Godzilla vs. Kong is the fourth entry in the MonsterVerse. There are currently no announced plans for more films to follow. Godzilla vs. Kong trailer has set the MonsterVerse on a particular pedestal that hasn’t been touched before. The expectations are only soaring higher. Previous trailers have set up the epic showdown between Godzilla and Kong, showing Godzilla on a global rampage at odds with the previous peaceful relationship with humanity. The titan-studying, earth-defending organization Monarch seems to remove Kong from his home on Skull Island. Hence, reviving an ancient feud between the two monsters and kicking off what’s sure to be a battle of epic proportions.
Some humans, like Millie Bobby Brown’s Madison Russell, believe there is an unseen force manipulating Godzilla into violent behavior, while others are ready to stop him at any cost. A line at the beginning says that humanity needs Kong “to stop what’s coming,” suggesting that the ape’s initial removal has nothing to do with Godzilla. Some promotional clips have shown Godzilla and Kong go toe-to-toe and fight like the actual beast they are. The MonsterVerse has done a good job so far of incorporating elements from past King Kong iterations and the Toho Godzilla franchise, the latter of which has frequently invoked aliens as major players.
With no further entries currently announced in the MonsterVerse following Godzilla vs. Kong, an extraterrestrial threat could be the perfect way to keep the series going. Iconic kaiju foes like King Ghidorah, Gigan, Mechagodzilla, and more all originated as weapons of extraterrestrial forces, who deployed the monsters in various failed attempts to conquer Earth. The introduction of aliens would open up lots of narrative possibilities for the MonsterVerse going forward, but it would also provide a unique solution to the Godzilla vs. Kong dilemma of which titan will reign supreme. The franchise has already entered into light sci-fi with prior installments, and moving further in that direction is a natural step.
Mechagodzilla is the most popular theory, largely because the Robo-kaiju has been hinted at in the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer. There’s been speculation that the MonsterVerse’s mysterious Apex group, which will be introduced in the upcoming film, could be responsible for constructing Mechagodzilla. Another theory holds the Godzilla seen in the trailer is actually Mechagodzilla in disguise – a twist that would harken back to the robot’s first cinematic appearance. There’s been no official confirmation Mechagodzilla will appear, and even if it does, that doesn’t preclude Legendary from including other threats to flesh out the MonsterVerse further.
An alien plotline could even mesh with the introduction of Mechagodzilla. The introduction of King Ghidorah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters brought alien life to the MonsterVerse, opening the door for more to follow. Ghidorah’s very presence was catastrophic because his nature as an invasive species upset the delicate balance of Earth’s titan order. While Ghidorah is out of commission at the moment, he will likely make a comeback since his head has been acquired by Alan Jonah’s ecoterrorists – possibly as Mecha-King Ghidorah.
King of the Monsters director Michael Dougherty has named Gigan as a kaiju he would love to bring into the MonsterVerse, and the introduction of more space monsters would be a natural progression from Ghidorah. If Gigan or any other extraterrestrial kaiju are introduced in Godzilla vs Kong or beyond, that would necessitate a more thorough explanation of where they came from. In the Toho films, that’s usually been a sentient, imperialist alien race vying to control Earth. At any other time in cinematic history, introducing unironic alien invaders into a major franchise might have seemed risky or goofy. However, the MCU has proved mainstream audiences are open to more complex sci-fi plotlines.
The idea of a clear winner and loser to the titanic showdown has been at the core of the film since its conception. That presents a major problem though since the MonsterVerse still needs both its leading titans to carry it into the future. Earlier footage has shown Godzilla as the main villain. But that doesn’t really seem to be the case. Even if he comes to his senses, it likely won’t undo the feud with Kong, given the ancient titan war between their species. That means Godzilla and Kong are the strongest titans on Earth, and there’s no escaping their collision.
It will surely be interesting to see what role will Godzilla play. Even more, it will be interesting to see Godzilla and Kong stand up against a bigger foe. The film is currently slated for release in theaters and on HBO Max on March 31. Are you excited about it? Let us know in the comments below!
