The Monsterverse has a new friendship and enemy. Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the followup to the crossover in which the two monsters fought (seen below). Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs. Kong) returns to the franchise to helm the film with a script written by Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), Simon Barrett (Blair Witch), and Terry Rossio (Godzilla vs. Kong).
The trailer for Godzilla x Kong gives us the story of its monsters and humans. Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle reprise their previous roles with Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) and Fala Chen (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as they research this recently discovered world of monsters. They uncover a new threat, one that is the same kind as Kong. The only way to stop this kaiju ape is to have Kong and Godzilla join forces to save the world.
Most notably for monster fans, some new decisions are made for our two leading behemoths. Godzilla sports a pink flame that glows throughout this back, similar to how the classic blue would glow. Meanwhile, Kong has a robotic arm that should deliver a meatier punch.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Trailer Has a Fresh Twist on Its Classic Monsters
The Monsterverse has had quite the expansion recently. While we await the next installment for the big screen side of the franchise, it has had its first show with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The Apple TV series has shed more light on Monarch, the secret government department that studies the creatures for its own purposes. It is a further investment in growing the lore of the monsters, its secret organization, and telling new human stories.
The trailer for Godzilla x Kong sets up the fifth entry in the franchise. It has largely had generous returns at the box office as it has grossed $1.9 billion. The biggest hit was Kong: Skull Island, which grossed $561 million. The last film, Godzilla vs. Kong, was released in theaters in 2021. Despite the pandemic still rampant, it proved theatrically released blockbusters could be viable as it grossed $470 million. According to Variety, the film did not go into the negative as it only needed to reach $330 million to be considered a success.
The trailer of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire comes in at the right time, as we are knee-deep in kaiju season. Monarch is airing episodes once a week on Apple TV. Meanwhile, Toho released its latest film, Godzilla Minus One.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will be released on April 12, 2024.
