This article contains some spoilers for Godzilla x Kong: The New EmpireAdam Wingard’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the fifth film in Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse franchise, which kicked off a decade ago with Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla in 2014. As a sequel to 2021’s Godzilla vs Kong, it marks the second time that these two titular kaiju at the center of the franchise have shared the big screen together in a modern blockbuster. While Godzilla vs Kong pitted the two monsters against one another, before they ultimately need to team up to defeat the human-created Mechagodzilla, Godzilla x Kong focuses more on the broader world that they are in.
As the MonsterVerse has gradually built its cinematic universe one movie at a time, it has grown more absurd and bombastic, transitioning from the heavier and more serious tone of the first Godzilla film to the complete Saturday morning cartoon territory of its latest entry. This evolution of the franchise has allowed it to embrace many of the sillier and more ridiculous elements of its world and source material.
The success of Godzilla x Kong at the box office, where it had the second-biggest opening of the franchise to date, all but ensures that a third Godzilla/Kong film is going to follow. The New Empire sets up another film in the series in more than one way, but the biggest is how it lays the groundwork for a new version of the Son of Kong story. Here’s how:
5 Kong’s Search for a Family
Just like Godzilla vs Kong, much of the story in Godzilla x Kong is driven by Kong. Since the ape kaiju emotes much more and has a deeper relationship with humanity, he is given the spotlight in these films much more than Godzilla is. Kong is essentially the main character in both films. In Godzilla x Kong, much of the film’s story revolves around Kong’s search for any sort of family. After the death of his family on Skull Island when he was a child, Kong lived a lonely life. With the discovery of Hollow Earth, Kong finds a new home with more titans than he’s ever seen.
In Godzilla x Kong, Kong is still growing used to his new life in Hollow Earth, and he is frequently searching for any other great apes that may be down there. He eventually does find them, though they are under the suppressive rule of the Skar King, another ape kaiju with a look reminiscent of an orangutan. This gives Kong something to fight for, as his defeating the Skar King would free the apes and allow them and Kong to live the happier lives they yearn for.
When the Skar King is ultimately slain by Kong and Godzilla, the door to a new family opens for Kong. A sequel to the film will clearly embrace this, and audiences will be able to see how Kong operates with his new family, including his adopted son, Suko.
4 Kong’s Adopted Son, Suko
Suko has been showcased a lot in the marketing for Godzilla x Kong, frequently being referred to as “mini Kong” or “baby Kong.” In truth, the film shows that Kong and Suko don’t actually have any relation; the child kaiju is part of the group of apes enslaved by the Skar King.
Suko is the first ape that Kong encounters in Hollow Earth, and he proves to be a pretty rowdy companion, as he attacks Kong and tries to get him killed on more than one occasion. However, as the film goes on, Kong’s continuous kindness to Suko results in them developing a deeper trust and relationship.
Ultimately, Suko turns on the Skar King and sides with Kong after the tyrannical ruler kills an ape that was a mentor (if not a parent) to Suko. The child then helps Kong to escape the Skar King, before eventually aiding in the defeat of the villain at the end of the film. Throughout the movie, Kong increasingly becomes a paternal figure to Suko, showing the young ape kindness and strength that he’d never seen before. By the end of the film, Suko rides with Kong as he returns to free the apes that had been under the Skar King’s rule.
3 Kong’s New Rule of Hollow Earth
The end of Godzilla x Kong shows Kong stepping into the leadership role that had been filled by the Skar King prior to his defeat. Through Kong’s interactions with the apes who were enslaved, they come to see Kong as a kind and good figure, and they are quick to celebrate his return and the death of the Skar King. It’s unclear what exactly this ape society will look like without the Skar King, but it’s easy to see that Kong will bring a much better life to the apes in Hollow Earth.
Suko will likely play a key role in whatever this new society looks like. As there has been with each MonsterVerse film, we can expect a time jump of at least a few years between Godzilla x Kong and the next film, which would allow Suko to grow beyond adolescence, potentially into a young ape more similar to Kong as he was depicted in Kong: Skull Island. This would allow him to play a much more active and substantial role in the sequel, as he could stand on his own and solidify his place as Kong’s successor.
2 The Godzilla/Kong Story Is Running Out of Steam
While Godzilla will undoubtedly factor directly into whatever the sequel to Godzilla x Kong is going to be, it has become clear that the King of the Monsters is far from the focus of these new MonsterVerse films. While the rivalry between Godzilla and Kong was the center of Godzilla vs Kong, that story was primarily told through the point of view of Kong. This is even more the case in Godzilla x Kong, as it is essentially a Kong film that just happens to factor Godzilla into many of the action scenes.
As the story moves away from the rivalry between Godzilla and Kong, it needs a new story to fill that gap. Godzilla x Kong directly sets up that some version of Son of Kong may be the route that is taken next. We’ve now seen Kong’s complete arc from a lone monster on an island to become the true king of the apes in Hollow Earth.
With King Kong now established, the next film will likely focus on Kong’s legacy in some way, as he raises Suko to take his place and continue to rule in his stead.
1 Embracing the Source Material of Earlier Films
While the MonsterVerse films have never directly adapted or recreated any of the classic Toho or RKO films that their characters originated from, they have constantly pulled elements from those films and twisted them in fresh ways for this new franchise.
Kong: Skull Island explored an alternative take on the original King Kong story, where instead of Kong being taken from the island he was allowed to live and rule there, with scientists studying him rather than entertainers exploiting him. With Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong, many of the classic Toho monsters were introduced, ranging from Mothra to Rodan, King Ghidorah, Mechagodzilla, and more.
Godzilla x Kong continues this trend of pulling elements from the older films and implementing them into this story in new ways. It fully embraces the Hollow Earth, an idea first thought of for a sequel to 1955’s Godzilla Raids Again, and explores many of the strange creatures and titans that call it home.
It also reintroduces Mothra into the franchise, in a surprise twist that was sure to excite many fans of the classic films. Given this track record, the next Godzilla/Kong movie is sure to continue pulling from the earlier kaiju films of the 20th century. As the sequel to 1933’s King Kong, the film Son of Kong would be a solid foundation to build upon.
