Quick Links

It looks like it's time to evacuate the major cities again because the King of the Monsters and the Eighth Wonder of the World are set to reunite for the next chapter of the MonsterVerse with Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. Legendary's cinematic universe based on the legendary Toho monster films saw great success when the 2014 Godzilla film, functioning as a stellar western reboot that featured a jaw-dropping sense of scale and plenty of borderline apocalyptic monster fights. Soon after Godzilla defeated the fearsome MUTOs, audiences would also discover that Godzilla is not the only monster in the universe when Godzilla: King of the Monsters unleashed a slew of new threats onto the Earth. Though Godzilla very nearly meets his end at the claws of the deadly King Ghidorah, the mutated lizard king ultimately comes out on top takes claims the title of king for himself.

However, long before Godzilla became the ultimate monster in the world, there was another monster king who staked his claim on a secluded land called Skull Island. We see King Kong return to the filmmaking industry in a big way with Kong: Skull Island, showcasing the giant ape fighting off intruders in his sacred homeland. Decades later, Kong and Godzilla would come face to face in the appropriately titled Godzilla vs. Kong, and while they start out as ancient enemies, the two titans eventually team up to defeat the rogue Mecha-Godzilla. Now, Godzilla and Kong are set to reunite three years later with Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. The next chapter of the MonsterVerse is bound to be an epic collection of chaos and mayhem, but the real question is whether the two titular monsters will once again be enemies or if they'll form a tepid alliance to take on a new threat. To learn more about the anticipated sequel's cast, trailer, release date, and more, here is everything we know so far about Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on February 14, 2024.

Godzilla X Kong The New Empire New Film Poster
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Action
Adventure
Sci-Fi

Kong and the fearsome Godzilla face off against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own.

Release Date
March 29, 2024
Director
Adam Wingard
Main Genre
Action
Writers
Terry Rossio , Simon Barrett , Jeremy Slater

When Is the Release Date of 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire'?

Godzilla and King Kong running together in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Image via Warner Bros

The massive creatures of the MonsterVerse will be making their enormous return to the big screen when Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire releases on March 29, 2024. The film was originally scheduled to release on March 15, 2024, but was later delayed to April 12, before moving up two weeks. The film is now slated to release on the weekend that was abandoned by both Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and Bong Joon-ho's Mickey 17.

Where Can You Watch 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire'?

Godzilla roars in Godzilla x Kong the New Empire
Image via Warner Bros.

Every fan of Godzilla and King Kong will tell you that these cinema icons are at their best when they're on the big screen. Thankfully, the announcement trailer for Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire makes it abundantly clear that the sequel will be premiering exclusively in theaters. This is exciting news for fans, given that the previous film, Godzilla vs. Kong, couldn't achieve a proper theatrical release due to the ongoing global pandemic, and ultimately premiered day-and-date on HBO Max along with the rest of Warner Bros' 2021 film slate. That being said the previous film still made a healthy sum in theaters and became the first major hit at the box office during the pandemic grossing $470 million at the worldwide box office. The New Empire will be bringing the franchise back to theaters. It is more than possible that we'll see the film later come to the newly rebranded Max once its theatrical run concludes.

Is There a Trailer for 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire'?

The first official trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was released by Warner Bros on December 3, 2023, after being presented at the 2023 edition of CCXP. The first official look at the film introduces the new villain of the film while also giving us our first look at Baby Kong (following in the footsteps of Grogu and Baby Groot).

The second trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was released rather appropriately on Valentine's Day 2024.

We got our first look at what's in store for Godzilla and Kong's next big battle in the form of a title reveal trailer, which debuted the epic title of Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. The just over thirty-second-long trailer sees an ape titan sitting on a sinister throne, surrounded by all manner of bones and detritus. At the edge of this monstrous graveyard are two massive skulls that are clearly supposed to be the heads of Godzilla and Kong. It seems reasonable to assume that the ape sitting on the throne is Kong, but the creature's appearance seems quite a bit skinnier than the titular protagonist, and there is a rather villainous feel to him. After showing off the film's title card, the title reveal trailer for Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire offers an extreme close-up of this mysterious blue-eyed villain before revealing that the film will be arriving in 2024 exclusively in theaters.

The first poster for Godzilla X Kong was released recently, followed by two character posters featuring the titular titans. See all three posters below:

Who Stars in 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire'?

Several cast members from Godzilla vs. Kong will be returning for Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. This includes Rebecca Hall as monster expert Dr. Ilene Andrews, Brian Tyree Henry as conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes, and Kaylee Hottle as Kong's young human companion Jia. Downton Abbey star Dan Stevens will also be joining the cast in a yet-to-be-revealed leading role. The rest of the cast is rounded out by Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok), Alex Ferns (The Batman), Fala Chen (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), and Mercy Cornwall (Dive Club). Godzilla vs. Kong stars Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Julian Dennison, and Kyle Chandler will not be reprising their roles for this installment.

What Is 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire' About?

We know an engaging plot is the last thing fans of these movies are thinking of when they see a Godzilla and King Kong movie. Still, the official plot synopsis for Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire reads as follows:

The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of “Godzilla vs. Kong” with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.

In an interview with Total Film, director Adam Wingard revealed some key details about the film's villain "The Skar King," revealing that he "repesents the worst parts of humanity." He went on to say:

"What’s interesting about this new film is that we go in a direction that I don’t think this series has ever seen before, which is that the Skar King is, in a way, the closest that the human threat has ever been juxtaposed onto a titan itself. The Skar King almost represents an upscaled version of the worst parts of humanity, just as Kong represents some of the best parts of humanity. I would say the Skar King is the greatest threat that we’ve seen in these movies. It’s really going to take a full team together to bring it down because it’s too big for just one titan!"

Who Is Making 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire'?

Adam Wingard on the set of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire with Dan Stevens and Rebecca Hall.
Image via Warner Bros.

A few weeks after the release of Godzilla vs. Kong it was reported that the film's director, Adam Wingard, would return to direct the next film in the MonsterVerse, making this the first time in the MonsterVerse franchise that a filmmaker has directed more than one project. This also marks a reunion of sorts between Adam Wingard and Dan Stevens, who also collaborated on the cult-favorite action-horror film, The Guest. The project's writers' room consisted of Simon Barett (You're Next), Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), and Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight). Other members of the crew include composer Junkie XL (Mad Max: Fury Road), editor Josh Schaeffer (Pacific Rim: Uprising), and production designer Tom Hammock (X).

When and Where Did 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Film?

Dan Stevens as Trapper, Rebecca Hall as Dr. Ilene Andrews, and Kayle Hottle as Jia in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Image via Warner Bros

Filming for the monstrous sequel began in July 2022, with the production primarily taking place in Gold Coast, Queensland Australia. By November 2022, filming reportedly wrapped.

What Is 'Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire' Rated?

Godzilla at the colosseum in Rome in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire
Image via Warner Bros.

Much like the previous four movies in the MonsterVerse, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will be rated PG-13. The reasoning behind the rating is "creature violence and action," which should be quite obvious to anyone even remotely familiar with these two iconic characters.

Are the Previous MonsterVerse Movies Available to Watch on Streaming?

monsterverse-legedary-social

If you wish to get caught up on the MonsterVerse saga before the new film, here is how you can watch the films before Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire rampages into theaters: