“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is a 2024 American monster movie directed by Adam Wingard. It’s the sequel to “Godzilla vs. Kong” from 2021 and the fifth instalment in the MonsterVerse series. Produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it stars Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Dan Stevens, Kaylee Hottle, Alex Ferns, and Fala Chen. The story-line follows Kong as he discovers more of his kind in the Hollow Earth and teams up with Godzilla to thwart their leader and his formidable, frost-breathing Titan from wreaking havoc on the surface.
After the success of “Godzilla vs. Kong” despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, a sequel was announced by Legendary in March 2022. Filming, which began in July 2022 in Gold Coast, Australia, concluded in November of the same year. The movie premiered at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on March 25, 2024, and hit theaters in the United States on March 29. While critics had mixed opinions, it achieved notable box office success, grossing $546 million globally against a budget of $135−150 million, making it one of the top-grossing films of 2024.
CHARACTERS
- Rebecca Hall portrays Dr. Ilene Andrews
- Brian Tyree Henry plays Bernie Hayes
- Dan Stevens takes on the role of Trapper
- Kaylee Hottle appears as Jia
- Alex Ferns is Mikael, Fala Chen is the Iwi Queen
- Rachel House portrays Hampton
- Ron Smyck appears as Harris
- Chantelle Jamieson plays Jayne
- Greg Hatton is Lewis
- Kevin Copeland appears as the Submarine Commander
- Tess Dobré plays the Submarine Officer
- Tim Carroll appears as Wilcox
- Anthony Brandon Wong is the Talk Show Announcer.
STORYLINE
Three years following the defeat of Mechagodzilla, Kong has established his domain in the Hollow Earth and embarks on a quest to find more of his kind. Meanwhile, Godzilla remains on the Earth’s surface, maintaining a delicate balance between humanity and other colossal creatures known as “Titans.” His actions include eliminating Scylla in Rome before seeking respite in the Colosseum.
In the depths of the Hollow Earth, a Monarch observation post detects an unfamiliar signal. This signal triggers unsettling hallucinations and visions in Jia, the lone survivor of the Iwi tribe from Skull Island, causing concern for her adoptive mother, Dr. Ilene Andrews. Sensing the disturbance, Godzilla departs Rome and attacks a nuclear facility in France to absorb radiation before heading to confront the Titan Tiamat in the Arctic. Monarch interprets these actions as Godzilla preparing for an imminent threat.
Meanwhile, a sinkhole near Kong’s habitat reveals an uncharted territory inhabited by a tribe of his species, including a young individual named Suko. Despite an initial confrontation, Kong convinces Suko to guide him to the tribe’s sanctuary, fostering a bond between them. The tribe’s oppressive ruler, Skar King, enlists an ancient ice-powered Titan named Shimo to battle Kong, inflicting damage on Kong’s arm with Shimo’s ice breath. With Suko’s aid, Kong narrowly escapes, albeit losing his formidable axe in the process.
Andrews, Jia, Titan veterinarian Trapper, and conspiracy theorist Bernie Hayes journey into the Hollow Earth to trace the source of the mysterious signal. They find the Monarch outpost destroyed but eventually stumble upon a temple leading to a subterranean section housing a surviving Iwi tribe communicating telepathically. Exploring ancient ruins, they deduce that the signal was a telepathic plea for help from the Iwi.
Concerned about Jia’s attachment to her people, Andrews confides in Trapper about her fears of Jia choosing to remain with the Iwi. Inside the temple, Andrews uncovers hieroglyphics depicting the past and future: a history where Skar King attempted to conquer the surface world, waging war against Godzilla’s kind until being defeated and sealed within the Hollow Earth. The prophecy also hints at Jia’s pivotal role in awakening Mothra. Sensing Jia’s presence, Kong arrives at the temple, where Trapper equips him with an experimental exoskeletal glove to heal his injured arm. Unbeknownst to them, a loyalist of Skar King follows them, informing him as he prepares his invasion force for Earth. Jia successfully resurrects Mothra.
Godzilla defeats Tiamat and absorbs cosmic radiation, causing his dorsal plates to glow magenta. Kong, hoping to enlist Godzilla’s helps, surfaces in Cairo and challenges him. Despite Kong’s attempts at communication, Godzilla interprets it as a rematch and attacks, leading to a skirmish until Mothra intervenes. Together, Godzilla, Kong, and Mothra confront Skar King and his forces in the Hollow Earth. The battle escalates to Rio de Janeiro, where Shimo triggers an ice age under Skar King’s command. The tide turns when Suko arrives with Kong’s axe, shattering the crystal controlling Shimo and enabling Kong to defeat Skar King.
After using his atomic breath to reverse Shimo’s ice age, Godzilla returns to rest in the Colosseum. Jia chooses to stay with Andrews, easing her fears, while Mothra restores the protective barrier of the Iwi’s home. Kong, accompanied by Shimo and Suko, returns to the Hollow Earth, assuming leadership of the ape tribe.
BOX-OFFICE COLLECTION
As of May 5, 2024, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” has amassed $188.1 million in the United States and Canada, with an additional $358.8 million from other territories, resulting in a worldwide gross of $546.9 million.
Initially, in the United States and Canada, the movie was forecaster to earn between $50–55 million from 3,850 theaters during its opening weekend, alongside an extra $80–90 million from 63 international markets. However, after raking in $37 million on its first day, including $10 million from Thursday previews—marking the best-ever total for a Monster Verse film—projections were adjusted to $75 million for the domestic weekend. Ultimately, it premiered with $80 million, dominating the box office and securing the second-best opening weekend within the series and the fifth-best Easter weekend ever, trailing behind “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016), “Furious 7” (2015), “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (2023), and “The Fate of the Furious” (2017). In its subsequent weekend, the film sustained its lead with $31.2 million, though experiencing a 61% decline. By its third weekend, it earned $15.5 million, securing the second position behind the debut of “Civil War.” Concurrently, it entered the Japanese market at number two, trailing “Detective Conan: The Million-dollar Pentagram.”
