Nothing really screams cinema like giant monsters, particularly when they’re fighting and/or engaging in wanton destruction. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - the latest film in the MonsterVerse saga that began with 2014’s revival of Godzilla - promises plenty of big-screen escapism when it stomps into cinemas this year.
Godzilla x Kong follows on from the events of Godzilla vs. Kong, in which the Titan rivals went head-to-head in a bout for monster supremacy, before making up to take on Mechagodzilla. Having gone their separate ways at the end of that film, GxK sees the mighty duo forced to become a tag team again when a new enemy threatens the safety of Kong’s home, the Hollow Earth, and our world above. There’s another great ape in town, and he’s out to prove that Kong might not be the king after all.
As for the human characters along for the ride this time, Rebecca Hall returns as Monarch linguist and Kong expert Dr. Ilene Andrews, and Brian Tyree Henry is back as Apex Cybernetics technician turned cult podcaster Bernie Hayes. Joining them is Dan Stevens as Trapper. Stevens is new to this universe, but has previous form with director Adam Wingard in action-thriller The Guest. Stevens tells TF that Trapper is “a specialist in these creatures… If you’ve got a sick titan, Trapper is your guy".
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is on the cover of the new issue of Total Film (on sale this Thursday, January 4), and inside there’s an in-depth feature on the making of the film that tells you everything you need to know about the upcoming monster mash. Above (and below), you can see exclusive images from the new film, including a behind-the-scenes shot of Wingard on location, as well as actors Hall, Henry, and Stevens getting ready for some huge-scale action:
This is Wingard’s second MonsterVerse movie after Godzilla vs. Kong - and he’s continuing to throw his Titan-sized passion for these characters at the screen.
"One of the incredible things about Godzilla is that the character has existed in so many different tones and interpretations in the Toho films,” Wingard tells TF. “I’m a huge fan of the whole spectrum, and I’ve always really enjoyed the late-Shōwa era. There are so many big ideas and they have such epic fun with these larger-than-life characters. In Godzilla vs. Kong, we paid homage to that epic tradition, including a handful of Easter eggs for the hardcore fans, and while I don’t want to give anything away, we definitely work in a few things for the Toho fans in the new film as well, so keep your eyes open!”
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire opens in cinemas on April 12. For much more on the film, check out the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, January 4. Check out the covers below:
Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive: you’ll get all this movie goodness throughout the year before it’s in shops, as well as having exclusive covers and saving money on the cover price. Go on, set yourself up with a gift that keeps on giving for 2024. With our latest offer, you can save up to 50%.
Borderlands 3 creative director says he left Gearbox partly because creativity can get stifled on 400-person teams: "There'd be great design ideas that would never bubble up to the top"
Dark Souls' toughest boss duo has been transformed into some stylish glassware, which feels like fitting revenge for all the times they killed me
