Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

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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 Box office $171.6 million (U.S.) (not final earnings) $313.6 million (foreign) (not final earnings) $485.2 million (total) (not final earnings) Running time 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes) Aspect ratio 2.39:1 1.90:1 (~49 minutes, IMAX only) Rate this film! 4.62 (76 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 destruction of Mechagodzilla, Monarch sends a team into the Hollow Earth after picking up a mysterious distress signal. At the same time, Kong explores a hidden realm of the Hollow Earth and encounters a juvenile ape named Suko, who brings him to a secret empire of Great Apes. Their ruthless leader, the Skar King, intends to use the imprisoned ice Titan Shimo to conquer the surface world. Through the mediation of the revived Mothra, Kong joins forces with the newly-evolved Godzilla 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

In 2027, three years after he and Godzilla destroyed Mechagodzilla and made an uneasy truce, Kong races through a Hollow Earth plain, pursued by over two dozen ravenous Wart Dogs. He stops and turns when he reaches the edge of a cliff, roaring defiantly. The first Wart Dog to charge at him falls into a trapping pit of his own making and is impaled on massive spears. Next, he lifts a tree stump to activate a rock slide trap, crushing most of the others. Only three remain, and he convinces them to retreat by grabbing a Wart Dog carcass and ripping it in half, showering himself in its blood, then roaring at them. After washing himself off, he prepares to dine on the Wart Dogs, but is struck with pain in an infected tooth. The reptilian Titan Doug tries dragging away one of the carcasses; he takes notice and a brief struggle ensues, but he lets it go after hearing what sounds like the roar of another of his kind. He follows the noise and is dejected to find that it was only a Parrot Frog mimicking him.

Dr. Ilene Andrews, an anthropological linguist working for Monarch, is now the organization's Head of Kong Research. In a flurry of speaking engagements and media appearances, she explains that the Hollow Earth remains mostly unmapped; Kong is enjoying his new home but futilely searching for others of his species, unaware that he is the last of kind; and he and Godzilla will remain at peace with each other so long as he stays underground and Godzilla remains on the surface.

The King of the Monsters continues to defend humanity against hostile Titans. When Scylla attacks Rome, Italy, he rushes to confront her. After they charge at each other, he throws her into a building, then leaps at her to pin her. She constricts his face with tentacles, but he retaliates by firing his atomic breath into her mouth, blasting her into pieces.

At Monarch Outpost One in the Hollow Earth, agents watch a news report on Godzilla curling up in the Colosseum to sleep. They suddenly detect seismic activity beneath the area where Kong fought the Wart Dogs; the fallen rocks there collapse into a pit. The outpost is also affected by electrical anomalies, which briefly causes a signal consisting of three spikes to appear on a monitor.

At a Monarch base in Barbados, built around a vortex leading to the Hollow Earth, Andrews' adopted daughter Jia experiences a vision in which she sees flashes of Godzilla, pyramids, and an unfamiliar primate Titan. When the vision ends, she realizes she has been scribbling the same three-spike pattern on her math test and desk. Andrews meets with her teacher, who tells her that Jia's grades are faltering and she is socially isolated. Andrews reminds her that Jia is the sole surviving member of her tribe and still adjusting to the world outside of Skull Island, then reflects that she's having trouble connecting with her too. After school, Andrews finds her watching Kong on a tablet, and Jia laments that she doesn't belong anywhere. Her mother reassures her that they belong together. At home, Andrews watches a Monarch archive file on the near-total destruction of the Iwi when shifting storm patterns overtook Skull Island and Jia's rescue, in which Kong played a part. She realizes that the pattern Jia drew at school matches the one Monarch experienced in the Hollow Earth. While the agents at Outpost 1 sleep, an ape monster approaches their location, taking out security cameras and staring into the lens of the last one.

Jia wakes up from another vision, this one involving a pair of the glowing blue eyes of an unknown creature. Andrews finds her holding the Kong doll she made as a child, and she tells her she feels like she's going crazy. Andrews travels to Miami to find Titan Truth Podcast host Bernie Hayes. Having just started recording, he's angered by her knocking, but brightens immediately when she identifies herself. He agrees that the patterns in Jia's drawings and the signals Monarch has received match, which the organization's own analysts have written off as coincidence. She explains that she came to him because of his reputation for unorthodox thinking. After he laments that Monarch's refusal to confirm his role in defeating Mechagodzilla damaged his credibility online, Andrews offers to take him to the Hollow Earth in exchange for his help. Receiving an alert on her phone that Godzilla has awakened, she rushes him out the door.

Godzilla departs Rome. At the same time, Kong emerges from the Hollow Earth portal in Barbados, in even greater pain from his infected tooth. Though Godzilla appears to be unaware of his presence on the surface, Monarch rushes to respond. After they sedate Kong, fearless Titan veterinarian Trapper Beasley drops down from an aircraft, removes the tooth, and replaces it with a titanium one. Afterwards, he catches up with Andrews, who pressed him to take himself more seriously in college. When she mentions Jia's struggles, he tells her not to worry to much, as she has a great mom. Jia urges Kong to rest.

After a trip to Monarch's research library, Hayes finds records of similar signals at major points in history including Titan-related events such as Godzilla's first battle with King Ghidorah. He believes Godzilla is aware of the signal, which is in reality a psychic distress call. Monarch Director Hampton authorizes a small team to investigate: Andrews, Beasley, and ill-tempered pilot Mikael. Jia convinces Andrews to let her join them, feeling the call is meant for her and reminding her mother that she can help with Kong. Hayes guilts Andrews into letting him ride along as well. They follow Kong through the portal in a redesigned Hollow Earth Aerial Vehicle (HEAV), the experience terrifying Hayes. The craft encounters a flock of Vertacines, winged creatures with electrical powers. Beasley activates the HEAV's biomimicry camouflage, causing the hull to imitate the yellow-and-black patterns on their skin.

Godzilla raids a nuclear facility in Montagnac, France, absorbing the radiation he releases from the reactors and glowing with power. French drones bombard him with missiles, but he dispatches them with his claws and then a nuclear pulse. Hampton relays the incident to Andrews, though the HEAV flies out of range before they can finish. They find Outpost One in ruins and all of the staff dead. Beasley finds an intact security camera, while Andrews notices a giant ape handprint on a nearby wall — one not belonging to Kong.

Wielding his battle axe, Kong explores the chasm that opened beneath the rock slide. He lands in a cavern with numerous mammoth crystals, skulls of other monstrous apes — and, behind a waterfall, an unexplored second layer of the Hollow Earth. A massive form shrouded in mist approaches him and he prepares for a fight, only to find Suko, a nervous young ape roughly a third his height. Setting his axe down, Kong extends a hand to Suko, and he appears ready to accept it, only to lunge forward and bite Kong's finger. Kong chases after him, but is set upon by three larger apes. Two hold him down while another, known as One-Eye, approaches with a club. Kong hits one with a rock and moves the other into the path of the club, then catches the club on its second swing and throws its wielder into another ape. He clubs One-Eye, charging him with his axe. Before he can pick up the blade, Suko launches himself at his face. Kong grabs the young ape and uses him to club two apes, then throws him at One-Eye. After beating one ape to death, he flips another off a cliff, only to catch him before he can fall and pull him back up. The ape immediately grabs a knife, forcing Kong to kick him off the cliff. One-Eye flees, with Kong hitting him on the head with a rock as he runs. After pulling Suko out of the foliage and roaring furiously at him, Kong gestures toward the dropped knife and demands Suko bring him to where the apes came from.

Andrews recovers the footage from the camera, showing Beasley the shot of the attacking ape's eye moments before the HEAV receives another distress call. It briefly loses power, but Mikael pulls it back into the air. Jia identifies a ridge point as the source of the call. Mikael lands the HEAV and the team begins a trek through a forest, Bernie narrating the scene as he films. Beasley soon senses a dangerous presence ahead and urges them to reroute, but Mikael rudely storms ahead and is promptly eaten by a creature resembling a fallen tree. The others flee. Beasley tries to console a shaken Hayes, quoting Tennyson in calling nature "red in tooth and claw," but only convinces Hayes that something is wrong with him.

Godzilla departs Europe by way of Cádiz, Spain, with fighter jets unable to approach him due to the sheer amount of radiation he's emitting. A U.S. Navy submarine reports that he's approaching Tiamat's icy lair in the Arctic Ocean, the largest stockpile of energy on the planet due to the electrically charged solar winds it absorbs.

Jia discovers Iwi ruins, centuries older than those on Skull Island. The team ascends a staircase, where they find a stone wall carving of Mothra. Jia realizes the ruins are her temple. A glowing dragonfly leads her to a stone button which she presses to trigger a still-functional irrigation system. They follow the flow of water to a strange, rippling barrier. After Beasley tests it, Jia pulls apart a section to create an opening, and the team steps through.

Kong and Suko watch a flock of Warbats hunt Hellhawks. Suko leads Kong to a lake and splashes around to attract a Drownviper who promptly attacks Kong. He keeps its jaws at bay with the handle of his axe as Suko runs away. Its coils catch his hand before he can swing the axe and it briefly pulls him underwater before they surface. After killing the creature, Kong throws his axe into Suko's path, tripping him, then tosses its head in front of him. As evening falls, Kong feasts on the creature, offering one slice to a hungry but still wary Suko. The young ape initially rejects the food, before eventually accepting and sitting closer to Kong.

Godzilla fires his atomic breath into Tiamat's domain, narrowly missing the submarine. She quickly emerges and a conflict of interests ensues, with Tiamat constricting Godzilla. He rips off a chunk of her flesh, and she answers by biting his neck and trying to smother him with her cranial fins. However, the fins fail to stop him from unleashing a fatal blast of atomic breath. Chunks of the slain Titan float to the surface. Now unopposed, Godzilla enters her lair.

As Andrews' group ascends a tall flight of stairs, Jia tells them they're not alone, though they see no one. Beasley draws a knife, and just as quickly puts it away when a group of camouflaged Iwi warriors surround them. They bring them to a village where massive glowing pyramids, three on the ground and three on the ceiling, loom overhead. Jia is amazed to discover she can hear the thoughts of the other Iwi. Andrews is equally stunned to see multiple vortexes to the surface on the ceiling. The Iwi Queen soon appears and orders Jia brought to her, despite the protests of the rest of the group. Jia shares her memories of her people with the queen telepathically, and she signals for her guards to stand down. Jia confirms to Andrews that the distress call came from the Iwi. Hayes questions what a civilization that survives in the Hollow Earth could be afraid of.

Suko leads Kong across a bridge, made from the bones of a monster far larger than any on record, towards a volcanic area. The Iwi Queen brings Andrews' team to a room covered in Iwi historical writings, which the linguist translates. It describes harmony between the Hollow Earth and the surface, with the Titans protecting nature and the Great Apes defending humanity. One such ape, the malevolent Skar King, sought to conquer the surface and led his tribe into battle against Godzilla. The King of the Monsters barely survived the war, but ultimately sealed the apes away in a fiery Hollow Earth realm, where their leader still plots his revenge.

Kong and Suko arrive in a large cavern full of other apes toiling away. As they walk amongst them, Suko acknowledges an elderly ape, known as Gnarled Finger, who looks at him with concern. When a guard pummels an ape for dropping a stone, Kong intervenes, helping the ape up and knocking out the guard with one punch. The Skar King is soon alerted by One-Eye and emerges from his chamber to take stock of Kong. The other apes bow before him and join his laughter at Kong's titanium tooth, even a reluctant Suko. Skar King nonetheless confronts the young ape, only for Gnarled Finger to defend Suko. Skar King seemingly relents, only to kick Gnarled Finger into a lava lake. Suko cries out in sorrow, and the furious Kong bellows a challenge to the tyrant. Skar King proves a nimble opponent, and his Whipslash has far greater range than Kong's axe. He disarms Kong, then tries choking him out with the Whipslash. Kong flips him over his shoulders and throws him back, prompting Skar King to call upon his ultimate weapon: a chained reptilian Titan, who towers over Kong. He orders her to attack Kong using the blue crystal at the end of his Whipslash, and though reluctant, she gives into the pain the device causes. Kong evades her ice breath, then tries blocking it with his axe, but it fails to absorb the ray. With his right hand covered in ice, he's forced to drop the axe. Suko points out an exit, and he takes it, dodging another blast. Skar King hoists Kong's axe in victory and orders his apes to give chase.

Reading further, Andrews identifies the reptilian Titan as Shimo, whose frost powers caused the Last Ice Age. She realizes the Iwi sent the distress call because they anticipated that Kong, searching for his kind, would soon discover Skar King's army; Godzilla is preparing for war for the same reason. The Iwi writings close with a prophecy: at the end of the world, an Iwi from Skull Island will come to her people's defense by summoning Godzilla's steadfast ally Mothra. They all realize this can only be referring to Jia.

Kong leads a group of apes back to his hunting grounds, dispatching two with more of his traps — but the rest step over the vine that would activate his rock slide trap. Backed into a corner with his right hand frostbitten, Kong nonetheless prepares to fight, until the rocks suddenly fall on their own, crushing the apes. Kong looks up to see Suko, who beats his chest in triumph. As they walk away, Suko supporting Kong, One-Eye digs himself out of the rock pile. Inside a block of ice, Godzilla continues absorbing the energy in Tiamat's lair.

Andrews watches Jia quickly fit in amongst the Hollow Earth Iwi, reflecting to Beasley that she promised herself to sacrifice whatever was necessary to give Jia a good life. She's realizing now that she may have to give up Jia herself. Hayes and Beasley watch a team of Iwi lift a huge stone, the result of gravity manipulation by way of the pyramids. Beasley discourages Hayes from sharing the Iwi's civilization with the surface, reminding him that isolated communities never prosper when the outside world finds them. He reassures him that even if some people online don't believe he helped save the world, it's an accomplishment that can't be taken away from him.

The Iwi open their barrier to let in Kong and Suko, allowing One-Eye to glimpse their realm and its portals to the surface. Kong collapses from exhaustion, but sits up to touch a finger to Jia's hand. He signs to her that he lost his home. One-Eye reports back to Skar King, who heads with the ape and four others off to war, riding atop Shimo. An evolved Godzilla bursts out of the ice, spikier and emitting a pink intimidation display.

Inspecting Kong's frostbite, Beasley proposes returning to Outpost One to bring back the prototype from Project Powerhouse. Andrews explains to Hayes that the project was a post-Mechagodzilla effort to empower Kong against any other malevolent Titan that might arise. He flies the prototype B.E.A.S.T. Glove over to Kong and it fits itself around his damaged hand. After receiving injections from the glove to heal his frostbite, Kong struggles to climb up a hillside, but soon adjusts to the device, testing its electrical capabilities by pounding the ground. Suko returns with a warning that Skar King's army is on the way. Jia asks Kong to seek out Godzilla for help, and he heads for a portal.

Kong emerges next to the Giza pyramids near Cairo, Egypt. Godzilla senses his presence immediately, leaping off the Rock of Gibraltar and swimming towards him. Jia ascends the steps to the top of the Iwi pyramid and extends a hand, causing Mothra to be resurrected and materialize before her in her imago form. She departs for the same portal as Kong. The Iwi Queen orders the village evacuated, and Beasley asks Andrews permission to gather reinforcements. Godzilla makes landfall in Cairo, tackling Kong into the Great Pyramid as he tries gesturing towards the vortex. Kong throws sand in Godzilla's eyes, only to be slammed into the pyramid again and suplexed. Fed up, he dodges a stomp and unleashes a flurry of blows with the aid of the glove. He drags a dazed Godzilla towards the portal, but is forced to let him go as he unleashes his atomic breath, which slices through a pyramid. Godzilla pins Kong and prepares to finish him with another blast. Just in time, Mothra intervenes, knocking Godzilla off him with an energy pulse. Jia, standing atop the Great Sphinx, stands face-to-face with Godzilla, and the pair calm him. The three monsters all release their battle cries.

The Iwi release a liquid metal to force together the two largest electromagnetic pyramids, which will unleash a brief antigravity shock wave when they collide. Skar King uses Kong's axe to breach the barrier, and commands Shimo to freeze the gap between the pyramids, preventing them from touching. Beasley returns with a flock of Vertacines, having used the HEAV's camouflage to lure them. They briefly hold back Skar King's army, buying Beasley time to land and pick up a gleeful Hayes, Andrews, the Iwi Queen, and one of her guards before Shimo shoots the creatures down. Godzilla and Kong launch from the vortex and charge towards the army as the ice between the pyramids shatters and they resume moving. Kong hops on Godzilla's back, then launches himself at Skar King while Godzilla pounces toward Shimo. Skar King leaps off Shimo's back to meet Kong mid-air, while Shimo lunges at Godzilla. Before they can reach each other, the pyramids collide, and the ensuing shock wave sends all the monsters floating through the air. Godzilla fights off a few apes before reaching Shimo. Kong blocks a strike from Skar King's axe with the B.E.A.S.T. Glove. Mothra saves the malfunctioning HEAV from an ape with a blast of silk, then disables two more. One-Eye attacks Kong from behind, but Suko repels him with a pair of boulders. Shimo freezes Godzilla, but Mothra interrupts her by throwing a rock at her face, allowing Godzilla to shatter the ice and resume his attack. The antigravity wave starts to wear off, sending all the monsters falling. Skar King launches himself towards a vortex, followed by Godzilla, Shimo, and Kong, who loses his axe in the process. Mothra catches the HEAV and sets it down safely. Suko kicks One-Eye off a crystal cliff to his death.

The Titans emerge in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with Shimo's arrival freezing an incoming wave. Skar King roars hatefully at the humans below, then orders Shimo to fire her frost bite blast at the sky, generating clouds that block out the Sun. As she trains it on the city, Kong and Godzilla attack their counterparts in unison. Skar King spits out a tooth from the blow; Kong smiles smugly in response. He delivers a flying kick to Skar King, but Shimo blocks his next blow with a swing of her tail. Godzilla blocks her charge in turn. Suko dislodges Kong's axe and passes through the portal with it. Skar King throws the top of a building at Kong with the Whipslash, but the glove destroys it. He kicks Kong into Shimo, who drags him through the city before firing her frost bite blast at him, his glove barely managing to block it. Godzilla interrupts Skar King's gloating with a powerful blast of atomic breath. He dodges and tries retaliating with the Whipslash, but Godzilla catches it in his jaws, throws him, and bites off the tip, sending the crystal clattering to the ground. Skar King only briefly recovers it as Godzilla's atomic breath chases him through the city. Godzilla then fires at Shimo, while Skar King tries to stop Kong from reaching the crystal, choking him from behind. But he's unable to stop Suko from shattering it with a wide swing of the axe, the ensuing shockwave staggering all five combatants. Skar King tries taking Suko hostage, but Kong punches him while he's looking at Shimo, freeing the young ape. Kong throws Skar King to Godzilla, who tail whips him back into Kong's waiting glove. He tries to command Shimo, but with the crystal gone, she looks to Godzilla instead. On his signal, she freezes Skar King solid. Still alive, he can only watch as Kong slams him into the ground, shattering him into pieces. Godzilla fires his atomic breath into the sky, dispelling the clouds as Shimo watches in awe.

Mothra returns Jia to Andrews. She tells Jia that she would support her staying with the Iwi instead, but her daughter assures her that they'll continue to do everything together, and that she's her real home. They embrace as an emotional Hayes and Beasley look on.

Mothra seals the barrier with her silk and flies away elsewhere in Hollow Earth. Andrews' team say their goodbyes to each other and the Iwi. Godzilla returns to the Colosseum for another nap. Kong and Suko, now riding atop Shimo, return to Skar King's cave to declare their freedom, and the jubilant apes roar along with them, accepting Kong as their new leader.

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 Mirisch, 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
• First assistant director   Brian Avery Galligan
• 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

Japanese dub

• Maaya Sakamoto   as   Dr. Ilene Andrews
• Matsuya Onoe   as   Bernie Hayes
• Mamoru Miyano   as   Trapper Beasley
• Mogura Suzuki   as   Mikael
• Miki Maya   as   Hampton
• Miou Tanaka   as   Harris
• Rie Takahashi   as   Jayne
• Fumihiko Tachiki   as   Lewis
• Akio Otsuka   as   submarine captain
• Jun Fukuyama   as   Wilcox
• Shinsuke Kasai   as   talk show anchor
• Maaya Uchida   as   Laurier
• Kaho Koda   as   Ms. Cadogan
• Kotono Mitsuishi   as   HEAV computer

Appearances

Titans and superspecies Godzilla (DougheGoji, etc.) King Kong Mothra (imago) Suko Skar King Shimo Great Ape Gnarled Finger One-Eye Stone Fist Catcher Scylla Tiamat Doug Leafwing Mechagodzilla (mentioned) King Ghidorah (mentioned) TITAN 005 (name) TITAN 006 (name) TITAN 007 (name) TITAN 010 (name) TITAN 011 (name) TITAN 012 (name) TITAN 013 (name) TITAN 016 (name) Other monsters Warbat Wart Dog Parrot Frog Hellhawk Verticine Drownviper Hollow Earth mosquito 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 Nimitz-class aircraft carrier (stock footage) 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 would 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 return 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 reprise 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." He also suggested that the next film could potentially follow and explore Godzilla's perspective in the same way that The New Empire centered around Kong's, saying "In the way that Kong is treated in this movie, if this movie is successful, I think that the next movie will be the Godzilla version of what we did with this movie, kind of pushing deeper into his story."

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.
• Surpassing the former record holder Godzilla: King of the Monsters, this film features the most individual Titans of any Monsterverse film (outside of stock footage and text), with 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.
  • With this film, Mothra has either appeared or been referenced in every single Monsterverse film. Aside from her appearances in King of the Monsters and this film, her name appeared on a terrarium in Godzilla (2014) and she appeared through cave paintings in Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), with her name also appearing on a monitor in the latter.
  • In a Reddit AMA for Godzilla vs. Kong, Adam Wingard stated that he intended to include Doug in another Godzilla film, should he be hired to direct one. This came to fruition with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
• Tiamat is the first original Monsterverse creature to debut in a comic before appearing in a film. Though her name was seen on several maps in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, she was not shown until the comic Godzilla Dominion (2021).
  • 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 first 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 an iceberg with a helicopter flying overhead may be an homage to his introduction in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). Likewise, his dive from the Rock of Gibraltar into the ocean may be an homage to his dive from Letchi Island in Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) which was also reused in Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973).
• 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 affinity for electricity.
• The Iwi writings refer to Godzilla as "the monster that ate a star," echoing a claim that Jia previously made about him in Godzilla vs. Kong: The Official Movie Novelization when recounting an Iwi story she had heard. In the previous telling, however, the Skar King and Shimo were not referenced, and Godzilla forced the ape army that opposed him to withdraw to Skull Island instead of sealing them within the Hollow Earth.
• This film is the second film in the Monsterverse to not feature a human antagonist, with 2014's Godzilla being the first.
• Hayes complains about a troll account that frequently interacts with him called "GhidoraStan64," 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 in time, nonetheless appears as a mural inside the Iwi temple.
• The names of every major Titan introduced in this film (Suko, the Skar King, and Shimo) begin with the letter S.
• One of the licensed songs that appears in the film is the Kiss song "I Was Made for Lovin' You". Godzilla has previously been associated with Kiss by way of commercials for the EOS Kiss Digital X camera featuring the FinalGoji suit donning Paul Stanley-styled eye star makeup.
• The film's Japanese dub cast includes numerous voice actors who have previously worked on other Godzilla or King Kong projects.
  • Maaya Sakamoto and Matsuya Onoe reprise their roles as Ilene Andrews and Bernie Hayes, respectively, from the dub of Godzilla vs. Kong.
  • Mamoru Miyano previously voiced Haruo Sakaki in all three entries of the GODZILLA anime trilogy.
  • Miou Tanaka portrayed Captain Hotta in Godzilla Minus One.
  • Rie Takahashi, Fumihiko Tachiki, Jun Fukuyama, and Maaya Uchida voice Chibi Mothra, Chibi Hedorah, Chibi Godzilla, and Chibi Minilla respectively in Chibi Godzilla Raids Again.
  • Akio Otsuka voiced Jack Prescott in the Nippon TV Japanese dub for King Kong (1976) and was part of the voice cast of the TV Asahi Japanese dub for its 1986 sequel King Kong Lives.
  • Shinsuke Kasai cameoed in four of the six Millennium era Godzilla films, has hosted several Godzilla related events and appeared in all Godzilla Fest short films, and appeared as the voice of a radio announcer and a man caught in an explosion in Godzilla Minus One. He also voiced Guillermin in the Japanese dub for the previous Monsterverse film, Godzilla vs. Kong.

External links

• Official site
  • Japanese site
  • Brazilian site
  • Italian site
  • Indonesian site
  • Thai site
• Natalie page
• 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.
• Keyes, Greg (6 April 2021). Godzilla vs. Kong: The Official Movie Novelization. Titan Books. ISBN 1789097355.

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