Summary

• Dave Callaham is set to write for the next MonsterVerse film, following the success of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
• The MonsterVerse franchise is thriving, with the recent film becoming the second-highest grossing movie of 2024.
• The new movie's success has spurred more MonsterVerse projects, including a second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

The MonsterVerse has drafted in the writer for the next movie in the Godzilla and Kong franchise in the form of Dave Callaham (as per The Hollywood Reporter). Best known for his work on the MCU’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Callaham will have the task of crafting a new story to build on the success of this year’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which is currently the second-highest grossing movie of 2024.

Shang-Chi was one of the most highly praised movies of the MCU’s Phase 4, and with the MonsterVerse having veered into Marvel-style action in its latest installment, Callaham could well be a perfect choice to capitalize on the success of this formula. His other credits include working on The Expendables, 2021’s Mortal Kombat reboot, and the heavily criticized Wonder Woman 1984. However, he came back strong as the co-writer of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which was nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire had all the makings of a blockbuster hit, but after 2023’s year of box office disappointments there was never a guarantee that it would manage to pull off a colossal haul. However, the film surpassed projections, resulting in a $548 million box office, which makes it the second-highest grossing MonsterVerse movie, and a sign that the franchise is only going to get bigger in the future. The new movie will head into production along with the second season of Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which was green-lit recently.

The MonsterVerse is Growing with More Projects to be Announced

The success of The New Empire has awakened something at Legendary. In total, the MonsterVerse has evolved into a lucrative franchise, accumulating $2.5 billion at the global box office since Gareth Edward’s Godzilla debuted in 2014. As well as the sixth movie in the franchise now moving forward, and the second season of Monarch in development, Apple TV+’s head of international development Morgan Wandel previously teased even further expansion to the streaming arm of the franchise. He said:

“Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has left an indelible imprint on the hearts, minds and imaginations of audiences around the world, led by the brilliance of Chris, Matt, Kurt, Wyatt and the incredibly gifted talented cast and creative team. We couldn’t be more excited for viewers to not only have the chance to experience even more thrills in season two, but to embark on epic, new journeys in the franchise, as we expand Legendary’s Monsterverse.”

What impressed many fans about Monarch was how the show focused on the human side of the MonsterVerse coin that the movies have often pushed aside in favor of big monster action sequences. The first season returned to several moments from earlier in the franchise, including scenes from the 2014 movie, and its final shot revealed that the second season will be bringing Kong to the party and could fill in several gaps between the events of Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla v Kong.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is still playing in theaters, while Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is available on Apple TV+.