There comes a point where a film franchise based on a giant lizard and giant monkey fighting each other has to jump the shark. And judging from the first full trailer of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, we are at that point, and the shark is about the size of the titular characters.
As the preview image shows, Godzilla x Kong features our two former enemies teaming up to fight what appears to be an even bigger enemy so that they can be in charge of the world in the middle of the Hallow Earth that was discovered in the last film Godzilla v Kong. The trailer is full of more and more outlandish kaiju action that seems to be ratcheting everything in the MonsterVerse up to eleven, which is a far cry from the more grounded take that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is taking with the franchise and a universe away from the emotionally powerful Godzilla Minus One. I mean, it looks like we’ll be diving into some kind of giant gorilla Game of Thrones stuff in parts of this trailer.
Aside from the CGI monsters, Godzilla x Kong does indeed have some actors in it. Adam Wingard returns to the franchise to direct the returning Rebecca Hall (Godzilla vs. Kong), Kaylee Hottle (Godzilla vs. Kong), and Brian Tyree Henry (Godzilla vs. Kong). Joining them in running around the goliaths’ feet are Dan Stevens (Legion), Alex Ferns (The Batman), and Fala Chen (Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
The MonsterVerse has had a surprisingly strong run of films and shows, but Godzilla vs. Kong was easily its weakest effort, and it looks like the studio and screenwriter Terry Rossio are just going bigger and crazier. That can work for a franchise based on kaiju, but it’s a delicate line to balance, and they totally failed at it with the last film. Let’s hope they get it right this time.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will land in theaters and IMAX on April 12, 2024.
