Godzilla vs. Kong filmmaker Adam Wingard certainly wasn’t afraid to dream a little bigger. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the latest cinematic entry in the MonsterVerse, picks up on a thread from 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong: the matter of the Hollow Earth. “For most of human civilization,” Rebecca Hall’s character asks as the trailer begins, “we believed that life could only exist on the surface of our planet. What else were we wrong about?”
There’s a definite Jurassic Park vibe here, with all the rich green landscapes and flocks? herds? of animals roaming about. And, of course, there’s an even bigger ape—who Kong certainly can’t tackle alone.
Here, sort of, is a summary:
The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
Adam Wingard directs this clash of the titans; the screenplay is by Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater. Along with Hall, the film stars Brian Tyree Henry, Kaylee Hottle, and Dan Stevens, who looks unexpectedly at home among all the monster chaos.
This Godzilla film is, of course, no relation to Godzilla Minus One, but it is related to Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, as well as the animated series Skull Island and the previous four MonsterVerse Godzilla films (Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong). But if you can’t keep all the ’Zillas straight, you’ll probably be okay.
Check out the trailer below:
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is in theaters April 12, 2024.
