After a long wait, the first Godzilla vs. Kong trailer has arrived, sparking many questions for the film and the future of the MonsterVerse. Familiar faces – both human and Titan alike – made their returns in the trailer, all gearing up for the showdown between cinema’s two most iconic monsters. The trailer renewed excitement for the film, set to release on March 26, but it also teased a lot of new mysteries for the world of the MonsterVerse.
The Godzilla vs Kong trailer lays out the basic set up for the movie clearly. For unknown reasons, Godzilla has abandoned his previous peace with humanity and is wreaking havoc across the globe. In response (or possibly in preparation for some undisclosed greater threat), humanity attempts to ally with Kong. It’s suggested that Godzilla is being controlled or intentionally provoked somehow, possibly in reference to an ancient titan war between Godzilla’s kind and Kong’s. And, of course, there’s plenty of city-razing monster-on-monster carnage.
With Godzilla vs Kong as the last announced MonsterVerse film, the trailer opens up several questions for both it and the future of the franchise. There are hints at hidden threats, classic kaiju appearances, new factions, and more. Here are some of the biggest questions left by the Godzilla vs Kong trailer.
Why Is Godzilla Fighting Kong?
One of the biggest mysteries in the new trailer is why Godzilla suddenly seems to have turned on humanity. He’s developed a tenuous alliance with Monarch in the past, as evidenced by his battle with Ghidorah to save the Earth in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Now, however, he’s blasting jets out of the sky, sinking ships, and decimating cities. And all of that is leading him to a showdown with Kong.
Some characters, like Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown), believe Godzilla is being intentionally provoked or manipulated into violent behavior. That’s likely given his record in the past, but it’s unclear who or what could be pulling the strings. Monarch could be involved, or Alan Jonah’s (Charles Dance) King of the Monsters ecoterrorist group, or the new, mysterious APEX group referenced in the trailer. It’s also possible that Godzilla is simply being set off by Kong’s departure from Skull Island – a move which poses a threat to Godzilla’s status as the alpha predator. The ancient history alluded to - of a war between the two monsters’ species - could be enough to justify a battle putting humanity at risk, especially if Godzilla believes Kong is the greater threat.
Why Does Kong's Axe Glow Blue Before Godzilla's Atomic Breath Hits It?
The new trailer shows some brief clips of the actual battles between Godzilla and Kong, including a particularly interesting scene where the great ape blocks Godzilla’s atomic fire breath with a huge battle axe, appears to channel the atomic energy into the weapon itself, and then lunges at Godzilla for a powerful strike. Withstanding Godzilla’s trademark attack is impressive, to say the least, and it’s raised some questions from fans about how Kong’s new weapon works. After all, with no inherent ranged abilities of his own, Kong will need a reliable way to get in close to deal damage to Godzilla.
The most popular axe theory – partially drawn from the trailer and partially from leaked images of tie-in toys – is that the axe blade is actually made from one of Godzilla’s dorsal plates. The spiked dorsal along his back always glows before Godzilla unleashes his atomic breath, meaning that the spines themselves are somehow involved in how the energy is channeled. If Kong managed to break off a piece of the opposing beast and fashion it into a weapon, it could explain how he’s suddenly holding his own against the most famous and deadly of kaiju powers. But on top of that, the axe appears to glow blue before Godzilla's atomic breath strikes it, almost like it's still connected to the King of the Monsters.
What Are The Flying Monsters Kong Is Fighting?
Godzilla and Kong aren’t the only Titans who appear in the new trailer. In one shot, Kong is seen in a lush, prehistoric-looking environment battling against two giant flying beasts. Toy leaks have identified these creatures as members of the “Warbat” Titan species, but nothing else about them has been revealed so far. Some have theorized that the scene takes place in the Hollow Earth, where some ancient monsters are believed to have made their home. It could, therefore, be a flashback to the Titan wars of old, or possibly the lead-up to a bigger duel within the planet’s core. Either way, the addition of the new monsters is always cause for excitement and speculation.
Who Are APEX? Are They The Villains?
In one scene of the Godzilla vs Kong trailer, a conspiracy theory-style map is shown, full of newspaper clippings and pins, all related to the Titans. Some of those clippings reference a group called APEX, which story leaks have revealed to be some kind of cybernetics company. Sticky notes on the map reference the locations of various APEX facilities that have been attacked by Godzilla, theorizing a connection between the two.
The actual nature of APEX and their role in the story is still unclear, however. Could they be the new villains, or a guise of Jonah’s ecoterrorist cell? If Godzilla is going after APEX facilities, they could have a hand in whatever’s causing him to go crazy and attack humans. And, of course, as a cybernetics company, there’s a chance that APEX’s connection could be associated with Mechagodzilla.
Is Mechagodzilla In Godzilla vs. Kong?
Mechagodzilla is easily the most popular Toho monster yet to appear in the MonsterVerse. Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mothra have all appeared, and there’s only one other kaiju (or, robo-kaiju) who’s fought Godzilla as many times in as many iterations as those icons; Mechagodzilla, though he hasn’t appeared in a proper film since 2003’s Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. The cyborg clone was teased to appear in the second of Netflix’s Godzilla anime films, City on the Edge of Battle, but fans were denied an actual showdown between Godzilla and his robotic counterpart.
Over the years, different versions of Mechagodzilla have dueled with the King of the Monsters - some made by humans as defense weapons, some sent by aliens to attack and conquer. A shot in the Godzilla vs Kong trailer (seen above) shows a man standing in front of a computer screen that appears to depict a bipedal creature of some sort. The screen displays readouts for “systems” coming online, and what appear to be feet and a tail can just barely be made out. While that could be a depiction of Godzilla himself, it could also be the first clue to Mechagodzilla’s return to the big screen. The robot is the next logical inclusion to keep the MonsterVerse going, and it would be exciting to see at least a bit of it in the upcoming film.
Why Do The Humans Need Kong?
The new trailer opens with discussion among the human characters about “needing” Kong “to stop what’s coming.” Because the timeline of events in the trailer is unclear, that may be a reference to Godzilla’s attacks, or it could be referencing something else altogether. While the former seems like the more reasonable explanation, the latter would be more interesting for the future of the MonsterVerse.
If the line about “what’s coming” isn’t talking about Godzilla, there are a few likely options. Jonah’s faction still has one of Ghidorah’s heads, and with a cybernetics group like APEX in the picture, Mecha-Ghidorah's inclusion could be a possibility. As the Hollow Earth is explored and new titans like Warbat are revealed, the impending threat could also just be more monsters arising from the planet’s core. Or maybe the threat could be extraterrestrial. The MonsterVerse’s Ghidorah has been confirmed to be alien in origin, and the classic Godzilla franchise has plenty of history with invaders from space.
Will Godzilla Or Kong Win?
The new Godzilla vs Kong trailer reiterates the promise that “One Will Fall.” From the beginning, all involved in the film’s production have been quick to deny a tie, team-up, or any other ending to Kong and Godzilla’s fight other than a decisive winner and loser. The trailer certainly casts Kong as the hero, though there’s clearly more going on with Godzilla’s rampage than has been revealed. Both monsters are core to the MonsterVerse franchise, and it’s hard to believe either will perish for good if the films are to continue. Yet, if the promos are to be believed, one of the titans will fall when Godzilla vs. Kong releases.
