Warner Bros. and Legendary brought monsters to our screens with the MonsterVerse, bringing together beasts from far and wide. What may well be the final installment of this cinematic universe is on its way, so let’s look at how we got here.
The MonsterVerse refers to a cinematic universe created using the primary characters of Godzilla and King Kong. These characters have existed for decades. Kong was created in 1933 by American filmmaker Merian C. Cooper, while Godzilla came later in 1954, from Tomoyuki Tanaka. Both these behemoths of cinematic history were destined to meet and did so in 1962 with the first King Kong vs. Godzilla from Japan’s Toho Studios.
There have been numerous remakes and reboots featuring the characters. The current Monsterverse—under Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment—has been running, and rampaging, for a decade now so here is a list of all of its movies in order before we reach what appears to be the final climactic battle.
Godzilla (2014)
This was the first film in the universe and the reboot of the classic origin story of the giant reptile that is Godzilla. Featuring a stellar cast, with the titular character front and center of course, that included Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, and Bryan Cranston, the film was predicted to be a flop early on, only to become the 14th highest grossing film of the year.
The success of this film prompted Toho to reboot the character themselves (leading to last year’s phenomenal Godzilla Minus One) and pushed Legendary to continue with its new cinematic universe, leading to…
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
The second film saw a reboot of the story of Kong, only rather than being set in the 1930s, like the original and the 2005 remake by Peter Jackson, this one was set in 1973. Here we meet Monarch, a government organization that sees cooperation between Japan and the U.S. to combat and study monsters. The film had yet another stellar cast, including a number of Marvel actors such as Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, and Samuel L. Jackson as well as John Goodman, Jing Tian, and John C. Reilly.
The film received positive reviews overall and was another financial success for the MonsterVerse, currently standing as the highest-grossing movie in the franchise to date.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
The sequel to 2014’s Godzilla brought back the beast, now nicknamed “King of the Monsters” but he has to defend his title against some powerful opponents. This film introduces us to a whole range of kaiju such as Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah as the beasts battle one another over the future of the planet.
The film starred Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, and Charles Dance and brought back characters in the form of Sally Hawkins, Ken Watanabe, and David Strathairn. The film failed to make the same impact that its predecessors had and is the lowest-grossing film of the franchise. What it did do was set up a much-anticipated showdown.
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
The Battle of Kings arrived in Godzilla vs. Kong, though thanks to the pandemic it was released in both theaters and HBO Max where it streamed for a month, pulling in huge numbers. The last film sets up the clash between the two, but they are interrupted when Apex’s Mechagodzilla goes on a rampage that requires them to team up and take it out. This was the first time since 1963 that these two characters had shared the screen.
The film brought back Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler and introduced new characters played by Alexander Skarsgård, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, and Kaylee Hottle. The film was another commercial success for the MonsterVerse and though there was no post-credit scene this time, the MonsterVerse had more up its sleeve.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
In what could be the last film in the franchise (though we don’t know sure), Godzilla x Kong will see the kings team up once again as they face monsters that make even them quake. Audiences will get a look into the origins of the Titans as well as introduce us to new antagonists in the form of Skar King and Shimo. Kong and Godzilla are going to need to work together if they have any chance of saving humanity and their home.
The film is set to release on March 27, 2024, and brings back Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle, as well as Dan Stevens, Alex Ferns, Rachel House, and Fala Chen.
With the biggest villains in the known Godzilla and King Kong franchises making an appearance, we don’t know how the MonsterVerse can go bigger than this, with many speculating that this film will end the decade-long run of the franchise.
Television
The MonsterVerse franchise also has two television series, both released last year: Skull Island on Netflix, and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on AppleTV+. The former takes the form of an animation set in the 1990s which sees a collection of unwitting explorers land on Skull Island, home to the mighty King Kong. It stars well-known voices including Mae Whitman (Avatar: The Last Airbender), Nicola Cantu (The Amazing World of Gumball), and Darren Charles Barnett (Never Have I Ever).
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a live-action drama spanning the decades since Godzilla first appeared in the world, jumping between the 1950s and 2105. The drama stars Anna Sawai (Shōgun), Kurt Russell (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), and Wyatt Russel (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), as well as Kiersey Clemons (The Flash) and Mari Yamamoto (Pachinko).
The future of the MonsterVerse could be in television, though neither of the above shows has yet been greenlit for a second season.
What do you think? Let us know!
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
