Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire – Everything We Know So Far
Godzilla and Kong are set to face off again in the upcoming monster movie sequel Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire. The movie is highly anticipated by fans of the MonsterVerse franchise that kicked off with Godzilla in 2014 and has pitted some of cinema’s most iconic giant monsters against each other.
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Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire will see the two titular Titans battle once more, along with new threats. While plot details are still scarce, here’s everything we know so far about the release date, cast, plot, trailer and more for Godzilla vs Kong 2.
Release Date
Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire is scheduled to be released on March 15, 2024. The movie was originally set for a May 2020 release but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s now slated to hit theaters on March 15, 2024.
Theatrical Release
Like the previous MonsterVerse movies, Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire will get an exclusive theatrical release. Despite the rise of streaming services, a big-budget blockbuster like this is still expected to premiere first in movie theaters.
International Release
The new Godzilla vs Kong movie will likely be rolled out across international markets around the same time as its US release or shortly after. The first Godzilla vs Kong movie premiered internationally in March 2021, even before its US release. We can probably expect a similar worldwide release schedule for the sequel.
Cast
Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire will see some returning human characters along with new cast members:
Godzilla x Kong The New Empire
| Dan Stevens, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Kaylee Hottle, Fala Chen, Alex Ferns, Rachel House |
| Release Date |
| March 2024 |
| Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi |
| Director Adam Wingard |
Dan Stevens as TBD
Dan Stevens joins the MonsterVerse as a lead human character, though his role is still undisclosed. Stevens is best known for playing Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey and the Beast in Beauty and the Beast.
Rebecca Hall as Dr. Ilene Andrews
Rebecca Hall is set to reprise her role as Dr. Ilene Andrews, the adoptive mother of Jia, who has a close bond with Kong. Ilene may hold some secrets about Kong’s past.
Kaylee Hottle as Jia
Child actress Kaylee Hottle will return as Jia, the deaf Indigenous girl who can communicate with Kong through sign language. She is expected to play a major role in the movie’s events.
Brian Tyree Henry as Bernie Hayes
Brian Tyree Henry is back as Bernie Hayes, an Apex Cybernetics employee who assisted Ilene and Jia in Godzilla vs Kong. He is likely to provide some comic relief.
New Human Cast
The movie will also feature new human characters played by actors Fala Chen and TBD. Details are still few, but they will likely be pivotal new additions to the MonsterVerse lore.
Plot
Specific details around the plot of Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire are still mostly under wraps. But here is what we know so far:
Continue MonsterVerse Story
The new movie aims to continue the ongoing story of Legendary Pictures’ cinematic MonsterVerse, which pits Godzilla, Kong and other classic cinematic giants against each other and new Titan monsters.
Show Bigger World
While the first film was set primarily on Skull Island, previews suggest Godzilla vs Kong 2 will show audiences a bigger world with new locations. Big action set pieces in new terrains are teased.
New Villain
Rumors suggest a new monstrous villain (or villains) will emerge to take on Godzilla, Kong and humanity. This new threat is set to test their allegiances.
High Stakes
The sequel promises higher stakes compared to the first epic match-up. Godzilla and Kong will need to band together with mankind for a shot at survival.
Focus on Kong’s Past
Dr. Ilene Andrews and Jia’s characters suggest the movie will delve deeper into Kong’s origins and ancestral home. Hidden secrets about the great ape are likely to be uncovered.
While the basic premise involves Godzilla and Kong battling a dangerous new foe, extensive plot details are still firmly under wraps for now.
Trailer
A brief teaser trailer for Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire was unveiled at Comic-Con 2022. The dramatic trailer does not show any footage, but features voiceover that hints at the sequel’s tone and premise.
Teases New Villain
The Godzilla vs Kong 2 teaser trailer features investigator Josh Valentine (played by Dan Stevens) saying “Our world needs them. But others want destruction.” This hints that Godzilla and Kong will need to unite against a lethal new adversary.
Shows High Stakes
We hear Brian Tyree Henry’s character Bernie Hayes saying “This time, we join forces with Godzilla. We’ll find a way to live together. If we don’t, we die together.” This suggests some uneasy alliances between humans, Kong and Godzilla against an otherworldly threat.
No Movie Footage
While the voiceover sets the scene, the trailer does not feature any clips from the new movie. It builds anticipation without actually revealing the sequel’s spectacle.
More trailers with actual scenes from the movie are expected in the coming months as the release date nears. The teaser trailer provides an early taste of the sequel’s tone though without any monster movie money shots.
Director and Creative Team
Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire sees director Adam Wingard returning along with several key creatives from the MonsterVerse movies:
Director – Adam Wingard
Adam Wingard directs the sequel after helming the first Godzilla vs Kong movie in 2021. He is known for horror films like The Guest and Blair Witch.
Writers – Terry Rossio and Michael Dougherty
The screenplay is by Terry Rossio, who co-wrote the first movie, along with Michael Dougherty who helped write Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Their work aims to expand the MonsterVerse story.
Producers – Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric McLeod, and Brian Rogers
The producer team from Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures returns, having helped oversee the entire MonsterVerse since 2014’s Godzilla.
Composer – Tom Holkenborg
Tom Holkenborg (aka Junkie XL) is back to score the sequel. He previously composed the epic music for Godzilla vs Kong.
The creative team’s experience with the MonsterVerse should allow the new movie to feel like a natural continuation of the saga while raising the stakes.
Connection to the MonsterVerse
Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire is set in the same cinematic universe as the previous MonsterVerse movies:
Godzilla (2014)
The MonsterVerse kicked off with 2014’s Godzilla movie, which saw Godzilla battle the MUTOs. It reintroduced the King of Monsters on the big screen.
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Kong: Skull Island set up Kong as Godzilla’s rival, with the giant ape defending his home from monsters and military forces.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
The 2019 sequel featured Godzilla battling fearsome Titans like Ghidorah and Rodan with the help of Mothra and other allies.
Godzilla vs Kong (2021)
Last year’s crossover event saw the iconic kaijus collide as sinister forces manipulated them into a clash. It also expanded the Titan mythos.
Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire will expand on characters, stories and worlds from the preceding four MonsterVerse films while opening up new fronts in the war with emerging Titans.
Unanswered Questions
There are still plenty of unanswered questions around the characters, plot, new Titans and other details that will have to wait until Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire hits theaters.
- What is the nature of the new villain or villains?
- How will Kong uncover secrets about his ancestral home?
- Which classic kaiju might make cameo appearances?
- Will other Titans like Mothra or King Ghidorah return?
- What new locations will be featured?
- How will Godzilla and Kong eventually join forces?
The trailers, posters, interviews and other promotional material releasing ahead of the movie will hopefully shed light on these mysteries in the coming months.
Conclusion
Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire is shaping up to be an epic sequel in the MonsterVerse saga. With Adam Wingard back at the helm and the key cast members returning, it aims to expand on the thrilling titan conflict shown in Godzilla vs Kong. Not much is known yet beyond the basic premise of Godzilla and Kong uniting to face a dangerous new adversary. But the teaser trailer hints at the sequel’s grand scale and stakes.
Fans can look forward to plenty of marketing material in the months leading up to the March 2024 release date to get a better idea of the story, characters, new kaiju and worlds featured in Godzilla vs Kong 2. The sequel looks set to deliver on the promise of its title – an all-out brawl between cinematic icons who must forge a fragile alliance if they hope to save both mankind and monsters from an otherworldly threat. Their battle continues in what is likely the biggest MonsterVerse movie yet.