Top 10 Ways Godzilla vs Kong Sets Up Future MonsterVerse Movies

A lot has changed on Skull Island since Kong’s first outing. “Kong: Skull Island” took place in 1973, whereas “Godzilla vs. Kong” took place in 2024, meaning the big ape had precisely fifty-one years to wait to take on the King of the Monsters. Not only has the place since been ravaged by storms, but the native population has been reduced to one, as the last of the Iwi is Jia - a child who is deaf. How did this come to be? How did Monarch manage to construct an impenetrable dome around the big guy? Not only could these questions be answered in a pre-sequel, but we also want to know how the island reacts to Kong’s absence. Do the Skull Crawlers rise up?

While it’s Apex that seems to be developing all the cool tech, something tells us they aren’t going to be around anymore. Indeed, it seems they like Icarus flew too close to the sun - err, Hollow Earth - and were punished for their insolence. However, they did happen to give Monarch exactly what they needed to fuel their expeditions: the Hollow Earth Aerial Vehicles, or, HEAVs. Specifically designed to resist the counteracting effects of opposing gravitational forces, the HEAVs make Hollow Earth exploration possible, and who knows if Monarch will stop there? What’s next? Space?

Okay, not every invention Apex came up with was golden, as is evidenced by Mechagodzilla. Still, seeing as the titanium titan nearly ended his namesake, not to mention that of Kong, you can’t help but think that strategy could work just as well against another titan with a lack of backup. Though they failed to make an appearance in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” let us not forget the flock of followers Godzilla gained at the end of “King of the Monsters:” Rodan; Behemoth; Methuselah; and, oh god, what the hell is that?! Great, so assuming we’re out of giant tissue paper, why not whip up another mechanical monstrosity and let it take out the ones we don’t like? Giant spider, giant spider, giant spider, giant spider…

Getting Kong to go along with Operation: Hollow Earth would’ve been impossible without Jia, who remains the only one thus far who can communicate with him and provide reassurance. Though Monarch and Apex’s intentions weren’t entirely pure, there was serious evidence suggesting Kong’s ancestors came from the hidden world, and that he might reunite with his kind. Not an empty promise, per se (or a “hollow” one, tee hee), just a bit näive, as Kong doesn’t exactly get the welcome wagon upon arrival. Still, we can’t help but wonder if someone is waiting for Kong down there, thus not making him the last of his species. I mean, if it happened for Manny the Mammoth, it can happen for Kong.

Godzilla and Kong don’t exactly leave on great terms, but they did come together for the briefest of moments to take down a common enemy. Still, we can’t help but shudder at the sheer animosity they exhibited for one another during their skirmishes, particularly from Godzilla. Perhaps Godzilla took one last look at Kong while the dust settled and thought to himself, (Broll: “Next time, baby.”) We’d hardly blame either of them for wanting to call it a day, seeing what they’ve been through, but like Dr. Andrews said, there can’t be two alpha titans. Maybe they’ll care for the Earth like two divorced parents with Godzilla on the surface and Kong down below, but who’s to say what happens when one crosses that line.

One of the most shocking developments from “Godzilla vs. Kong” was easily the revelation that Kong has since gained the ability to communicate with humans via sign language. While we always knew he was smarter than the average titan, this was definitely one giant leap for human-titan relations. Now that Kong is under the careful supervision of Monarch in Hollow Earth, it seems plausible that furthered would be his intellectual development. While we’re not saying he’ll become as sharp as Caesar from “Planet of the Apes” or Professor Hulk from “Avengers: Endgame,” the marriage of smarts and strength could make him an even more daunting adversary.

If there’s one thing Warner Bros. loves, it’s giant monster movies. One franchise that seems tailor-made to intersect with the MonsterVerse is “Pacific Rim,” as the inclusion of Mechagodzilla could pave the way for humans to pilot Jaegers in the fight against the emerging Kaiju. Plus, it doesn’t seem like that franchise can continue without Godzilla and company powering the box office. Another “Godzilla vs. Kong” plot development that opened the door for crossover appeal was the introduction of Hollow Earth. Maybe down there we could run into Brendan Fraser’s character from “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” or better yet, the Rock’s character from the sequel, who’s secretly the same character from “Rampage.” C’mon, WB, we’re pitching you solid gold here.

This would be an off-kilter sort of spinoff, but one that could reap great rewards. In “Godzilla vs. Kong,” Madison Russell recruits her friend Josh to help her locate titan conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes, but it’s really his brother’s storm chaser van she’s after. We know Madison isn’t going to get out of the titan game so easily, so who’s to say she and Josh don’t remodify the van to track titans instead of storms? Titan attacks have already been compared to weather phenomena, and this would be the next logical step in the MonsterVerse to prevent mass human casualties. Ooh! And what if Josh’s brother is played by fellow New Zealand actor Taika Waititi? Agh, just take our money.

This movie seems like the logical next step for the MonsterVerse, seeing as it was basically set up in “Godzilla vs. Kong.” Sure, having Kong in Hollow Earth in a place he can truly call home could be a satisfying place to leave the character, but you gotta know he’s gonna be getting in plenty a scrap with other titans while he’s down there. Also, though we know Hollow Earth is the birthplace of the titans, there’s still a lot of questions to be answered in that regard. Are titans still being produced as much as they once were? If so, what does that look like? And will Kong be able to reclaim his status as King? Find out next time on “Kong?”

We know prequels are hardly ever good and only serve to remove the mystery from something, but this is one movie that’s practically already written. In “Godzilla vs. Kong,” we learn that the two species have had many an encounter over the years, even if they didn’t involve those two combatants in particular. Whether these battles took place above or below ground, a whole movie featuring nothing but titans could be really cool. Hell, Kong’s ancestors even made an axe made out of the bones of a prior Godzilla. If that doesn’t describe the most metal MonsterVerse movie, we don’t know what does.