With Godzilla vs. Kong, the MonsterVerse has reached the top of its own Mount Everest. The big crossover that the three preceding films in this franchise were building to has finally wrapped. Now that the dust has settled from this big monster mash, one’s mind can’t help but wonder where this franchise could go next. Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard has openly noted that the MonsterVerse is “at a crossroads”, but now that its newest installment is a smash hit, it seems inevitable that future excursions with Godzilla and Kong are on the horizon.
When these adventures arrive, they’ll likely employ other staples of classic Toho monster movies. Now that MonsterVerse incarnations of Mechagodzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah have appeared, all bets are off as to who else could show up in prospective MonsterVerse installments. Classic Godzilla movies aren’t short on memorable beasties, so there are plenty of options for potential future MonsterVerse supporting players. A handful of monsters stand out as particularly intriguing prospects for how they impact the MonsterVerse.
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Baragon
Baragon may not have the most ferocious disposition or brutal powers, but he’s a staple of classic Kaiju fare. First appearing in Frankenstein vs. Baragon, this beast would establish himself as a part of Godzilla’s lore through a handful of subsequent Godzilla installments like Destroy All Monsters! and Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. Baragon’s on-screen excursions should continue through future entries in the MonsterVerse.
Baragon’s importance to this franchise could be immediately solidified if the MonsterVerse retains his classic ability to fluidly move between individual film franchises. Why just restrict this character to being exclusively a character in either Godzilla or Kong movies? If Kong needs a monster to fight in one sequel, he could tussle with Baragon, who could be one of the many larger-than-life creatures calling the Hollow Earth home. Meanwhile, the character could also show up in Godzilla’s adventures as a challenger to the King of the Monsters’ throne. Baragon is the swiss army knife of Kaiju, and not just because of the giant spear on his nose!
This flexibility could make Baragon a great recurring foe for future MonsterVerse tales. Plus his design, if translated properly into a fully-CG creation, could make him as instantly endearing to general moviegoers as he has been for die-hard Kaiju fans for decades. Baragon may not be super lethal, and he was certainly never an A-list character back in the 60s and 70s. However, this fixture of older monster movies is a natural fit for future adventures of all kinds in the MonsterVerse.
Minilla
Initially, the MonsterVerse’s approach to Godzilla seemed like it would be far too grim to ever have room for Minilla, the adopted son of Godzilla from Son of Godzilla. But as the most recent MonsterVerse titles have gotten wackier and wackier, it seems like that’s no longer the case. Minilla would be a perfect fit for the franchise’s current tone. Though despised by some fans as being too cutesy, Minilla does help to bring out extra dimensions in his Kaiju papa. Scenes in Son of Godzilla of monstrous father/son bonding are at once humorous but also unexpectedly sweet, particularly the features snowy closing sequence.
Bringing out that kind of tonal nuance in Godzilla could be just one of the many advantages to introducing a new MonsterVerse interpretation of Minilla. It also helps that the timing feels right for this character to make his debut in the MonsterVerse. The finale of Godzilla vs. Kong saw the loner Godzilla finally having to work with another big beast to take down Mechagodzilla. While it wasn’t a long-lasting instant of cooperation, this version of Godzilla had his capacity for teamwork established. After working with Kong for a few minutes, now would be a prime opportunity to test that personality trait by having Godzilla work with a precocious Kaiju like Minilla throughout a whole movie.
Plus, like with any big-budget blockbuster, one must consider the financial incentives in introducing someone like Minilla. Baby Groot and Grogu have made baby-versions of popular science-fiction characters incredibly lucrative in the modern pop culture landscape. It isn’t difficult to imagine that Minilla, basically a baby version of Godzilla, could fit right in on the zeitgeist and at your local toy aisle. He may not be every Godzilla fan’s cup of tea, but there are several good reasons to have Minilla hop into the MonsterVerse.
Anguirus
Anguirus was the first monster Godzilla ever fought, originally appearing in the film Godzilla Raids Again. Through their duel, who Godzilla was as a character was changed forever. No longer would Godzilla just be a rampaging stand-in for nuclear anxiety. Now, he could also be a flagship character who does battle with other gigantic monsters. Once the showdown between Anguirus and Godzilla cemented this trait, the Godzilla franchise would never be the same.
Anguirus has gone to appear in several other Godzilla adventures, including Destroy All Monsters and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. Given both his prominence in classic Godzilla films and his importance in the context of Godzilla lore, he feels like a natural fit for the MonsterVerse. Not only could he make for a fun new foe for Godzilla, but his presence in the universe feels like a natural extension of the franchise’s mythos. The Hollow Earth domain at the center of Godzilla vs. Kong is home to many ancient beasts and locations. Why couldn’t it also serve as the domicile of an enhanced dinosaur-like Anguirus?
As for his potential importance in solo Godzilla films, with King Ghidorah decidedly dead after the events of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla will need new iconic monsters to duke it out with in his upcoming adventures. Why not square off against his very first adversary in the Toho Godzilla canon? The stars are all aligning here; the time is exactly right for Anguirus, the monster who helped the norms for Godzilla movies, to make his grand MonsterVerse debut.
Destoroyah
Destoroyah only appeared in one Godzilla feature film (Godzilla vs. Destoroyah), but he left a sizeable impact in his screentime. Not only did the creature have a memorable-looking design, but the fact that he went through many different forms each varying in size made him immediately stand out among Godzilla’s dense rogue’s gallery. Between his initial microscopic form and his eventual towering incarnation, you practically get multiple antagonists when Destoroyah shows up to tango with Godzilla.
Destoroyah’s distinct physical appearance alone makes him seem like an ideal foe to introduce into the MonsterVerse. We’ve already seen Godzilla duke it out with other supersized insect and lizard-based enemies in his first two solo American films. Why not shake things up a bit by having him fight a crustacean antagonist? Plus, Destoroyah doesn’t just come in one size. This creature comes in many imposing forms ranging from super tiny to super big. That would provide an adversary for the MonsterVerse Godzilla that wouldn’t just feel like a rehash of his prior antagonists like the MUTOs or King Ghidorah.
Plus, the fact that the character, in its Toho incarnation, is tied to the origin of Godzilla would make him fitting as the adversary for a third solo MonsterVerse Godzilla feature. After all, third installments frequently reconnect or parallel the first entries in their respective sagas. What better way to do that here than have Godzilla face off against someone intertwined with his inception? Considering all the ways he’d be a boon for this franchise, Destoroyah seems like a no-brainer to add to the ever-expanding mythos of the MonsterVerse.
Hedorah
He’s not as much of a household name as Mothra or Rodan, but Hedorah has become an understandable fan-favorite for Godzilla fans across the planet. This creature is a being comprised entirely of pollution. Rather than toppling down buildings, Hedorah has the nifty and terrifying ability to contaminate anything unlucky enough to cross his path. His showdown with Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Hedorah resulted in one of the most acclaimed entries in the larger franchise. To boot, the unique design and abilities of Hedorah have ensured that the character has remained one of Godzilla’s most memorable foes despite having only appeared in two older films.
Bringing Hedorah into the MonsterVerse could be an exciting prospect, particularly with how he can help the franchise enter previously unexplored territory. For example, the MonsterVerse hasn’t done a lot of political commentary up to this point, save for gestures at Godzilla standing in as a punishment for humanity’s misdeeds in his 2014 film. Hedorah could be an ample opportunity to start talking about specific and larger issues facing the world today. How can you do a movie featuring a monster created by pollution and not have something to say in sociopolitical terms?
Having Hedorah tie in with larger commentary on how little care humanity provides to the planet could even work as an extension of previously established MonsterVerse elements. Vera Farmiga’s character, Dr. Emma Russell, discussed pollution at length in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, framing it as one of the many ways humans are harming the world more severely than any Kaiju ever could. Perhaps all that waste could come back to haunt humanity by producing the terrifying Hedorah, a monster made by man’s folly that only Godzilla can stop? Sounds like a ripe premise for a MonsterVerse version of Godzilla vs. Hedorah.
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