2014's Godzilla was a very grounded movie and, to a lesser extent, so was Kong: Skull Island. The MonsterVerse began embracing its wackier side with Godzilla: King of the Monsters, but went absolutely nuts with Godzilla vs. Kong.
That was initially expected to be the MonsterVerse's final chapter, only for its success to lead to filmmaker Adam Wingard returning for this month's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. While a follow-up to that still hasn't been announced, the director has confirmed he intends to return for a third instalment.
"The whole idea that if you’ve done two movies, like, maybe you should just go ahead and do a third because, as you said, there’s a trilogy in there," Wingard tells Discussing Film. "I definitely think there’s more story to this, and I think that I have more story to tell. But it just depends on how [Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire] does and how things kind of shape out."
"I know that sounds like a bullshit diplomatic answer [Laughs]. But the truth is, If I’m going to be completely honest with you, I do have more story to tell with these monsters and I know where I’d go with it. I would be very excited to be able to come back on for another one if things worked out!"
In a separate interview with CBR, Wingard finally explained how Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire's title is supposed to be pronounced.
"I'm surprised, now that I look back on it, that nobody's ever used an x in their title like this before, at least to my knowledge," he explains. "It comes from the shorthand of x standing for a collaboration, like there's a lot of shoe companies that do special collaborations with artists, and people like that."
"It kind of, it rose from that, and obviously it's just pronounced Godzilla Kong, but I tend to say GxK all the time, because I think it sounds cool," Wingard adds. "The last movie was GvK, so it just helps tie that in."
We've had a fight between the title characters and, next up, is a team-up. Where things could go from there is hard to say, though kaiju fans have embraced Wingard's vision for the MonsterVerse and the weird places he continues to take it.
The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures' cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of 'Godzilla vs. Kong' with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire stars returning Godzilla vs. Kong actors Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle alongside Dan Stevens (Legion), Alex Ferns (The Batman), and Fala Chen (Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
The screenplay is by Terry Rossio (Godzilla vs. Kong) and Simon Barrett (You’re Next) and Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), from a story by Rossio & Wingard & Barrett, based on the character "Godzilla" owned and created by TOHO Co., Ltd.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire rampages into theaters on March 29.