Despite his ties to Godzilla, Anguirus’ first official MonsterVerse appearance could actually happen in Kong 2. A sequel to 2015’s Kong: Skull Island hasn’t been announced, but the recent success of Godzilla vs. Kong could lead to both of its titular Titans getting new solo installments. If Kong were to get another movie, he could be joined by a new Toho property, especially since he doesn’t have his own allies and villains.
One creature that Legendary may look at for new MonsterVerse movies is Anguirus, the giant ankylosaur kaiju that formed a duo with Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Gigan and helped save the world from King Ghidorah in Destroy All Monsters. Due to his popularity in the Godzilla fandom, an Anguirus Easter egg was included in a key sequence in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. A skeleton that looks identical to Anguirus was spotted in the shot where Godzilla’s underwater city was destroyed by the nuke. King of the Monsters director Michael Dougherty confirmed the connection in a tweet that namedropped Anguirus. While this skeleton may never ultimately lead to anything else, its presence in the movie serves as proof that Anguirus’ species did exist in the MonsterVerse’s history.
Many are hoping that the MonsterVerse will build on this Easter egg by introducing an Anguirus descendent. But as fun as it would be to see him team up with Godzilla, an appearance in a future Kong movie could be in the cards instead. After all, Godzilla vs. Kong’s ending put Kong right where he needs to be to meet Anguirus. The original Anguirus dwelled in the Hollow Earth, and since a new version wasn’t among the Titans awakened by Ghidorah, it’s likely that if there is a living one out there, he lives so deep underground that Ghidorah’s call didn’t reach him. If that’s the case, he could be roaming Godzilla vs. Kong’s hidden Hollow Earth world somewhere.
If Anguirus’ home is the Hollow Earth, it would make sense if he encountered Kong before Godzilla. If such a meeting were to happen, there are multiple different ways it could play out. One possibility is that they can fight over alpha status in the Hollow Earth. In Godzilla vs. Kong, the ape was positioned as its new king, even though he didn’t earn this combat title. Anguirus could provide him with a formidable rival for the crown. If Kong doesn’t kill Anguirus, the two could always team up later against another monster that invades the Hollow Earth.
Regardless of what transpires in their battle, Anguirus seems like an appropriate choice for Kong 2. As a dinosaur-like creature, he fits in well with the sorts of monsters that Kong would be expected to fight. A Kong vs. Anguirus showdown would have greater stakes than a Godzilla vs. Anguirus matchup, considering that the King of the Monsters would go into the confrontation as a heavy favorite. Large-scale planetary threats like Biollante or Destoroyah would make for much more thrilling opponents for Godzilla. As for a potential MonsterVerse team-up, Anguirus could once again be reduced to the role of a sidekick if he were to fight alongside the alpha of the Titans. But with Kong, on the other hand, Anguirus’ assistance could feel needed.
