Although its theatrical release has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic,Godzilla vs. Konghas become one of the most highly-anticipated upcoming movies since dropping its first action-packed trailer. Naturally,Godzilla vs. Konghas drawn comparisons to another universe-building blockbuster that pitted two iconic characters against each other,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,but director Adam Wingard has explained how his showdown film will differ from Zack Snyder’s.
During an interview with Collider, Wingard said, “This is just my opinion, but my issue with [BvS] is really that it’s a new Batman… so it felt like, okay, now that we’re doingBatman v Superman, we’re also restarting Batman. So, this feels like a different universe, which it is, and so this is a different Batman.” One of the most common criticisms ofBatman v Supermanis that its plot is overstuffed. Like Wingard said, in addition to setting up a conflict between the two most beloved superheroes in the world, it also had to set upa whole newBatmanfranchisewhile laying the groundwork for the formation of the Justice League and the coming apocalypse.
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As the fourth entry in the ongoing MonsterVerse, the titular beasts featured inGodzilla vs. Konghave already been established in their own movies. 2014’sGodzillaand 2019’sGodzilla: King of the Monstersintroduced audiences to the former, while 2017’sKong: Skull Islandintroduced them to this new version of the giant ape. Consequently, Wingard’s movie doesn’t have the burden of setting up the origin or characterization of either monster.
The plot ofGodzilla vs. Kongwill involve Kong being taken to find his true home and crossing paths with a furious Godzilla along the way. The trailer teased a big showdown on a boat, which is terrible for Kong because the ocean is Godzilla’s domain while the ape is primarily a land mammal. While the already-established universe separatesGodzilla vs. KongfromBatman v Superman, it is borrowing one element from the polarizing DC movie. The official plot summary indicates that the battle is going to be instigated by unseen meddlers, which echoesLex Luthor’s role inBatman v Supermanas the true mastermind behind the conflict between the DC heroes.
The release date ofGodzilla vs. Konghas been changed a number of times, even before the pandemic. It was later delayed to August 10, 2025, to accommodate the shutdown caused by the virus. Eventually, Warner Bros. controversially includedGodzilla vs. Kongin its plan to release17 films from its 2021 slate on HBO Maxday-and-date with theaters.
The decision nearly landed Warner Bros. in legal trouble with Legendary Pictures, the company that financed most ofGodzilla vs. Kong’s budget. Legendary reportedly took issue with WarnerMedia blocking a multi-million offer for the film from Netflix, but both parties were able to resolve their issues and agreed on terms to release the MonsterVerse film on HBO Max.
Godzilla vs. Kongis scheduled to be released in select theaters and on HBO Max on June 22, 2025.
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