Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire director says the upcoming sequel is the franchise’s answer to Fast & Furious 5

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

In a world of AI-generated scripts and recycled story tropes, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire director Adam Wingard says his upcoming sequel focuses on character study – so much so that it's the franchise’s answer to Fast & Furious’ Fast Five. 

"In a world of anything’s possible, you can type words into your computer now and the AI will churn up a bunch of images that are completely mindblowing for you to see. Well, what is it that the AI can’t do?" Wingard tells SFX magazine in the new issue, which features Star Trek: Discovery season 5 on the cover. 

"I’m sure it could show you what it looks like if Godzilla and Kong are having a birthday party in the tropics, complete with 300ft tall birthday cakes," continues the director. "You can see anything, but you can’t create things that make you feel something. That’s where my interest lies. I want to do a 300ft scale character study."

The upcoming movie, which is the fifth film in the franchise, follows our favorite scaly monster Godzilla, and his almighty frenemy Kong as they join forces and face a colossal threat hidden deep within the planet that threatens their very existence – and that of the whole human race.

Later in the interview, Wingard makes the comparison to the Vin Diesel-led movies, stating, "This is our Fast & Furious 5 moment, where the series is coming into its own of being able to say definitively 'This is what the MonsterVerse is.'" Often considered the best movie in the Fast franchise, Fast Five boasts highly energetic action scenes as well as deep character development. If that is what we are in for with The New Empire, we cannot wait to see what Wingard has up his sleeve. We can definitely see a Dominic Toretto x Brian O’Connor friendship vibe to Godzilla x Kong, too. After all, the most important thing is family – according to Vin Diesel that is. 

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Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire releases on March 29. The above is just a snippet from our interview, available in the latest issue of SFX magazine, which features Star Trek: Discovery season 5 on the cover and is available on newsstands from Wednesday, March 20. 

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Editorial Associate, GamesRadar+

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for SFX and Total Film online. I have a Bachelors Degree in Media Production and Journalism and a Masters in Fashion Journalism from UAL. In the past I have written for local UK and US newspaper outlets such as the Portland Tribune and York Mix and worked in communications, before focusing on film and entertainment writing. I am a HUGE horror fan and in 2022 I created my very own single issue feminist horror magazine.  

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