Get ready for the “fight of the century”!
Godzilla, the King of Monsters will finally meet King Kong aka the Eighth Wonder of the World in the same film by 2020.
Following the 2014 success with the global reinvention of the “Godzilla” franchise, Legendary Pictures annnounced that they would re-team with Warner Bros to create a new shared cinematic franchise.
Warner Bros. now has 3 monster movies in the works in addition to their “Harry Potter” spin-off franchise and DC Cinematic Universe.
The upcoming monster films are:
- Kong: Skull Island – 7th March 2017
- Godzilla 2 – 2nd June 2018
- Godzilla VS. Kong – 2020
Legendary CEO Thomas Tull and Warner Bros chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara made the joint announcement about the reinvention of monsters on Wednesday (14th October).
The official unification of the “Godzilla” and “King Kong” franchises paved the way for Legendary and Warner Bros. to develop a franchise that centered around Monarch and anchored by Godzilla, King Kong, and other famous creatures.
Thus, it was revealed that classic Toho monsters including Rodan (a fictional Japanese mutated pterosaur), Mothra (a giant divine moth kaiju), and King Ghidorah will exist in the same cinematic universe as King Kong and Godzilla.
This was first announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 (SDCC 2014) after Legendary acquired rights to additional classic characters from Toho’s Godzilla universe.
According to Legendary, the films would be “revealing a mythology that brings together Godzilla and Legendary’s King Kong in an ecosystem of other giant super-species, both classic and new”.
Monarch, the human organisation that uncovered Godzilla in the 2014 film, will expand its mission in multiple releases.
“Godzilla 2” will be written by Max Borenstein and directed by Gareth Edwards. Legendary is producing with Mary Parent and Alex Garcia will executive produce. The film is set to be released by Warner Bros. on 8th June 2018.
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As for “Godzilla vs. Kong”, it will be released in 2020. However, no director is attached to direct the project yet.
The announcement noted that while Legendary maintains its new home at Universal Pictures, the “Godzilla” films will remain in partnership with Warner Bros., who will now also distribute “Kong” as a part of this franchise.
In a full statement, Tull said, “Audiences really responded to Godzilla.”
He added:
Today, I’m excited to reveal that film was only the beginning of an epic new entertainment universe. As a lifelong fan of these characters, I’ve always wanted to see the ultimate showdown, and today we’re pleased to be announcing that and more.
Tsujihara also said in a statement:
Working with our partners at Legendary, we enjoyed tremendous creative and commercial success with “Godzilla”.
“It’s great to be able to revisit these characters and help create a franchise with so many creative possibilities for filmmakers. Fans love these big, globally iconic films and it doesn’t get any bigger than this,” he added.
Slated for release on 10th March 2017, “Kong: Skull Island” stars Tom Hiddleston, Toby Kebbell, Brie Larson, John Goodman, Jason Mitchell, Tian Jing, Sam Jackson, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham, and Corey Hawkins (of “Straight Outta Compton” fame). Jordan Vogt-Roberts (of “The Kings of Summer” fame) will direct it based on a script by John Gatins and Max Borenstein.
Production is set to begin on 19th October. Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni, who previously worked together on “Godzilla”, will produce it with Mary Parent while Alex Garcia and Eric McLeod will serve as executive producers.
While plot details are still vague, the story will be set in “the mysterious, dangerous home of the king of the apes as a team of explorers venture deep inside the treacherous, primordial island”.
Source: Legendary.
