Recently released footage from Godzilla: King of the Monsters has confirmed that Godzilla will undergo a fiery transformation in the new sequel, potentially taking on the Burning Godzilla identity at some point in the sequel. Directed by Mike Dougherty, Godzilla: King of the Monsters is the third installment in Legendary's MonsterVerse franchise, and it's set unite Godzilla with three classic Toho monsters (Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra) for an epic free-for-all that could determine the fate of civilization.
One of the ways this happens is by all the Titans in Godzilla: King of the Monsters battling each other at various points. But some monsters are stronger than others. Godzilla isn't the king of hte monsters yet, so he'll certainly need an advantage to defeat Ghidorah. That could be where his fire-based transformation comes into play. Godzilla's burning form is clearly inspired by Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, the movie that ended the 1990s era of Godzilla movies, not because it was bad, but because Godzilla died protecting his son by defeating Destoroyah.
The HBO preview of Godzilla: King of the Monsters and other TV promos include footage of Godzilla with glowing red energy burning through his veins. Godzilla appears to have received a fiery upgrade, but it's not clear how, when, or why it happens in the film. The movie's inclusion of "Burning Godzilla" was previously indicated by the release of a Godzilla action figure with orange spikes and veins.
Though Burning Godzilla was a short-lived transformation, it remains one of the most talked-about moments in 60 years of Godzilla history. In 1995's Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, this form was the beginning of the end for the King of the Monsters. After Godzilla was hit by a volcanic eruption, he accidentally absorbed the energy from a hidden uranium deposit, giving him a massive boost in power. Fiery spots began to develop all over Godzilla's body, and his spikes took on an orange glow. His blue, atomic breath was replaced with a red blast, which was much stronger and deadlier. Godzilla's red heat ray, which he gained from Rodan in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, was also improved by his burning form. Every time he used it, its power would substantially increase.
Unfortunately, the new upgrade became a danger not only to him, but to the entire world. If Godzilla's power grew any further, he would explode and take the planet with him. This new dilemma culminated in Godzilla's death. When Godzilla went into meltdown mode, he breathed what was left of his energy into his son, thus making Godzilla Jr. the new Godzilla. However, Burning Godzilla being in the upcoming movie doesn't mean that Legendary's Godzilla is headed in the same direction. With Godzilla vs. Kong on the horizon, not to mention that more Godzilla sequels come be on their way, it's hard to believe that Godzilla is about to be killed off. Alternatively, it's possible that Burning Godzilla has a different meaning in the MonsterVerse. Godzilla's new form could simply be a temporary upgrade that he'll use to defeat Ghidorah.
