Godzilla X Kong Sequel Finds Director In Monsterverse Newcomer

The sequel to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has confirmed its lead director, a newcomer to the Monsterverse who will be stepping up for the next installment. The last two movies in the franchise were directed by Adam Wingard, who was previously confirmed to not be returning for the upcoming sequel. Nonetheless, his work managed to net a Godzilla x Kong sequel, especially thanks to the high box office performance of the latest movie.

Now, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that filmmaker Grant Sputore will be taking over as director for the Godzilla x Kong sequel. Sputore is best known for his I Am Mother, a critically praised sci-fi thriller film on Netflix. While it’s unclear what he’ll be bringing to the table, his role as a newcomer to the Monsterverse means he’ll likely have plenty of ideas on how to expand what’s previously been done with the films.

What Will Grant Sputore’s Godzilla X Kong Sequel Look Like?

Wingard’s latest entry in the Monsterverse franchise made the film series a theatrical hit, with it having garnered $567.6 million against a $150 million budget at the time of writing. Because of how well the movie performed, the follow-up will continue focusing on the action between Titans, with its core duo at the center of the story. However, Sputore’s involvement means there will likely be a different vision for the franchise as well, adding fresh ideas to the upcoming sequel.

Godzilla x Kong ends with its story wrapped up, Godzilla returning to the surface while Kong becomes leader of the Hollow Earth’s ape tribe. Sputore’s follow-up will have to introduce a new threat to the world the pair need to team up to defeat, possibly a Toho monster like Gigan or Destoroyah. Given the director’s experience with a critically-praised, smartly-crafted thriller, similar elements might be present in his Monsterverse entry. This can help make the movie’s new threat all the more intimidating, and perhaps more serious than the Skar King was.

It’s also unclear where Sputore might take the human story, and if the Godzilla x Kong cast would end up reprising their roles in the next installment. If they do, then the story could also heavily tie into Monarch’s observation of Titans, broadening the scope of the sequel in the process. However, with no information about the next movie officiated yet, there’s no way of knowing where the new director will take it. His track record for quality films speaks for itself, though, and indicates he’ll have plenty of surprises in store.

Source: THR