The Monsterverse Finally Gave Us The Kong Sequel We’ve Waited 7 Years For

Kong never got a sequel movie to Kong: Skull Island, but the Monsterverse has finally rectified that decision with Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. After kicking off the Monsterverse with a Godzilla movie in 2014, it was only natural for the franchise to put King Kong at the center of the next installment. Kong: Skull Island came out in 2017 and was a success by all accounts. The movie received very strong reviews and audience reactions. It also became the highest-grossing Monsterverse movie after making $568 million, a title it still holds.

Kong: Skull Island‘s success gave all indications that another Kong movie should be made in the Monsterverse, but Warner Bros. and Legendary never did so. The franchise moved forward with a Godzilla sequel and then brought Kong back for Godzilla vs. Kong. Now that the giant ape is back again with Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, the Monsterverse has another chance to explore him. Even though it is a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla X Kong‘s ending is focused on the Titans’ team-up, The New Empire is more so a Skull Island sequel.

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire Is Really A Kong Solo Movie

Kong Is The Main Character, Not Godzilla

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire‘s title and marketing might lead audiences to believe that the movie’s story equally balances Godzilla and Kong’s screentime and importance. However, that could not be further from the truth. The film is much more focused on the Great Ape rather than the King of the Monsters, so much so that Kong is positioned as Godzilla X Kong‘s lead character. He is the first character that the film features, as audiences are taken directly to Hollow Earth to continue his adventures after Godzilla vs. Kong and see what his life is like.

The main story that unfolds from here constantly keeps Kong as the primary character. Godzilla X Kong follows him as he explores the Subterranean Realm in Hollow Earth, finds another ape colony, and focuses on his budding relationship with Suko, a.k.a. Baby Kong. There are even large stretches of the film that rely on audiences understanding Kong’s facial expressions, gestures, and grunts to follow the story. All this happens as Godzilla is shown sparingly as he grows in power for the final fight. Meanwhile, Kong’s point of view is primarily how Godzilla X Kong‘s story unfolds.

Godzilla X Kong Works Incredibly Well As A Skull Island Sequel

The Movie Builds Upon Key Concepts & Ideas That Kong: Skull Island Set Up

One of the main reasons that Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire feels so much like Kong: Skull Island 2 is because of how well the story builds on what the 2017 movie set up. Kong’s story in Kong: Skull Island played with concepts like him being the last of his kind. Kong’s desire to find other apes is a driving force in his motivation in The New Empire. He is stunned to find other apes in the Subterranean Realm but hates that Skar King has enslaved them. This makes him want to defeat Skar King and free the apes.

Kong: Skull Island was also responsible for establishing the relationship between Kong and the Iwi Tribe, who saw him as their protector and someone to worship. After Godzilla vs. Kong introduced Jia and her connection to Kong, The New Empire builds on that relationship to strengthen the bond between the ape and the girl. The movie even reveals that Kong’s Great Ape species was once the protectors of humanity. The fact that Jia and Kong’s relationship grows to the point it does in Godzilla X Kong is the direct result of how Skull Island started his journey.

It is also worth noting how Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire greatly expands on the Hollow Earth. The concept of Hollow Earth was first teased in Kong: Skull Island, but it was only a theory at the time. Now, audiences are able to see Kong fully explore the location and discover new parts of it. Considering that Hollow Earth was only an unproven theory when Kong: Skull Island took place, seeing Kong live in and even rule over the location in Godzilla X Kong is another great way to build on that idea.

The New Empire Focusing On Kong Makes Sense After Godzilla Vs. Kong

It Was Kong’s Turn To Be The Central Hero

The decision to make Kong Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire‘s lead character and turn the movie into an unofficial Skull Island sequel was smart. Godzilla vs. Kong brought him back in a sizable role, but the previous film was more so focused on Godzilla compared to Kong. The film had Godzilla win their final battle, face off with an evil Godzilla, and generally had a more Godzilla-focused storyline. Kong still had plenty to do, but he was certainly the co-star to Godzilla’s lead role. Godzilla X Kong provided an opportunity to flip those roles and make Kong the central hero.

With seven years passing since Kong’s last and only solo movie, turning Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire into Kong’s story was a way to highlight him further while still utilizing the marketing advantage of selling the film as a Godzilla and Kong team-up. Whether its Kong’s central focus, the evil Kong villain, or even Jia’s larger role with Millie Bobby Brown not returning, almost every aspect of the film reinforces the idea that this is Kong’s movie. He even gets the major hero moments like killing Skar King and being in the final shot.