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With Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, directed by Adam Wingard, soaring at the box office, the king of the monsters completes 70 years as an icon of popular culture. Since his initial appearance in 1954 as an overwhelming force of nature, borne of the Japanese citizens' collective trauma of the twin bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Godzilla has since then enjoyed a variety of roles.
He has been a father, a monstrous animal, an ally of humanity, a friend and enemy to other monsters, an extra-dimensional being, and more. Originally owned by Toho Co. Ltd., Godzilla's appearance in films and other forms of media has been roughly classified into four eras, with the first one being dubbed the Showa Era, which roughly lasted until 1989.
This era of filmmaking was characterized by retro aesthetics, epic kaiju (monster) battles, and the appearance of various other monsters with absurd gimmicks and powers. While it is in the past, Godzilla's Showa Era continues to have a lingering impact on fans. One such fan is Wingard himself, who himself attributes the influence of these films on Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
The Showa Era juxtaposes heavy themes with absurd comedy
The Showa Era was named after Emperor Showa of Japan, whose reign (1926–1989) saw the creation of 15 films featuring the King of the Monsters. The Showa Era was followed by the Heisei, the Millennium, and finally, the currently ongoing Reiwa Era, in which the current Monsterverse movies (along with other Japanese properties) are set.
Of the Showa Era's influence on Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Adam Wingard spoke about the nature of Godzilla's evolution and the transformation of his scales from blue to pink. In an interview with Discussing Film, Wingard said:
"And then when it came to the actual designs, something about the color pink felt very Showa era, that kind of technicolor, psychedelic thing really influenced that direction."
It was the Showa Era that witnessed the evolution of Godzilla from a symbol of nuclear devastation to a cultural icon who can even be goofy at times. In one scene, he was even shown flying by using his atomic breath as a form of propulsion! While initially antagonistic and dangerous, Godzilla soon adopted a benevolent role in aiding us against other, more malicious monsters.
Role of Godzilla in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire
Godzilla plays an ambivalent role in the Monsterverse, often as an ally of humanity and, at other times, an unstoppable force of nature. This mirrors his character in the Showa films, where he is portrayed as both a protector and a destroyer. In his first appearance, in Godzilla (2014), he appeared as an unstoppable force who had little screen time, and even when he did, it was through the showcase of brief silhouettes and flashes.
This seemed to signify the grand scale of the entity that would become the staple of the Monsterverse. The following film solidified Godzilla's position as the King of the Monsters, aka the alpha Titan, after defeating King Ghidorah, the three-headed monster. His role in Godzilla vs Kong slightly veered towards the antagonistic side again, where he almost killed the giant ape, before the two of them became reluctant allies.
In Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the king of the monsters acts as an ally to Kong, helping the great ape take down the evil simian Skar King and battle the ancient icy Titan Shimo. Here, Godzilla acts as an ambivalent force who causes a lot of collateral damage during his battle and even (questionably) fights and kills another monster, Tiamat, who seems to be minding her own business, but at the end of the day, he is instrumental in defeating the villains.
Is Godzilla the only Showa Era addition to the Monsterverse
Godzilla vs Kong (2021) and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire are hardly the only films that have seen Japan's giant reptilian icon face off against America's favorite ape. While originally not a property of Toho, Kong appeared in the 1962 film King Kong versus Godzilla, where the two fighters squared off against each other for the first time.
The Monsterverse paved the way for the opposite to happen by allowing Legendary Pictures to borrow Godzilla for a massive face-off against other monsters (or Titans, as they are officially called in the Monsterverse). However, Godzilla is not the only monster to migrate to American theaters, as the fiery pterosaur Rodan, the three-headed dragon Ghidorah, and the benevolent Mothra joined him in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Additionally, in Godzilla vs. Kong, the cybernetic Mechagodzilla also joined the list of Toho properties. While Ghidorah and Rodan are yet to make more appearances, Mothra is set to appear again in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire in her dedicated role as humanity's savior. These five, namely, Godzilla, Ghidorah, Rodan, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla, have come to be known as Toho's Big 5, as they remain the most iconic of Toho's monsters.
Can we expect to see other Showa monsters in the Monsterverse
With the Big 5 making their foray into the Monsterverse, every fan seems to be asking whether they can see more of their old favorites like Ebirah the giant lobster or the extra-terrestrial cyborg Gigan make their appearance in the story. While that would undoubtedly be delightful, it might not be possible in the near future because of licensing issues.
In other words, the cost of borrowing these big names would cost Legendary a lot financially. However, that does not rob the Monsterverse of its own epic battles, as new monsters have been created to populate this world, making entertaining appearances in other media like the Apple TV show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and populating the titular island in Kong: Skull Island.
Role of humanity in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire
Just like in the Showa Era, humans too have had their roles change in the Monsterverse. From hapless onlookers in Godzilla (2014), the human characters have evolved to become important participants in a grand battle between old enemies in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
In Godzilla vs Kong, their roles have evolved further, mirroring their Showa counterparts, where their attempts to create Mechagodzilla backfire, needing the King of the Monsters to save humanity from a physical manifestation of its own corruption.
In Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, humanity mostly acts as a positive, supporting cast to both Godzilla and Kong, aiding them in several instances. In fact, the film's antagonist is a giant ape, who, while not human, is oddly anthropomorphic and uncannily evil in his ambitions and actions (such as controlling another Titan through pain).
What's next after Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire
According to DiscussingFilm, Adam Wingard strongly teases the possibility of a sequel film, aiming to round up his two Monsterverse entries into a trilogy:
"I do have more story to tell with these monsters and I know where I'd go with it.”
Whether he uses any new monsters after Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire or (to everyone's welcome surprise) chooses old favorites from Toho's Showa Era, there are multiple ways in which the sequel might go, including to space!
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is currently in theaters and is the fifth Monsterverse film, as well as the seventh Monsterverse property to be released on screen. Currently, the film does not have a post-credits scene.
