Monsterverse

Godzilla film series
← Millennium	Monsterverse	Reiwa →

The Monsterverse, originally stylized as MonsterVerse and known in Japan as the Monsterverse series (「モンスター・ヴァース」シリーズ,   "Monsutā Vāsu" shirīzu), is a multimedia franchise based around a series of giant monster films featuring Godzilla and King Kong produced by Legendary Pictures and co-funded and distributed by Warner Bros. It is the second adaptation of the Godzilla franchise by a Hollywood studio, following TriStar Pictures' GODZILLA in 1998. Legendary acquired the rights to produce an American Godzilla film in 2010 after being approached by producer Brian Rogers, who was attempting to secure funding for Yoshimitsu Banno's new Godzilla project Godzilla 3-D during the current hiatus in Toho's Godzilla series. Legendary opted to produce its own feature-length American Godzilla film rather than Banno's short IMAX film and negotiated with Toho to acquire the rights. Warner Bros., Legendary's then-current distribution partner, co-financed and theatrically released the film worldwide with the exception of Japan, where it was distributed by Toho.

The Monsterverse began in 2014 with Godzilla, and its success led to the swift greenlighting of a sequel co-starring Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah. The next film in the franchise, Kong: Skull Island, was announced later that year, although Legendary did not reveal that the two took place in the same universe until 2015. Though Legendary was in the middle of a distribution deal with Universal Pictures at the time, it set up distribution and co-financing of all future Monsterverse films with Warner Bros. Kong: Skull Island was released in 2017, followed by Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) and the crossover films Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024). A sixth film is currently in early development, and set to be released in 2027.

The Monsterverse includes various non-film tie-in media, including several graphic novels published by Legendary Comics, as well as the television series Skull Island (2023) and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023-2024) produced by Legendary Television. The latter series has already been renewed for a second season, and other Monsterverse spin-off series are also in the works.

Films

• Godzilla (2014)
• Kong: Skull Island (2017)
• Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
• Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
• Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
• Untitled sixth film (2027)

Television

• Skull Island (2023)
• Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023-2025) [two seasons]
• Multiple spin-off series (TBA)

Netflix announced an animated series titled Skull Island on January 27, 2021, with animation by Powerhouse Animation Studios. It was released via the platform on June 22, 2023.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a live-action series set between Godzilla (2014) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) which was announced to be in the works at Apple TV+ on January 20, 2022, and premiered on November 17, 2023.

On April 11, 2024, it was announced that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters was renewed for a second season as part of a new deal between Legendary and Apple TV+. The deal also includes "multiple spin-off series" based on the Monsterverse.

Other media

In addition to the films, Legendary and Warner Bros. have licensed Monsterverse-related media, including books and video games.

Comics Godzilla: Awakening (2014) - graphic novel prequel to Godzilla (2014) Skull Island: The Birth of Kong (2017) - four-issue limited comic series sequel/prequel to Kong: Skull Island; later republished as a trade paperback Godzilla: Aftershock (2019) - graphic novel prequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters Godzilla Dominion (2021) - graphic novel prequel to Godzilla vs. Kong Kingdom Kong (2021) - graphic novel prequel to Godzilla vs. Kong Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong (2023) - crossover comic series with DC Comics' Justice League Godzilla x Kong: The Hunted (2024) - graphic novel prequel to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Monsterverse Declassified (2024) - anthology comic Reprints Monsterverse Titanthology Vol 1 (2021) - collects Aftershock and The Birth of Kong Legends of the Monsterverse: The Omnibus (2023) - collects all comics from 2014 to 2021 and includes the exclusive story Godzilla: Fight or Flight Books Godzilla: The Official Movie Novelization (2014) Godzilla: The Art of Destruction (2014) Godzilla: With Light and Sound! (2014) - sticker book for Godzilla (2014); includes a Godzilla toy Kong: Skull Island - The Official Movie Novelization (2017) The Art and Making of Kong: Skull Island (2017) Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization (2019) The Art of Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) Kong and Me (2021) - picture book Godzilla vs. Kong: The Official Movie Novelization (2021) Godzilla vs. Kong: Sometimes Friends Fight (But They Always Make Up) (2021) - picture book Godzilla vs. Kong: One Will Fall - The Art of the Ultimate Battle Royale (2021) Godzilla & Kong: The Cinematic Storyboard Art of Richard Bennett (2024) Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - The Official Movie Novelization (2024) The Art of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

Video games Godzilla: Smash3 (2014) - mobile game Godzilla: Strike Zone (2014) - mobile game Godzilla: Crisis Defense (2014) - browser game KONG VR: Destination Skull Island (2017) - virtual-reality experience Monsterverse (2020) - Empire DCX slot machine Monsterverse Titans Attack (2023) - slot machine Godzilla x Kong: Titan Chasers (2024) - mobile game Kong: Survivor Instinct (2024) - PC/console game Collaborations Godzilla (2014) - includes the Monsterverse Godzilla as a playable character Godzilla Kaiju Collection (2015) - includes the Monsterverse Godzilla PUBG Mobile (2019/2021) - featured a promotion with Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong Roblox (2019/2021/2024) - features items based on Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Magic Domain (2021) - featured a collaboration with Godzilla vs. Kong LifeAfter/Day After Tomorrow (2021) - featured a collaboration with Godzilla vs. Kong World of Warships (2021) - featured a collaboration with Godzilla vs. Kong Funko POP! Blitz (2021) - featured a collaboration with Godzilla vs. Kong Godzilla Battle Line - featured collaborations with Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Go Big! (2021) - featured a collaboration with Godzilla vs. Kong Call of Duty: Warzone (2022/2024) - featured collaborations with Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Call of Duty: Vanguard (2022) - featured a collaboration with Godzilla vs. Kong Pinball FX (2023) - features three pinball tables themed after Godzilla vs. Kong Lords Mobile (2024) - featured a collaboration with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2024) - featured a collaboration with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Other games Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2020) - Spanish board game Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) - Spanish board game Kong: Skull Island Cinematic Adventure (2023) - tabletop RPG Godzilla vs. Kong escape room (2024) Kong: Skull Island - Isle of the Damned (2024) - tabletop RPG

Monsters introduced

Titans MUTO Skull Devil Dagon MUTO Prime Methuselah Scylla Behemoth Abaddon Amhuluk Baphomet Bunyip Na Kika Leviathan Margygr Mokele-Mbembe Quetzalcoatl Sekhmet Tiamat Typhon Yamata no Orochi Doug Camazotz Snarehunter Queen Kraken Mantleclaw Endoswarmer/Endopede Ion Dragon Frost Vark Brambleboar Spineprowler Suko Great Apes Skar King Shimo Sporefly Sporefly Soldier Sporefly Queen Superspecies Skullcrawler Mother Longlegs Sker Buffalo Spore Mantis Mire Squid Leafwing Spirit Tiger Vinestrangler Psychovulture Death Jackal Sirenjaw Magma Turtle Swamp Locust Snarehunter Dream Slime Butterfly Bush Butterfly Flower Skull Ant Sporefly Magma Jackal

Other monsters Shinomura Warbat Rockclaw Hellhawk Shocker Squid Giant ape Giant plant Giant flying reptile (skeleton) Giant shrimp Giant trunked creature Brain-like creature Bipedal creature Giant wasp Giant snake Squid-like creature Carnivorous plant Giant spider Hell swarm Fern bird Murderfish Giant lemurs Various dead monsters Trapdoor Crab Hawk Monster Killer Chameleon Dog Nightboy Croc Monster Dodo Bird Rock Bug Aloe turtle Giant centipede Grass Hedgehog Venus Fly Trap Creature Axis Mundi butterflies Skull Island rhinoceros Coralmouth Volt Panther Titan Hunter Wart Dog Parrot Frog Verticine Drownviper Mimic Tree Hollow Earth grub Hollow Earth dragonfly Diraffe Electricity-eating beetles Giant river leeech

Gallery

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  Monsterverse logo

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  Transparent logo

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  Transparent logo

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  Logo used in conjunction with Skull Island: The Birth of Kong

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  2023 Twitter profile picture

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  Monsterverse logo with a handprint as part of the Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire marketing

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  2023 Twitter banner

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  Chinese Monsterverse celebration poster using Skullcrawler fan art by Twitter user @endorosu

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  Monsterverse banner at Licensing Expo 2022

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  Monsterverse booth at Licensing Expo 2022

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  Presentation for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire at the 24th China Film Promotion Conference / The First China Film Fair

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Videos

Godzilla: King of the Monsters special feature: Welcome to the Monsterverse The Monsterverse Watchalong announcement Godzilla vs. Kong: Enter the Monsterverse Godzilla vs. Kong: The Beasts Who Would Be King: Godzilla's Foes GxK: Day of Reckoning Monsterverse Director's Roundtable

Trivia

• All of the films in Legendary's Monsterverse have been distributed by Warner Bros. (except in Japan, where Toho has distributed the Godzilla films), despite Legendary's distribution partners varying during that span.
• All of the Monsterverse films have been released in either March or May, with the three films starring Kong in March and the two films not starring him in May.
• The Monsterverse is the first series of Godzilla films in which Godzilla does not deliberately cause destruction in its first entry. While Godzilla was portrayed as the more heroic/anti-heroic monster in the first film of the Millennium series, Godzilla 2000: Millennium, he still caused destruction and attacked humans, while the Godzilla in Legendary Pictures' Godzilla never intentionally causes destruction or threatens human characters, and all death and destruction he produces is simply a byproduct of his size.
• Although Pacific Rim and Pacific Rim Uprising are also kaiju films produced by Legendary Pictures, they do not share continuity with the Monsterverse.
• All five of Toho's "Big Five" monsters - Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Mechagodzilla - appear in the Monsterverse, a distinction it shares with the Showa, Heisei, and Polygon Pictures anime trilogy continuities.
  • It is also the second film series to feature a meeting between Godzilla and King Kong, as well as the first in which Kong interacts with members of the "Big Five" besides Godzilla.
• In Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, the Monsterverse is referred to as a distinct universe located within the DC Multiverse.

See also

• Showa era
• Heisei era
• Millennium era
• Reiwa era
• List of Godzilla film continuities
• List of King Kong film continuities

External links

• Official website
• Official X account
• Official Instagram account
• Justia Trademarks page where the Monsterverse name was first discovered

References

This is a list of references for Monsterverse. 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.

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