leads to such a conflict.

Nobody technically “plays” Godzilla or Kong in this film. But that doesn’t mean their facial features and personalities aren’t utilized for emotional effect.

“Kong, for instance, is almost like a human conduit,” Wingard explained. “We can actually cut to Kong in this movie without having to cut back to the human characters for relatively large chunks of the film. Because we can experience things through him. He’s emotive […] and the way he experiences things is relatable. It allows us to be able to just treat him just like any other character, and the humans are always going to back that up.”

Vince Valitutti / Warner Bros. Pictures / Legendary Pictures

The APEX and Monarch of it all

As you might have noticed in the trailers, there’s a mysterious new company involved in the Godzilla vs. Kong plot called APEX. Garcia referred to it as “an extreme version of Amazon or Apple.” What does that mean? The main thing we gleaned from the set visit is that the company might have something to do with Godzilla’s recent erratic behavior. Which again plays into the characterization of the creature. Is he being controlled by outside elements, or acting based on free will?

There’s also Monarch, the scientific organization introduced in Legendary’s MonsterVerse. Monarch carries out expeditions to hunt and study massive unidentified terrestrial organisms (also known as MUTOs). In Godzilla vs. Kong, Monarch is spending a lot of money creating entries into Hollow Earth—the hollow core at the center of the planet. This is where some monsters—possibly including Godzilla—are believed to come from. (King Kong’s home, Skull Island, is an entry point to the Hollow Earth.)

APEX and Monarch are the human components of the story that ultimately assist in guiding the central conflict between Godzilla and Kong.

“The movie itself […] is split into two kind of concurrent storylines, you know, which you could kind of organize as Team Godzilla [and] Team Kong,” Wingard explained “Godzilla’s being led by Millie Bobby Brown and Brian Tyree Henry. Whereas Team Kong is on the other side of the world being led by Alexander Skarsgård and Rebecca Hall. Each one of the human’s stories kind of really punches up what the monsters are going through.”

Warner Bros. Pictures / Legendary Pictures

Incorporating the setting 

Bringing out the characterization of Godzilla and Kong meant going back. Way back. To prepare for filming, Wingard and production designer Tom Hammock watched every Godzilla and King Kong movie to date. This didn’t just give the crew an appreciation for the lore. It also helped them figure out the visual look of the whole project. Everything from incorporating locations into the plot to accurately conveying scale not only makes the film look interesting, but tells us things about Godzilla and Kong, too.

“We took the city and where the third act takes place and [we designed it] so that it’s very recognizable, but slightly futuristic,” Hammock explained of the film’s Hong Kong battle. “[And] so that it feels a little bit more like a jungle, because Kong’s always going to be at a disadvantage. We wanted to give him height. Skyscrapers were like trees he can climb.”

“While [Kong] is swinging, Godzilla is trying to knock him down with his extraordinary atomic breath,” added Owen Patterson, another production designer on the film. “And we thought while that’s happening, Kong can be swinging from building-to-building, like parkour, almost.”

Patterson added that they also adjusted the size of real Hong Kong locations to create this effect. Bending set pieces and utilizing their core structures to communicate the character’s behavior makes the creatures feel all the more realized.

But that big Hong Kong showdown wasn’t the only challenging aspect. Hammock spoke to a huge water sequence in the film, also spotted in the trailer.

“We watched some water movies […] just to try to understand the technicalities,” Hammock explained. “Once you understand the technicalities, how can you be artistic within those massive constraints that come with actors holding their breath?”

Garcia also discussed the water sequence, saying it was one of the first ideas Wingard brought to the table. He compared Godzilla to a shark at the beginning of the scene, the spikes on his back rising through the water like a great white fin. Water is one of the places we really haven’t seen Godzilla or Kong interact with before. So it provided new opportunities for iconic images of these major cinematic beasts. And also to see how their interactions could embody new locations.

Vince Valitutti / Warner Bros. Pictures / Legendary Pictures

Who will win?

We picked up on certain things around set that the internet has also been buzzing about since the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer dropped. (We, too, were curious about certain mechanized versions of characters, spotted in drawn up plans—and perhaps plain sight—in the clips.) There was plenty of concept art alluding to other possible Titans that could appear in the film, and a few set pieces that teed up exciting stuff going down at APEX headquarters. Things that could shake up what we think we know about this film.

But, out of respect for Wingard, as well as the audience, I’ll avoid getting too detailed about all of that right now. “I just want people to have as pure of an experience as they can, and it’s just… If you’re reading about it, it’s just going to be less exciting than actually seeing it,” Wingard explained over Zoom. And I have to agree.

Godzilla vs. Kong will surely be loaded with surprises galore. The sets were epic and beautiful. But again, it’s the care for these legendary creatures that stood out. King Kong first appeared onscreen in 1933. Godzilla first appeared onscreen in 1954. Now, it’s 2021 and they’re as relevant and cared for as ever—perhaps even more than ever.

Yet, we can’t ignore the whole “versus” part of that title. This is a big matchup, where there’s clearly an intended winner in the end. We have no idea how that’ll shake out, but when we asked Wingard if he had a favorite, he had a great answer.

“Favorite’s a strong word,” he explained. “But I will say that I definitely knew who I wanted to win right off the bat. I remember in second grade there was a friend of mine who had a definitive idea of who he thought would win in a fight, Godzilla or King Kong. And I remember being on the playground and arguing with him about it. I felt like he was totally wrong, by the way. And so, in a weird roundabout way, this movie is like the most like ridiculous way of winning a fight with a friend of yours in second grade. But now I finally have the last word.”

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks. 

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We’re pretty dang excited for Godzilla vs. Kong here at Nerdist. The first trailer for the upcoming film really has it all. A giant lizard and giant ape in combat. Neon lights aplenty. And epic music to sell the whole big, ridiculous, exciting project—the culmination of several new movies set in the MonsterVerse. But there’s one thing the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer didn’t have: a cat. Until now, that is.

A YouTuber that goes by JKK Films put his cat, Wayne, into the trailer, and it’s incredible. There’s something so special about a giant super-imposed kitty yawning in the background while the big monster boys fight. It’s perfectly in keeping with cat logic. Even giant cats are pretty unfazed by major things going on around them.

JKK Films

There’s no logical reason for Wayne to be in this Godzilla vs. Kong footage. The YouTuber didn’t really bother to factor him into the story. In some scenes, he replaces footage of Godzilla storming through the city. But this isn’t a video where logic matters all that much. The important thing is that Wayne is just hanging out, majestic as a cat can be, an anecdote to the explosive action going on around him. Nothing better than that.

JKK Films’ trailer remix is also just another way to pump ourselves up for Godzilla vs. Kong. That film, directed by Adam Wingard and featuring a sprawling cast (Alexander Skarsgård! Millie Bobby Brown! Kyle Chandler! Bryan Tyree Henry!), comes out just next month, on March 31. Even better? It’ll be released in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. So if you’re worried about venturing to the nearest multiplex, you can enjoy the big action from the safety of your own home.

We can’t wait to see Godzilla vs. Kong, even though we’ll miss Wayne’s presence.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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This March, Godzilla and Kong will face off in an epic showdown in the Monsterverse’s latest entry, Godzilla vs. Kong. In addition to a super-sized slugfest, this movie will seemingly confirm another major component of the Monsterverse: the Hollow Earth Theory. First introduced in Kong: Skull Island, the theory has subtly been built up in the lore of the series to explain the origin of these massive monsters. However, the idea of a Hollow Earth actually has ties to a history of real world conspiracies dating back to the seventeenth century. Dan breaks down everything you need to know in today’s episode of Nerdist Now

Watch our full breakdown of the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer: https://bit.ly/3c9J3jg

Read Atlas Obscura’s history of the Hollow Earth: https://bit.ly/2YxnPnF

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The full trailer for Godzilla Vs. Kong recently hit, and it was the big dose of big boisterous fun we all needed right now. We imagine for a lot of younger folks who saw it, they might think this is the first time the two legendary monsters went toe to toe. (Or is that paw to claw?) But nearly 60 years ago, Japan’s finest kaiju and the Big Apple’s favorite ape duked it out in King Kong Vs. Godzilla.

Things were a little more low tech back then, but it didn’t stop kids the world over from eating it up. Now, a YouTube channel named Long Live The King, which is dedicated to all things Godzilla, has uploaded a side-by-side video of the 1962 movie and the 2021 trailer. You can see just how similar (and not similar) they are.

We imagine there will be a lot of differences between the original and the new version. For starters, the original had Kong getting his name first in the title. He subsequently won the big battle. Despite rumors for years, Kong won in both the Japanese and English versions of the film. With Godzilla’s name coming first in this new movie, could they be tipping their hat that the atomic lizard is the victor this time? We’ll have to wait and see. But I have a sneaking suspicion the two will team up to fight a third kaiju. Mechagodzilla perhaps?

Long Live the King

Regardless of who wins in Godzilla Vs. Kong, both cinematic behemoths will always be the rulers in their own right. Godzilla will always be “King of the Monsters,” and Kong will always have the title of “King” preceding his name. But perhaps the greatest kaiju monarch is actually Mothra, who is female. Go fight over who gets to be king boys, nobody is going to take Mothra’s crown as Queen of all Kaiju away. And women tend to outlive men anyway. We’ll see who’s last monster standing in the end.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Featured Image: Long Live the King

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Let them fight! The first Godzilla vs. Kong trailer is here and it gives our best look yet at the fight of the century. Join Dan Casey on today’s Nerdist News as he breaks down all the hidden details, easter eggs, and secrets in the trailer, including clues to a potential secret villain!

Godzilla vs. Kong opens in theaters and exclusively streams on HBO Max on March 26, 2021.

Watch the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer: https://bit.ly/3a4sfHL

Editor’s note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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It’s the cinematic rematch giant monster fans have wanted for nearly 60 years. The behemoth ape Kong taking on the gargantuan lizard Godzilla. The wait is finally almost over for Godzilla vs. Kong, and we finally got our first real look at what’s sure to be a grudge match of (possibly) Earth-shattering proportions. How many more euphemisms for “big” can I use? Well, watch the trailer and then tell me.

Not pulling any punches, are they?

The trailer begins with Kong. He’s gotten much larger in the time since Kong: Skull Island, but he’s nevertheless still a recognized world-saver. And apparently something very bad is going on because Alexander Skarsgård is dead set on bringing Kong to the mainland. To do so, Monarch will need to take a small girl to whom Kong has a bond. Rebecca Hall is exploiting Kong’s inherent empathy, which is at Kong’s very core as a character.

Legendary

But wait, if Kong is our hero does that mean…? Well, we don’t have to wait long for the answer. Godzilla attacks the vessel, seemingly hunting Kong. We learn from dialogue later in the trailer that Godzilla has been harming people all over the world. As Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler point out, that’s very unlike him. Something is apparently influencing and manipulating Godzilla for its own nefarious, apocalyptic purposes.

Something that stands out immediately is the color on display in the trailer. This version of Godzilla finally gets to demolish a neon-lit Tokyo. We also see several bioluminescent creatures. These are likely primordial critters from inside the Hollow Earth; as Hall mentions, it seems like there was a war and only Kong and Godzilla are left. This would suggest the war took place within the Hollow Earth.

But Godzilla can’t be the villain of the whole movie! That doesn’t track. Though the clips in the trailer show him fighting Kong a few times, it’s very likely those are all from the early part of the movie. Then who’s the main villain? Well there’s also a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot around 1 minutes 41 seconds of Shun Oguri’s character standing in front of a light-up schematic that says “Maximum Charge.” You can see what appear to be robotic lizard legs below the words. So… are we thinking Mechagodzilla here?

Even if the movie ultimately ends up with Kong and Godzilla teaming up, the tagline “One Will Fall” definitely has us worried. Godzilla is the king of the monsters. But, “Kong bows to no one,” so…

Godzilla vs. Kong will hit theaters and HBO Max very soon.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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With three movies leading up to the epic battle between Godzilla and Kong, audiences have seen just how formidable each grand Titan can be. In Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the massive prehistoric reptile took on foes both new and old. In Kong: Skull Island, the enormous gorilla fended off skullcrawlers of all sizes, and the U.S. military. So when the two finally meet in Godzilla vs. Kong, would you expect anything less than the fight of the century? From the movie’s first key art, it looks like that’s exactly what we’ll get.

Legendary

Boldly claiming “one will fall,” the poster depicts Kong, much, much larger than he was in Skull Island, already in a major city. Half the city is engulfed in flame, bathing him in the emblematic colors of both monsters. He stares out into the harbor to see Godzilla’s familiar spines cutting their way through the water. If we worried this movie wasn’t going to “let them fight,” we needn’t have. We’ll find out for sure when the first trailer drops Sunday, January 24.

This does, of course, offer a bit of a dilemma; they’re both heroes, we don’t want one of them to fall! We absolutely know they throw down given that brief snippet from HBO Max’s 2021 trailer, but unlike a lot of “versus” movie, taking sides in this fight seems a lot more fraught. Can they both win? That’d suit us just fine.

Godzilla vs. Kong will make its debut in theaters and on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release. It’ll be here March 26, so we don’t have very long to wait. In addition to the two main guys, the cast includes returning faves Kyle Chandler and Millie Bobby Brown. Alexander Skarsgard; Rebecca Hall; Bryan Tyree Henry; Shun Oguri; Eiza Gonzalez; Lance Reddick; and Demian Bichir also star.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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In 2021, the two titans of the Monsterverse will finally go head to head on the big screen, pitting the modern interpretations of these colossal creatures against one another for the first time in this modern cinematic universe. But did you know that this is a rematch nearly 60 years in the making?

Today’s episode of Explainiac is brought to you by Playmates Toys. Check out their new line of Godzilla vs. Kong figures, available exclusively at Walmart: 11″ Godzilla figure (https://bit.ly/3cfj5Js) and 11” Kong figure (https://bit.ly/3mB5a5d)

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The fight of the century is finally here…almost. While we wait for the mammoth melee of Godzilla vs. Kong on the big screen, Playmates has you covered with a brand new line of toys to help you bring the monster battles to life in your living room. Join Vanessa Gritton as she unboxes some of biggest, baddest toys in the Monsterverse.

Want to take home a Godzilla or Kong of your own? Click here: 11″ Godzilla figure (https://bit.ly/3cfj5Js) and 11” Kong figure (https://bit.ly/3mB5a5d)

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If you’ve ever wondered what the inside of Godzilla looks like, a new theme park attraction in Japan is giving you the chance to find out firsthand! Nijigen no Mori, a theme park located on an island close to Kobe, Japan, is opening a new Godzilla themed attraction this weekend. It’s the only place on Earth you can jump feet first into a life-sized Godzilla’s toothy mouth… and come out the other end in one piece. (Don’t think about that part too much.)

Toho Co. Ltd.

Nijigen no Mori on Awaji Island is a theme park already home to one-of-a-kind attractions like a colorful village based on beloved anime Naruto and Boruto. On October 10, the newest attraction, “Godzilla Interception Operation Awaji,” opens its doors to kaiju fans everywhere. Attendees take on the roles of researchers and embark on a journey to learn more about the invading creature. It culminates in staring down a 75-foot-tall Godzilla replica at the other end of a death-defying zipline ride.

Like all good theme park rides, the attraction begins with an in-universe movie that informs the public that the kaiju invasion has started. From there, visitors can check out a kaiju museum and shooting gallery game before moving on to the half-buried beast. A very excited and slightly nervous reporter for Sun TV had the chance to film his flight into Godzilla’s mouth.

And a theme park wouldn’t be complete without an appropriately themed menu! We can’t get over the Mothra Curry and the Godzilla Cream Puff.

Nijigen no Mori

Tickets for adults are ¥3,800 and kids are ¥2,200, and just those menu items are worth the price of admission. The next time you’re planning a trip to Japan, take some time to visit this slightly out-of-the-way island to live out your dreams of becoming a ninja and fighting Godzilla.

Kelly Knox is a freelance entertainment writer in Seattle, WA who writes for Star Wars, DC Comics, and more. Follow her on Twitter.

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Netflix has some big plans for it’s next project. And we do mean big. One of cinema’s largest, most iconic monsters is returning to the streaming giant. He’ll roar back into action in the all new anime series Godzilla Singular Point. The best part, though, is that everyone’s favorite chonky boi is coming with an entirely new story and cast.

Following the success of its Godzilla anime films, Netflix is bringing back the beloved kaiju for his very own series. But Godzilla Singular Point will not be a continuation of the previous movies that have debuted on the streaming site. The series will not be connected to Planet of the Monsters, City on the Edge of Battle, and The Planet Eater. The show will instead feature an original storyline, along with a brand new cast.

Netflix

Atsushi Takahashi (Doraemon the Movie 2017: Great Adventure in the Antarctic Kachi Kochi) will direct. From Netflix’s official announcement, the show’s creative team also includes:

“Kan Sawada, composer for countless Doraemon films and series such as Yowamushi Pedal, Japanese science-fiction novelist Toh Enjoe making his TV debut as editor and writer for the series, Kazue Kato creator of Blue Exorcist and the hit comic currently serialized in Jump Square will serve as the character designer, and animator Eiji Yamamori from Studio Ghibli films including Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and The Wind Rises will do the Kaiju design.”

The anime studio bones (My Hero Academia) will produce the series in partnership with studio Orange (Beastars, Land of the Lustrous). The show will combine “hand-drawn and CG animation styles.” Netflix provided some early artwork for the seemingly large cast of characters. We already have some guesses as to which ones we’ll root for, and which ones we’ll be okay watching Godzilla step on.

Netflix

We don’t trust that guy in a suit. We hope Godzilla feels the same way. Godzilla Singular Point is set to make it’s big, big, big premiere globally on Netflix in 2021.

Featured Image: Netflix

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