The new Godzilla vs. Kong trailer reveals how King Kong has been made more powerful before going toe-to-toe with Godzilla. The upcoming crossover sequel Godzilla vs. Kong - which releases March 26, 2021, on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously - will show an epic Kong and Godzilla showdown like no other, and the film’s creators have now confirmed that there will be a clear winner by the end of the film.
The problem is that, without King Kong being given a significant upgrade, Godzilla would have the clear upper hand and easily defeat the giant ape. Using powerful nuclear blasts, Godzilla handily defeated Ghidora in Godzilla: King of Monsters. And with his atomic breath (which may be a permanent upgrade), Godzilla seems to be at full power following the previous installment in the MonsterVerse franchise. Following up the final battle of King of Monsters with Godzilla vs. Kong seems to be taking a step backward – unless Kong has some kind of weapon or power upgrade that levels the playing field a bit.
Judging by the recently released trailer as well as a toy, Kong has been given both an upgrade and at least one weapon that make him far more powerful than before. First, Kong appears to be much larger than he was in Kong: Skull Island. But even if Kong were much, much larger than Godzilla, it still wouldn’t be enough to take on the King of Monsters. However, a newly released Kong toy teased an upgrade that was also confirmed by the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer.
Kong has a new Battle-Axe made from kaiju parts, and is therefore able to withstand their attacks. The head of the axe is supposedly made from one of Godzilla’s own dorsal fins, possibly allowing Kong to protect himself from Godzilla’s atomic breath, and the handle (which glows red in the trailer) could be made from the bone of a fire monster like Rodan.
Though Kong is indeed a large and monstrous being in Kong: Skull Island, he was clearly no match for Godzilla until now. It still remains to be seen whether this will be enough for Kong to gain the upper hand and defeat Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Kong. But Kong’s increased size and resourcefulness in crafting a weapon made of more powerful monsters make him a much better match for the skyscraper-sized lizard.