Gareth Edwards’ 2014 revamp of “Godzilla,” starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, and Bryan Cranston reignited love for all things Godzilla: not that it had really gone anywhere. Edwards’ treatment landed somewhere between the old and the new, playing the titular lizard not as purveyor of misery, but, rightly, the legend and cautionary tale the Kaiju always was. It had a modest Box Office return, while its successor, 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” didn’t fare so well with its fan-base, sitting better with critics.
But love him or hate him, “Godzilla” has been filmed, sequeled, and re-imagined since his inception in 1954.
The same can be said of Godzilla’s mammalian answer, King Kong, who appeared earlier than Godzilla in 1933’s “King Kong.” A number of Kong films graced cinema screens over the years (12 in fact), all with their own unique take on the gigantic menace. But, like Godzilla, King Kong existed in a world humans cannot understand; his ‘monstrosity’ existed as a power that cannot—and should not—be harnessed (as with Godzilla), lest we glean catastrophic results.
But, like Marvel and D.C. Comics, King Kong and Godzilla have seldom met in the same universe, save for “King Kong vs. Godzilla,” released in 1962 and 1963 in Japan and the United States respectively.
But now—after decades of reimagining, retreads, and sequels, audiences will finally get a modern view of this epic showdown with 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong,” set for release March 31, 2021.
The Old Becomes New Again
“Godzilla vs. Kong” is directed by Adam Wingard, known for horror films such as “V/H/S” and “You’re Next.” The writing is by a quintet of writers: Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein (screenplay) and Terry Rossio, Michael Dougherty, and Zach Shields (story by). The film stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobbie Brown, Rebecca Hall, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Kyle Chandler, and others, accompanied by music by Junkie XL and cinematography by Ben Seresin.
The released teaser trailer is nothing short of exciting. It has the elements fans are no doubt clamoring for: Kong is released to fight Godzilla: the Kaiju is wreaking havoc and attacking cities for seemingly no reason, and Kong is viewed as the only hope to stop him.
The trailer hints at two aspects of note: (1) that Kong has a bond with a little girl named Jia (Kaylee Hottle), who may be the only one who can control him, and (2) the film intends to go bigger and bolder than either creature’s prior appearances. Godzilla and Kong are quick, ferocious, and seeming to fight it out, replaying a thought-ended war that left only the two of them still standing.
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The cinematography appears exciting, the fights vicious, and, unlike prior movies that pitted humans seeking to control the giants, here we see a world set as spectators as two beasts battle it out. We see battles in the sea, aboard battle ships, battles on land, and battles amongst neon gleamed skyscrapers. The trailer hints big, and we can only hope the finished project will do the same.
According to Variety, “Godzilla vs. Kong” will be given a double release due to Covid-19, available to watch in cinemas and on HBO Max in tandem. It was originally slated for a May 21 release, but has now been pushed back to March 31 (it may open on March 26 in certain parts of the globe, 5 days early, in regions where HBO Max is not available).
Watch the exciting trailer below:
