Not even the COVID-19 pandemic can keep this epic showdown from happening. After first being announced over five years ago and a slew of shuffled release dates, “Godzilla Vs. Kong” finally reaches audiences in just over two months from now.
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While the movie’s March release date comes mired in controversy (more on that later), this mash-up of cinema’s great super-species is the latest installment in Legendary‘s MonsterVerse. The series didn’t have that moniker when Gareth Edwards‘ “Godzilla,” the franchise’s first film, came out back in 2014. However, Monarch, the secret government agency introduced in that film, has faced several other Titans since then.
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In “Kong: Skull Island,” released in 2017, Monarch scientists traveled to an uncharted island in the Pacific during the Vietnam War and encountered Kong and other giant creatures. A post-credits sequence in that film unveiled footage of Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah, foes of Godzilla from Japanese studio Toho‘s beloved kaiju films. All three monsters battled with Godzilla in the series’ next movie, 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.”
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Now, Monarch sees Godzilla square off against Kong in a fight for Titan supremacy, with the future of humanity hanging in the balance. Here’s the official synopsis:
“In a new world where man and monster now coexist, Monarch must lead the way to a prosperous future alongside the Titans, keeping humanity in check. However, rival factions that want to manipulate the Titans for war begin to rise under the guise of a nefarious conspiracy, threatening to wipe out all life on the planet. Meanwhile, on Skull Island, strange seismic activity draws the attention of Godzilla and Kong alike.”
“Godzilla Vs. Kong” has a star-studded ensemble cast, led by Alexander Skarsgard and Rebecca Hall. Millie Bobbie Brown, Kyle Chandler, and Zhang Ziyi return to reprise their roles from “King of the Monsters.” The cast also includes Brian Tyree Henry, Eiza González, Lance Reddick, Julian Dennison, Demián Bichir, Shun Oguri, and Jessica Henwick.
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Director Adam Wingard is behind the camera for “Godzilla Vs. Kong.” Best known for his indie genre riffs like “You’re Next” and “The Guest,” it’s Wingard’s highest budget film to date.
Thanks to the ongoing pandemic, “Godzilla Vs. Kong” has had a rough path reaching audiences. After production in Hawaii, Australia, and Hong Kong wrapped in April 2019, COVID pushed back the film’s initial March 2020 release date to May, then November, and finally to May 2021.
Things got even dicier last December after Warner Bros. announced its controversial deal with HBO Max to release its slate of 2021 films simultaneously in theaters and on the new streaming platform. Legendary and Warner Bros. came to blows over the deal, but negotiations between the two companies have reached an agreement.
Shortly after that, “Godzilla Vs. Kong” received its current release date: March 26. Want to see titans collide while humanity picks up the pieces–again? Brave your local cinema or take advantage of the one month access for the HBO Max streaming release when the film opens then.