The boys are back in town in 2027. The next iteration of the worldwide phenomenon from Legendary‘s Monsterverse has just been dated for March 26, 2027. The follow-up to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which will be directed by Grant Sputore following Adam Wingard‘s decision to step back from the series after immense success, will be with us in less than three years. Shang-Chi‘s Dave Callaham is penning the script. That news followed Wingard‘s comments on the promotional tour for Godzilla x Kong where he expressed his desire to return for another film, but timing issues led to his departure. The split between Wingard and Legendary appears amicable, with both parties open to working together again in the future.
The announcement of another film is absolutely no surprise. Despite facing box office challenges, the Monsterverse has proven to be a powerhouse. Godzilla vs. Kong grossed an impressive $470 million worldwide despite pandemic hurdles and a simultaneous release on HBO Max. Godzilla x Kong has surpassed that, raking in over $567.5 million globally. The franchise, which kicked off with Godzilla (2014), also includes Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), amassing a combined $2.5 billion at the box office. The Monsterverse has even expanded into television with Apple‘s acclaimed series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, although some may question just how canonical it is to big screen events.
It’s uncertain whether the stars of Godzilla x Kong will return for the next installment. This includes actors like Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, and Kaylee Hottle, but given the financial success of Godzilla x Kong, they might be in line for substantial pay raises if the next movie moves into production swiftly, which is looking likelier by the minute.
Where Did We Leave ‘Godzilla x Kong’?
Following the events of Godzilla vs. Kong, the two titans stayed out of each other’s ways. Godzilla stayed on the surface, protecting humans from other monsters and often sleeping in the Colosseum when not in battle, curled up like a kitten, while Kong’s domain was the newly-discovered Hollow Earth. While Godzilla stomped around protecting humans (also destroying countless iconic landmarks and likely causing thousands of casualties in the process), Kong was mostly alone in Hollow Earth.
As seemingly the last of his kind, Kong felt lonely, and to make matters worse, he also had a toothache and even titans hate the dentist. The pair were forced to team up to take on the threat of the Skar King, another legendary titan trapped in another layer of the Hollow Earth, and tag-teamed him across the planet. It was stupid and it was awesome.
The next MonsterVerse film will be with us in 2027.
via Collider