Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

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Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire See alternate titles Directed by Adam Wingard Producer Mary Parent Alex Garcia Eric McLeod Brian Rogers Thomas Tull Written by Terry Rossio Simon Barrett Jeremy Slater (screenplay only) Adam Wingard (story only) Music by Tom Holkenborg, Antonio Di Iorio Visual effects by Alessandro Ongaro Funded by Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Production company Legendary Pictures Distributor Warner Bros.US, TohoJP Legendary EastCN Rating PG-13US Budget $135 million Running time 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes) Aspect ratio 2.39:1 1.90:1 (~49 minutes, IMAX only) Rate this film! 4.58 (79 votes)

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“	Rise together or fall alone	„
	— Tagline

“	The world will now witness. (世界は今、目撃する。)	„
	— Japanese tagline

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (ゴジラxコング 新たなる帝国,   Gojira Kongu: Aratanaru Teikoku) is a 2024 American science fiction monster film directed by Adam Wingard and written by Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater from a story by Rossio, Wingard, and Barrett, with visual effects by Alessandro Ongaro. Produced by Legendary Pictures, which also co-financed it with Warner Bros., it is the fifth Hollywood-produced Godzilla film and 38th Godzilla film overall, as well as the fifth film in the Monsterverse. It is a direct sequel to the 2021 film Godzilla vs. Kong and stars Rebecca Hall, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle, who reprise their roles from that film, as well as Dan Stevens, Alex Ferns, Fala Chen, and Rachel House, who play original characters. The film made its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California on March 25, 2024. Warner Bros. released it to wider American theaters on March 29, and Toho will bring it to Japanese theaters on April 26.

Three years after the events of Godzilla vs. Kong, Monarch heads into the Hollow Earth after receiving a mysterious signal. At the same time, Kong befriends a juvenile ape named Suko, who leads him to a secret empire of Great Apes and the imprisoned ice Titan Shimo, ruled by the ruthless Skar King. Through the revived Mothra's mediation, Godzilla and Kong join forces against the Skar King's army.

Description

“

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.

„

Plot

	“I knew that『plot』wasn't up to much.” This plot synopsis is missing or incomplete. Please help by editing this section.

To be added.

Staff

Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.

• Directed by   Adam Wingard
• Screenplay by   Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, Jeremy Slater
• Based on a story by   Terry Rossio, Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett
• Executive producers   Adam Wingard, Jen Conroy, Jay Ashenfelter, Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira
• Produced by   Thomas Tull, Brian Rogers, Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric McLeod
• Co-producers   Richard Miri, Zak Kline
• Visual effects producer   Thomas Elder-Groebe
• Music by   Tom Holkenborg, Antonio Di Iorio
• Cinematography by   Ben Seresin
• Edited by   Josh Schaeffer
• Production design by   Tom Hammock
• Visual effects supervisor   Alessandro Ongaro

Cast

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.

• Rebecca Hall   as   Dr. Ilene Andrews, Monarch Head of Kong Research
• Brian Tyree Henry   as   Bernie Hayes, host of Titan Truth Podcast
• Kaylee Hottle   as   Jia, last surviving Iwi of Skull Island
• Dan Stevens   as   Trapper Beasley, Titan veterinarian
• Fala Chen   as   Iwi Queen
• Alex Ferns   as   Mikael
• Rachel House   as   Hampton, Monarch Director
• Ron Smyck   as   Harris
• Chantelle Jamieson   as   Jayne
• Greg Hatton   as   Lewis
• Kevin Copeland   as   submarine commander
• Tess Dobré   as   submarine officer
• Tim Carroll   as   Wilcox
• Anthony Brandon Wong   as   talk show anchor
• Sophia Emberson-Bain   as   Laurier
• Chika Ikogwe   as   Ms. Cadogan, Jia's teacher
• Vincent Gorce   as   Monarch specialist
• Yeye Zhou   as   Iwi warrior
• Jamaliah Othman   as   Iwi sage
• Nick Lawler   as   Iwi scholar

Appearances

Titans and superspecies Godzilla (DougheGoji etc.) King Kong Mothra Suko Skar King Shimo Scylla Tiamat Doug Leafwing Mechagodzilla (mentioned) King Ghidorah (mentioned) Other monsters Warbat Wart Dog Parrot Frog Unidentified ape monsters Gnarled Finger One Eye Stone Face Catcher Hellhawk Vertacine Unidentified eel-like monster Tree mimic Hollow Earth grub Hollow Earth dragonfly Various monster skeletons Phosphera (mural) Habira (movie poster) Kanima (movie poster) Hedorah (graffiti of eyes) Jet Jaguar (graffiti of arm) Mysterious Bones (graffiti) Knifehead (graffiti of head) Gipsy Danger (arm on B.E.A.S.T. Glove blueprint) Loch Ness Monster (pin) Bigfoot (pin) Velociraptor (badge)

Weapons, vehicles, races, and organizations Monarch Iwi Kong's battle axe B.E.A.S.T. Glove Whipslash Bio-Mimic HEAV General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper HMMWV Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet Trapper's aircraft Xilien UFO (graffiti)

Development

On April 27, 2021, The Hollywood Reporter published a story which alleged that Legendary Pictures were in talks with Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard to direct another Monsterverse movie, with Son of Kong a potential title.

Close to a year later on March 20, 2022 (the 21st in Australia), Australian news outlet The Courier Mail broke the news on a new Monsterverse film set to shoot in the country. The same day, the Australian government's Office for the Arts reported that the film would begin production in July of that year, and seemingly confirmed a focus on Kong. On March 24, the 1291st issue of Production Weekly confirmed Adam Wingard as director, along with returning Monsterverse producers Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, and Eric McLeod. The issue also provided a contact email, "[email protected]," and connected it to the Son of Kong title.

Deadline reported on May 12 that Dan Stevens will star in the film. On May 19, Production Weekly #1299 reported the film's working title as Origins.

On June 20, Gold Coast-based production company Village Roadshow Studios seemingly alluded to the film on Instagram, posting that set construction was underway for "the third instalment [sic] of the Kong films[.]" On July 2, the official English-language Godzilla site confirmed that Godzilla would appear in the film, though it did not give any details on the extent of his role.

On August 25, Collider reported that Terry Rossio would be returning to write the screenplay for the new film after previously collaborating on the story for Godzilla vs. Kong, and would be joined by Jeremy Slater and Simon Barrett. The report also confirmed that Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle would be reprising their roles from the previous film, with Fala Chen, Alex Ferns, and Rachel House joining Dan Stevens as new cast members. Furthermore, Collider provided a new synopsis which suggested that Godzilla would be joining forces with Kong once again to battle a new threat.

Toho announced on December 13 as part of their future release lineup that they will bring the movie to Japanese theaters in 2024.

Production

Principal photography on the film commenced in Queensland, Australia's Gold Coast on July 29, 2022, with suburban Surfers Paradise standing in for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla vs. Kong previously filmed in the state.

Marketing

A teaser for the film was released on April 19, 2023, revealing its title and a new simian Titan.

On November 28, the official Instagram accounts for the film and for the Monsterverse each posted a series of nine images depicting the Kong handprints from Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla vs. Kong along with the words "Something is coming." A day later, the film's and Warner Bros. Pictures' accounts jointly posted an illustrated poster of the simian Titan, revealing its name to be Skar King through a hashtag. On the next day, two new individual posters of Godzilla and Kong were posted, both featuring the tagline "Unite."

On December 2, three new images from the film were revealed in a IGN interview with Adam Wingard; the first showed Kong with his axe readying himself for battle, the second showed Godzilla "frozen in the ice, evolving into a powerful new form," and the third showed Ilene Andrews, Jia, and the new character Trapper. On December 3rd, a full-length trailer was released, showcasing several new monsters and characters. Photographs of a Jada Toys display at Singapore Comic Con, held December 9-10, revealed a remote-control Godzilla toy and stylized Metalfigs of Godzilla, Kong, Skar King, and a new reptilian monster dubbed Shimo. On February 14, a new poster and a second, lengthier trailer were released, with the latter teasing Shimo and Mothra.

On March 25, two gigantic sculptures of Godzilla and Kong were brought to London for a day, with a 20-meter-long Godzilla swimming in the Thames near the Tower Bridge and Kong emerging from the ground holding a phone booth in his hand.

Alternate titles

• GxK (abbreviated title)
• GxK: The New Empire (half-abbreviated title)
• Origins (working title)
• Son of Kong (early rumored title)
• Godzilla vs. Kong 2 (media nickname)
• Godzilla and Kong (title on film crew hats)
• Godzilla & Kong (title on film crew shirts)
  • G&K (abbreviation)

In other languages

Language Name Meaning Japanese ゴジラxコング 新たなる帝国 Gojira Kongu: Aratanaru Teikoku Translation of English title Arabic غودزيلا x كونغ: الإمبراطورية الجديدة Ghwdzylā x Kūngh: al-Imbrāṭūrīyah al-Jadīdah Translation of English title Chinese Cantonese 哥斯拉 x 金剛：新帝國 Gōsīlāai x Gām Gōng: Sān Daigwok Godzilla x King Kong: The New Empire Mandarin 哥斯拉大战金刚2：帝国崛起 Gēsīlā dàzhàn Jīn Gāng 2: Dìguó Juéqǐ 哥吉拉與金剛：新帝國 Gējílā yǔ Jīn Gāng: Xīn Dìguó Godzilla vs. King Kong 2: The New Empire Godzilla and King Kong: The New Empire Croatian Godzilla x Kong: Novo carstvo Godzilla x Kong: New Empire Czech Godzilla x Kong: Nové Impérium Translation of English title French Canada Godzilla et Kong: Le Nouvel Empire Godzilla and Kong: The New Empire Europe Godzilla x Kong: Le Nouvel Empire Translation of English title Hebrew גודזילה x קונג: האימפריה החדשה Godzíla x Kóng: Haimperyá Haḥadashá Translation of English title Hindi गॉडज़िला और कौंग: एक नया साम्राज्य Godazila aur Kaung: Ek Naya Saamraajy Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire Telugu గాడ్జిల్లా అండ్ కాంగ్: ఓ నూతన సామ్రాజ్యం Gāḍjillā aṇḍ Kāṅg: Ō Nūtana Sāmrājyaṁ Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire Italian Godzilla e Kong - Il Nuovo Impero Godzilla and Kong - The New Empire Korean 고질라 X 콩: 뉴 엠파이어 Gojilla x Kong: Nyu Empaieo Godzilla x Kong: New Empire Polish Godzilla i Kong: Nowe imperium Godzilla and Kong: New Empire Portuguese Brazil Godzilla e Kong: O Novo Império Godzilla and Kong: The New Empire Portugal Godzilla x Kong: O Novo Império Translation of English title Russian Годзилла и Конг: Новая империя Godzilla i Kong: Novaya imperiya Godzilla and Kong: New Empire Serbian Godzila x Kong: Novo carstvo Godzilla x Kong: New Empire Spanish Godzilla y Kong: El nuevo imperio Godzilla and Kong: The New Empire Tamil காட்ஸில்லா அண்ட் காங்: ஓர் புதிய சாம்ராஜ்யம் Kāṭsillā aṇṭ Kāṅ: Ōr Putiya Cāmrājyam Godzilla and Kong: A New Empire Thai ก็อดซิลล่า ปะทะ คอง 2: อาณาจักรใหม่ K̆xdsill̀ā patha Khxng 2: Xāṇācạkr H̄ım̀ Godzilla vs. Kong 2: New Empire Ukrainian Ґодзілла та Конг: Нова імперія Godzilla ta Konh: Nova imperiya Godzilla and Kong: New Empire Vietnamese Godzilla x Kong: Đế chế mới Translation of English title

Theatrical releases

• United States - March 25, 2024 (premiere)
• Finland, Iceland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan - March 27, 2024
• Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Ukraine, United States (preview) - March 28, 2024
• Canada, China, Estonia, Ireland, India, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam - March 29, 2024
• Philippines - March 30, 2024
• France - April 3, 2024
• Germany - April 4, 2024
• Turkey - April 5, 2024
• Ecuador, Netherlands - April 11, 2024
• Austria - April 12, 2024
• Saudi Arabia - April 18, 2024
• Japan - April 26, 2024

Warner Bros. originally dated Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire for release on March 15, 2024, in the United States. The studio moved Dune: Part Two to that date on August 24, 2023, pushing Godzilla x Kong to April 12, 2024. However, on January 9, 2024, Godzilla x Kong moved up to March 29, filling the date previously held by Mickey 17.

Potential sequel

Adam Wingard has expressed openness to the idea of directing a third Monsterverse film, telling Deadline during Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire's world premiere on March 25, 2024, "I think the seductive thing as a filmmaker when you've done two movies is to complete it as this trilogy — that's always what everybody expects. We'll see. It really depends on how the movie does. I think that there's a lot of really cool ideas we have [about] where we would go with it. I'm open to it and excited for what the future brings."

Videos

Main article: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire/Videos.

Trivia

• Adam Wingard is the first Monsterverse director to return for a second film, having previously helmed Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).
• Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the first Monsterverse film to give top billing to an actress (Rebecca Hall).
• This is the first Monsterverse film made without the involvement of screenwriter Max Borenstein.
• The time between the domestic releases of this film, released in the U.S. on March 29, 2024, and Godzilla Minus One, released in Japan on November 3, 2023, is the shortest between two Godzilla movies in the franchise's history, at 147 days.
• This is the first Godzilla film produced solely by American studios in which Godzilla never visits the United States.
• This film is technically the first Godzilla movie to feature the letter "x" in either its English or its Japanese title.
  • The Japanese titles of Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, and Godzilla: Tokyo SOS use the multiplication sign (×) rather than the letter.
  • As is the case with the multiplication sign in Godzilla: Tokyo SOS's Japanese title, the "x" in Godzilla x Kong is silent.
• This film's initial rumored title, Son of Kong, is the title of the 1933 sequel to the original King Kong (1933).
• This film holds the record for the most Titans to appear in a Monsterverse film outside of stock footage or text, with at least nine.
• This film marks the first time that an individual Titan other than Godzilla or Kong has appeared in a second Monsterverse film, not counting carcasses or stock footage; Mothra and Scylla return from Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Doug returns from Godzilla vs. Kong.
  • This also makes Mothra the only Toho monster besides Godzilla to appear physically and alive in more than one Monsterverse film.
• Tiamat is the first original Monsterverse creature to first physically appear in a comic, then feature in a film. She was first alluded to in Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), appearing as a name on various Monarch maps.
  • Tiamat is also the first original Titan introduced via name only in Godzilla: King of the Monsters to appear in a film, as well the first Titan introduced in that movie to have its name spoken in dialogue.
• This is the first film in which King Kong and Mothra meet. Mothra was previously only depicted in cave paintings in Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla vs. Kong, with Kong limited to stock footage and a name on Monarch maps in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
  • King Kong and Mothra almost crossed over once before in the unmade 1966 film Operation Robinson Crusoe: King Kong vs. Ebirah, which ultimately became the Godzilla film Ebirah, Horror of the Deep.
• The pose Kong strikes while roaring with the B.E.A.S.T. Glove resembles cover art for the 1994 fighting game Primal Rage.
• The fight between Kong and the Skar King was inspired by a scene in the 1973 film Emperor of the North Pole where the characters A-No.-1 and Shack fight with a fire axe and chains, respectively.
• Godzilla sleeping in the Colosseum was inspired by Adam Wingard's cat Mischief and her nest.
• Godzilla's emergence from ice may be an homage to his introduction in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962).
• The image used for the blueprint of the B.E.A.S.T. Glove is the arm of the Pacific Rim Jaeger Gipsy Danger.
• The fictional monster movie poster featured in Ford Brody's room in Godzilla (2014) reappears in Bernie Hayes's recording room, along with two figures from Playmates' Godzilla vs. Kong toyline.
• Episode titles of Hayes' Titan Truth Podcast make reference to Planet X and Monster Island. Madison Russell was also shown to have been a recent guest on the show, sharing her "Mothra twin moon base theory."
• Artist Christian Gonzalez, who previously illustrated covers for IDW Publishing Godzilla comics, is given a special thanks in the film's credits. Gonzalez drew the graffiti on a wall smashed by Godzilla, including numerous Easter eggs: Hedorah's eyes next to the text "Save the [Earth]", Jet Jaguar's arm next to the words "Punch! Punch! Punch!", an Xilien UFO, the turtle-like Mysterious Bones, the Pacific Rim kaiju Knifehead and Mothra's symbol. Gonzalez also illustrated a T-shirt given to crew members, again including the Mysterious Bones, along with a fossilized trilobite.
• The film's credits thank Jeremy Allen Soles of Summit Kaiju International, who previously sued Legendary Pictures due to the design of Methuselah bearing similarities to his own kaiju Batholith.
• A water bottle given to members of the film's production crew mentioned a "Hollow Earth Advance Team," potentially a reference to the Humanitarian Environmental Analysis Team (H.E.A.T.) from Godzilla: The Series.
• The electrical shock of Kong's B.E.A.S.T. Glove is likely a reference to his 1962 counterpart's power of both drawing strength from exposure to electric voltage and then increasing it.
• This film is the second film in the Monsterverse to not feature a human antagonist, with Godzilla (2014) being the first.
• Hayes complains about a troll account that frequently interacts with him called "GhidorahStan64," with the number referencing the year of the monster's film debut.
• When Godzilla makes landfall in Spain, a shot of an F/A-18 Hornet taking off from an aircraft carrier is reused from Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
• This film marks the second time that Godzilla has been shown feeding on the radiation from a nuclear power plant in a film, following 1984's The Return of Godzilla.
• Bernie's outfit includes pins of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster, and a badge of a Velociraptor. The Velociraptor appears to originate from the cover art of the 2002 video game Turok: Evolution.
• Phosphera, a cut monster that was created as a fail-safe in case the rights to Mothra couldn't be obtained, nonetheless appears as a mural inside the Iwi temple.
• The name of every major Titan introduced in this movie begins with the letter S.

External links

• Official site
  • Japanese site
  • Brazilian site
  • Italian site
  • Indonesian site
  • Thai site
• Official Weibo account
  • Godzilla account
  • King Kong account
• Official X account
• Official TikTok account
  • Official Douyin account
• Official Facebook account
• Official Instagram account
  • Spanish ad post
• Official Giphy account
• Merchandise page on Walmart.com
• Circle K contest
• American Red Cross event page
• Madrinas collection

References

This is a list of references for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: ^[1]

Bibliography

• ""UNTITLED GODZILLA VS KONG SEQUEL" Feature Film". Production Weekly. No. 1291. Production Weekly. 24 March 2022.
• ""UNTITLED GODZILLA VS KONG SEQUEL" Feature Film". Production Weekly. No. 1299. Production Weekly. 19 May 2022.

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