The marketing for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire indicates that the Monsterverse is about to introduce its canceled burning form design from Godzilla: King of the Monsters. First appearing in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, Burning Godzilla is an iconic iteration of the King of the Monsters, and a take on the kaiju’s appearance that the Monsterverse itself used in 2019. In King of the Monsters, Godzilla activated the Monsterverse version of the burning form for his final standoff with King Ghidorah.
Like King of the Monsters, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is adding a new Godzilla power-up to the lore of the Monsterverse. At some point in the film, Godzilla will undergo a transformation that turns his atomic power from blue to pink. Based on its presence in the trailers, this will be the primary version of the monster in Godzilla and Kong’s next movie. However, it won’t be the only new look sported by Godzilla in the film. The second Godzilla x Kong trailer confirms the inclusion of an additional Godzilla design. But while it hasn’t been on the big screen before, it is an idea that the Monsterverse has entertained in the past.
Godzilla X Kong Is Seemingly Introducing Godzilla’s Blue Burning Form
In the new Godzilla x Kong trailer, Godzilla can be seen with glowing blue veins all over his body in various segments of the trailer. It’s normal for Godzilla’s dorsal fins, mouth, and eyes to glow blue when he’s charging, but it’s a bit unusual for his entire body to pulsate with atomic energy. That said, it has happened in one prior Monsterverse incident, albeit not with the color blue. Godzilla’s body was covered in red energy when he used the burning form in King of the Monsters. This detail is a sign that Godzilla is on the cusp of unlocking a blue version of the burning form.
Interestingly, Godzilla x Kong wouldn’t be the first movie to consider a blue Burning Godzilla. Concept art included on the “Godzilla 2.0” featurette on the Godzilla: King of the Monsters home video release confirmed that such a design was indeed on the table for the 2019 movie. Apparently, it accounted for one of several options for Godzilla’s big transformation in Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ ending. Of course, it was the red burning form that ultimately got the nod, but judging by the resemblance between the image of the canceled blue alternative and what’s in Godzilla x Kong, it’ll be brought to life in the Monsterverse regardless.
Adding evidence to the connection between Godzilla’s new look and the burning form is the nuclear pulse ability. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Burning Godzilla unleashed a wave of red energy – known as a nuclear pulse in Toho’s movies – to destroy Ghidorah. Godzilla can be seen using a blue variant of what appears to be the same attack while in his new transformation in the second Godzilla x Kong trailer. That makes it all the more likely that Godzilla will reattain the power level he had when he beat Ghidorah several years ago. How it’ll happen and while it will be blue, though, remains to be seen.
How Will Godzilla Get The Blue Burning Form?
How his red burning form was facilitated in Godzilla: King of the Monsters could be a hint as to how it will this new version will be accessed in Godzilla x Kong. In the 2019 film, the power-up came courtesy of Mothra, who used what was left of her energy to recharge a severely wounded Godzilla. Whether it’s a coincidence or not, Mothra makes an appearance in Godzilla x Kong’s second trailer, which all but confirms she’ll have a presence in the story. Since she gave Godzilla a burning form upgrade before, there’s at least a chance she’ll be the one who makes it happen the second time as well.
Alternatively, it could be one of the steps in the “training routine” mentioned by Godzilla x Kong director Adam Wingard. Wingard noted that Godzilla’s pink form represented the “training routine” he’ll to go through to prepare for the movie’s big threat. Since Wingard also said that “lots of different versions of Godzilla” will appear, it’s possible Godzilla will go through multiple changes before reaching a final transformation, with the blue burning form potentially being one of them.
It may not be his final design, but it’s sure to be incredibly powerful nonetheless. Ghidorah was obliterated upon just two uses of Burning Godzilla’s nuclear pulse ability. Assuming that his blue nuclear pulses are similar in potency, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’s new take on Burning Godzilla should be a force to be reckoned with and one that few – if any – Titans can challenge.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
- Release Date
- March 29, 2024
- Cast
- Dan Stevens , Rebecca Hall , Brian Tyree Henry , Kaylee Hottle , Fala Chen
