Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: King Kong

  • Disney+ Working on Live-Action ‘King Kong’ Series

    Disney+ Working on Live-Action ‘King Kong’ Series

    The Monsterverse is getting some competition as Diseny+ is currently working on a live-action series based on the icon King Kong. As revealed b Variety, the project is in early development but it would not only explore Kong’s origins but also Skull Island. It’ll be based on Merian C. Cooper‘s original and a new novelization by Joe DeVito.

    Paper Girls‘ Stephany Folsom is developing the series and acts as its executive producer. She’ll be joined b James Wan, Michael Clear, and Rob Hackett from Atomic Monster alongside World Builder Entertainment’s Dannie Festa.

    King Kong has been a monster icon since the 1933 film. he’s gone on to receive a variety of projects including a remake in 2005 by Peter Jackson. There’s no clear mark on how the rights work surrounding this project with the Warner Bros. and Legendary Monsterverse franchise using the character in various projects.

    Netflix is also working on an animated series titled Skull island, which is supposedly connected to it. Apple TV+ received the rights to a Godzilla spinoff, which may also potentially feature the iconic ape in some fashion or another. We’ll have to see how it develops as there’s also the untitled Godzilla vs. Kong sequel that supposedly is a modern interpretation of Son of Kong. So, the ape’s future in media is definitely secured.

    Source: Variety

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Sequel Eyeing a Production Start Later This Year

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Sequel Eyeing a Production Start Later This Year

    Godzilla vs. Kong was the film to revive the box office after the pandemic kept the entire industry on its toes. At the same time, it even managed to revive the franchise that was facing a bit of a downward spiral in its box office performance. Luckily, its success not only led to Adam Wingard getting signed on for the next MonsterVerse entry but also led to Apple TV+ getting its hands on a spinoff series. After a long bout of silence, it looks like the sequel film is finally picking up the pace.

    It is currently eyeing a production start later this year and will return to Australia. Gold Coast and Southeast Queensland will once again become the home for the latest MonsterVerse film, making it the third time. It’ll receive $11.8M through the federal government with an additional $4.66M subsidy being offered through the state screen agency. Producer Eric McLeod had the following to say:

    The highly skilled crews, first-rate facilities, and unique locations make filming in Australia a great experience. The support from both the federal government as well as Queensland has always been critical to our success in achieving a high level of filmmaking and an unparalleled audience experience.

    Eric McLeod

    It’s crazy that we haven’t heard anything about the project in some time, and now it’s already eyeing a productions tart. We have no real idea what the future has in store for the franchise, but there have been hints that it may explore a storyline focusing on the aftermath for Kong rather than Godzilla, who kickstarted the franchise. It’s also strange they aren’t building up multiple entries, as there is a surprising amount of silence on the project. So, we’ll see if this announcement builds up to a potential reveal on its title and direction.

    Source: Twitter, Variety

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’s Adam Wingard in Talks to Direct Next MonsterVerse’s Film

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’s Adam Wingard in Talks to Direct Next MonsterVerse’s Film

    It looks like the hashtag movement #ContinuetheMonsterverse worked, as Hollywood Reporter has just revealed that Godzilla vs. Kong‘s director Adam Wingard is already in talks to tackle the next entry in the MonsterVerse franchise by Legendary Studios. As stated by THR, this is a great surprise after Godzilla: King of the Monsters underperformed with only $386M in the worldwide Box Office. Luckily, the latest entry passed $400M globally while releasing simultaneously on HBO Max and during a pandemic. It is the top-grossing movie since the pandemic completely halted the market last year. It also isn’t even opening in all markets, which could add to its performance moving forward. It is uncertain which character’s story he would continue.

    As Godzilla vs. Kong was originally going to end the franchise after it lost Box Office momentum, this is great news for MonserVerse fans. It is uncertain if this project will be fast-tracked, as Wingard is also set to direct a ThunderCats adaptation. Still, according to their report, the director was heavily involved with the development of the Hollow Earth plotline and they have been cooking up ideas since. They even believe that a Son of Kong project might be in the works and could be the one he’ll tackle next. Legendary will try to build on this film’s success and they seem to be looking at spinning off multiple installments. So, we could see Godzilla and Kong splinter off into their own franchises before they get a second showdown. Whatever they decide, we cannot wait to see more Titans in the future.

    Source: Hollywood Reporter

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: How Monarch Remains the Monsterverse’s Greatest Potential and Its Biggest Crutch

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: How Monarch Remains the Monsterverse’s Greatest Potential and Its Biggest Crutch

    Godzilla vs. Kong has been our first sign that cinemas are recovering. The showdown between these cinema icons has offered an exciting and visually stunning film. An aspect that makes these films stand out from their predecessors is how it deepens its mythology. We explore how these giants can co-exist with humanity. We come to learn in Godzilla: King of the Monsters how these beasts have been hibernating for millennia. It is a great concept that offers our human characters something to do while avoiding getting trampled to death by the mountain-sized Titans. Yet, the latest entry in Legendary’s Monsterverse has revealed how this focus can also drag out a storyline.

     

    Monarch Sciences

     

    To offer a quick rundown, we follow two distinct groups. One ragtag team focuses on uncovering Godzilla’s strange and erratic behavior of randomly destroying cities. The other follows Kong, who is seeking his home in Hollow Earth. In theory, it is a great idea to explore a mysterious world at the center of our planet. Yet, the point of the series is the showdown between Godzilla and Kong. So, we barely scratch the surface of this strange new ecosystem and the Titans that live there. We quickly have to establish Kong, his new weapon, and a way for him to get to Hong Kong.

    The concept is interesting, but it feels more like a pitstop rather than natural worldbuilding. In the intro, Godzilla vs. Kong teases the mighty battles between their ancestors, yet there was no mention of it to this day. They have been building up this showdown for some time, but it feels a bit slapped together in a way. Their only motivation is that two Alpha predators can’t exist at the same time. Yet, they technically have with Kong living on Skull Island all this time. Hollow Earth got teased in King of the Monsters, but it doesn’t match what we witness in its sequel. We got introduced to these two curious concepts of a society worshipping these creatures, but they are nothing more than window dressing for the story. The tribe we met in Kong: Skull Island ended up getting eradicated off-screen since the 2017 film was released. It felt like a waste to skim over that aspect.

     

    Monarch Sciences

     

    In a way, they try to use Monarch purely as an expedition dump. The 2014 Godzilla focused on people that weren’t related to the secret organization, who started gaining center stage with each new entry. Each film needs to explore and explain the history of these monsters. At some points, they try to get the human characters to have an essential role in the Titan’s battle, which feels a bit forced. It creates a bizarre dichotomy of these giants that survived long before us being a bit dependent on human meddling. The problem is that the human characters don’t feel like they have a personal challenge to overcome but rather are cogs to push towards specific story beats.

    Monarch is a great concept to tie the movies together, but it is time to focus on more personal stories as the mythology grows in the background. It got rumored that Monarch might get its own HBO Max spin-off series. It can serve as the mythology-based series that explores everything set up throughout the Monsterverse, while the films can take a step back and offer some new perspectives on a world filled with Titans roaming freely.

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Roars US Cinema Back to Life With $48M+ Easter Weekend

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Roars US Cinema Back to Life With $48M+ Easter Weekend

    We’ve been waiting to hear the words that the American Box Office was healing. There were many attempts in the last few months to see if blockbuster films could revive the market. We’ve seen some movement in international markets but the local one was still suffering from the pandemic. So, there was some hope the further we get in 2021, we would see the market recover somewhat. It looks like it took for the release of Godzilla vs. Kong to accomplish that task. The latest entry in the Monstersverse opened over the Easter holiday and offered a 5-day opening of approximately $48.5M. It had an overall $32M kickstart to revive cinemas somewhat.

    Of course, these numbers aren’t what they use to be. We’ve seen blockbusters open upward to 200M, but this is a sign that the Box Office is recovering somewhat. Godzilla vs. Kong was well-received and managed to surpass expectations and was on par with another Easter opener, Ready Player One in 2018. We also have to keep in mind that the film is also available for HBO Max owners for free. As Forbes points out, the film is performing similarly to the usual Monsterverse fair in a non-COVID situation, such as Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ $48M opening two years ago. The way the film focuses on Kong as an action-hero facing off against Godzilla may also have played in the film’s favor, as the 50s icon has a stronger following in the West. It’ll be interesting to see how the next films will perform to see if we are witnessing an upward trend to normalcy.

    Source: Twitter, Forbes

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: Toho Refuses That Godzilla Shows Emotions

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: Toho Refuses That Godzilla Shows Emotions

    Godzilla vs. Kong has just been released in theaters and on HBO Max. The film showed the two cinema icons face off in a battle of the Titans. Yet, some fans might have noticed that Kong got a bit more attention throughout the story. He has an entire arc and shows quite a bit of emotion, while his counterpart seems to be consistently pissed about having to fight the giant monkey. It looks like there is a reason why Godzilla only gets very brief moments to emote. According to the film’s director Adam Wingard, Toho has set strict rules about how Legendary can use their trademarked character.

    One of [the rules], for instance, is (that) they don’t want Godzilla to emote. They see him as like this god-like force of nature, and so to them, it’s out of character if you have him reacting in a normal way to things. But, there’s always ways around it. We definitely have some moments where I think Godzilla is more emotive in this film than he has been in any of the MonsterVerse movies. We just had to get clever with it. And I think that sometimes that stuff is kind of presented to you in a very kind of brick-wall kind of way. But if you just do certain things, and present it to them just right, and if they’re on board with the movie, they seem to give us plenty of leeway.

    It’s certailny curious that they want to avoid the giant to show any emotions. Yet, it makes sense if you consider that Godzilla is a force of nature, whose origins are rooted in Japanese history. So, they would want to avoid the giant lizard being overly emotive. Wingard does tease that they snuck in some moments, which offer a slight glance into the King of the Monsters’ mind. Here’s hoping we get more

    Source: ReelBlend via Dread Central

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Revives the International Box Office With Massive Opening Weekend

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Revives the International Box Office With Massive Opening Weekend

    We’ve all been keeping a close eye on the international Box Office. Numbers have been down quite a bit since the pandemic hit. It was clear that it wouldn’t change overnight. Studios were looking towards streaming as an alternative to avoid overflooding the market whenever it would heal. Plus, it was uncertain when one could even talk about “normalcy” in the cinema market ever again. Black Widow seemed like the film that would help guide the Box Office back, but Disney decided to give it a simultaneous release on Disney+ and in theaters. It even got postponed. So, the hope lied with the upcoming release of Godzilla vs. Kong to get the ball rolling.

    Well, it finally happened. After various films barely made a dent, the latest entry in Legendary’s Monsterverse has surpassed expectations. The film debut with around $121.8M in 38 overseas markets over the weekend. China was the strongest gainer here with $70.34M. It had the largest opening for a Hollywood title since the pandemic started with $21.5M. On top of that, it also managed to top 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters opening Box Office in China, which was at an unadjusted $66M. It is even tracking ahead of the film by 11% on par with Kong: Skull Island‘s opening.

    Sony’s Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway has also seen some stronger legs in Australia before the Easter holiday. Deadline believes the film might have long legs, which is also very likely for the latest adaptation of the battle between a giant lizard and ape. Hopefully, it is a good sign we’ll have plenty more Western adaptations of Kong and Godzilla in the future. Godzilla: King of the Monsters has struggled a bit fearing for the franchise’s end, but now it may just be a new beginning.

    Source: Deadline

  • ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: Legendary Reveals First Full Look at Mecha Godzilla

    ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: Legendary Reveals First Full Look at Mecha Godzilla

    There is a curious thing about leaks in the modern age. At some point, the studio gives up fighting it and accepts that it is out there. Well, HBO Max and Warner Bros. have been facing something similar with the leak of Mecha Godzilla making an appearance in the upcoming film Godzilla vs. Kong. It got briefly teased in a few frames in the first trailer, and everyone noticed it. Images of toys started leaking online. So, people were getting a good look at the design of the mechanized Titan. Instead of fighting, they just accepted that the news is out there and decided to cash in on it. So, they released a tweet that includes merchandise that showcases the man-made Titan:

    It certainly matches the toy leaks that we’ve seen in the past. We still don’t know how exactly he will fit into the story. He may get created by humanity in response to Godzilla’s rampage. We know that Kong is brought to the mainland to defeat him. It may be a response for the team avoiding the activation of Mecha Godzilla. He could also end up being the reason that the once world-protecting giant ends up destroying the world. He might have a considerable role, and it will be interesting to see how they integrate this new rendition of the character. His design is sleeker than past iterations. We can expect a lot more maneuverability from this version rather than relying mainly on missiles like the classics. It’s a great design, and we cannot wait to see it in action once the film releases next week.

     

    Source: Twitter

  • Why Godzilla is on a Rampage in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    Why Godzilla is on a Rampage in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    Dr. Ishiro Serizawa’s words “Let Them Fight” in 2014’s Godzilla would come to define the franchise, as the films that followed would feature more and more Kaiju smackdown. The now-titled Monsterverse started to dig deeper into the mysterious hollow earth. Since 2019’s Godzilla: King of The Monsters, fans have been teeming with excitement for the fight of the century, Godzilla vs. Kong. We finally got our official look at the film in the recent trailer. After multiple delays due to the pandemic, the film will finally release on March 26th. At first glance, it looked like it would live up to its name, as Godzilla and Kong clash once again for the first time since 1963. However, a small discovery in the trailer may showcase a new direction.

     

    godzilla vs kong trailer

     

    Upon a first watch, the trailer brings us into a post King of The Monsters world, where Godzilla has successfully taken the title after defeating the three-headed King Ghidorah. A voiceover explains that Godzilla has started attacking random cities for no reason, and they need someone to stop him. These events are where Kong comes into play, as old Monarch files must list him as the only other Kaiju that could stand a chance against the giant lizard. Since his first appearance, Kong has grown considerably and now can measure up with Gojira. His more humanoid frame stands a much better chance against the overgrown lizard and his stubby arms. What doesn’t make sense is why Godzilla would all of a sudden turn on the people he’s fought to protect multiple times, even if his dominance got threatened in one case.

    The trailer may be playing a trick on us. If you look closely, a recent toy leak confirmed the existence of a false God, Mechagodzilla. At this point, almost everyone knows the mecha will make his Monsterverse debut in this film, but it seems to be much sooner than initially thought. In the original 1974 film Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla, we know the robot can camouflage and pretends to be Godzilla. It does open up a few questions, however. Why would he do this in this film, and who would have the motives to do such a thing? The previous installment, King of The Monsters, has that answer.

     

     

    We learn in that film that Dr. Ishiro Serizawa has a son, Ren Serizawa. A cast listing did confirm that actor Shun Oguri will play the character, who we see in the trailer in front of a screen featuring Mechagodzilla’s operation status. There is a possibility that Ren now works for a shadow organization to enact his revenge. His father’s fascination with the titans may have pushed him down a darker path. So, his father dying to save Godzilla may have been the last straw, so he took it into his own hands. He aims to frame Godzilla while luring out one of the few survivors so that they may kill each other and end their reign.

    A final note is a moment within the trailer where we return to the aircraft carrier battle between Kong and the fake Godzilla. In one shot, we see what looks like Godzilla’s tail. Upon further examination, it doesn’t seem to be the case after all. It looks to be a lot more mechanical and with links holding it together. I’m unsure when this fight takes place, but this could be the big reveal to the world that the Godzilla they know and love is not behind this. It may be what brings the two Kaiju together to take down the mechanical monstrosity and restore the balance to the world of titans.

  • Why Kong will Rule after ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    Why Kong will Rule after ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’

    The long-awaited sequel of Godzilla vs. Kong is only a few months away. And with the trailer that just came out, we cannot wait to see the legendary throwdown between these two iconic monsters. However, the history behind this battle spans multiple decades. It has been an old-age question, and fans have different arguments in favor of their personal favorite. Most people underestimate Kong and speculate that it would be a one-sided battle. Let me brush you up on Kaiju cinematic history if you still think Kong has no chance. It isn’t the first time the two Kaijus are at odds against each other. In Toho’s 1962 film, King Kong vs. Godzilla, it was Kong who stood victorious once Mount Fuji ended. Therefore, calling Godzilla vs. Kong a one-sided battle is a bit premature. Now, let me make the case why I believe Kong will be victorious and become the true king of monsters.

     

     

    People have been attributing Godzilla’s victory to their size, which is misleading. The last time we saw Kong was during the events of Kong: Skull Island (2017). It took place in 1973, so the big feller was still growing during that time. The trailer confirmed that once we reach Godzilla vs. Kong, we will see a taller and more mature Kong. Although Godzilla has shown better resilience and endurance in his previous films, Kong has the advantage of incredible strength, durability, and long arms. In addition to his speed and skills, he has an upper edge over his competitor.

    Godzilla is slow due to his bulky size. In contrast, Kong has more mobility to move around. We’ve seen him demonstrate his flexibility and how he makes short work of enemies with his long arms. He is also able to leap very high, so he can easily dodge any attacks. While Kong and Godzilla are great fighters, Kong gets a competitive edge with his skills to jump over mountains and durable buildings. Moreover, the Toho original has imbued the Kong with the ability to absorb and zap out lightning with his hands that add to his already impressive physical attributes. I do, however, believe that this won’t be adapted in the upcoming film.

     

     

    We also have to consider their intelligence. It is subjective, but we have seen it in previous films. Godzilla’s fighting still adapts to whoever he is facing. Meanwhile, Kong shows a higher understanding of who his allies are and who isn’t. He also forms strategies and focuses on his enemies’ weak points by utilizing tools to gain an advantage. It just proves that this won’t be as one-sided as people believe it to be, so anyone can win. The important thing to consider here is that they might not kill each other, as Legendary has some big plans for these characters. My point is that Kong is capable of defeating Gojira in a fight. We will have to wait until March 26, when Godzilla vs. Kong drops in theaters and on HBO Max.