Godzilla vs. Kong's MechaGodzilla was inspired by T-800s from Terminator. Although the long-awaited battle of the Titans was expected to pit its titular characters against each other, another antagonist arose during the film's climactic showdown. Apex Cybernetics spent the majority of the film developing the robotic Kaiju, igniting the ire of Godzilla in the process and making it seem as if he had gone rogue. What the humans didn't know, though, was that Godzilla was trying to take out another threat, one they didn't see coming.
When Godzilla and Kong meet for the second time in Hong Kong, the pair duke it out. Just when Kong seems down for the count, Apex is slyly making its move, activating MechaGodzilla to take down the legendary Kaiju. Godzilla seems to have met his match before Kong is reawakened and the titular pair team up and take down the all-powerful Apex predator. Before that, though, MechaGodzilla is able to wreak havoc on downtown Hong Kong, becoming one of the most terrifying villains of the MonsterVerse yet.
Part of that terrifying nature came from the inspiration for Godzilla vs Kong's MechaGodzilla. Jared Krichevsky, creature concept artist, shared a new look at MechaGodzilla on his Instagram and explained how Terminator's T-800 robots inspired the look and manner of the Titan. Krichevsky says that Legacy Effect co-head John Rosengrant told him that the beast "has to be a Terminator."
The terrifying T-800s are some of the most feared and revered sci-fi robots even if they walk the line between hero and villain depending on which entry in the franchise they appear. MechaGodzilla is very clearly a villain, unfortunately dispatched at the end of Godzilla vs. Kong. Whether or not he appears again remains a mystery, but it's clear from his design that the Terminator aesthetic was present during the creature's design. The film left open whether or not the robotic creature could be put back together as viewers don't see what happens to MechaGodzilla's body at the end of the film.
It would certainly be exciting to see MechaGodzilla again, but the future of the MonsterVerse seems up in the air even after the record-breaking success of Godzilla vs. Kong. The ending of the film leaves both Kong and Godzilla's stories open to many possibilities, with Kong returning to Hollow Earth and Godzilla swimming away to waters unknown. Whatever happens in the future, it's clear that MechaGodzilla helped make Godzilla vs. Kong a MonsterVerse highlight.
Source: Jared Krichevsky