Godzilla X Kong Sequel Hits Major Setback By Losing Monsterverse Director

Summary Adam Wingard will not return for the Godzilla X Kong sequel due to scheduling conflicts, paving the way for its return to independent action-horror. No new director has been announced for the sequel yet, but sources suggest the door is open for Wingard to possibly return to the Monsterverse in the future. Although the […]

  Movies & TV Series   May 23, 2024   45  Add to Reading List
Godzilla X Kong Sequel Hits Major Setback By Losing Monsterverse Director

Summary

  • Adam Wingard will not return for the
    Godzilla X Kong
    sequel due to scheduling conflicts, paving the way for its return to independent action-horror.
  • No new director has been announced for the sequel yet, but sources suggest the door is open for Wingard to possibly return to the Monsterverse in the future.
  • Although the director’s departure is a big setback for the sequel at the moment, it may not be a bad thing for the franchise.



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Despite leading the charge for the franchise over the past two films, Adam Wingard will officially not be returning for the Godzilla X Kong: The New Kingdom following. Wingard, previously known for his work in the horror genre with artists like You are next and the action thriller The guestdebuted in the Monsterverse with 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, which became tied for the highest-reviewed installment of the franchise. He would then return to Godzilla X Kong: The New Kingdomwhich sits just below the highest grossing of the film series, and has even revealed plans for a closer trilogy.


The Hollywood Reporter announced that Wingard had stepped away from the Monsterverse and the planned project Godzilla X Kong: The New Kingdom following. While a surprising setback, sources report that the decision was made amicably between the director and Legendary, stemming purely from scheduling conflicts as he plans to make his return to the Indie action-horror genre. As of this writing, no new directors have entered discussions or been reported to be in the pipeline for the sequel, and other sources indicate that the door is open for Wingard to return in the future .


Why Wingard’s departure isn’t bad news for the rest of GXK

With the franchise having already seen several directors at the helm and a returning creative from Monsterverse writing the script, the
Godzilla X Kong
the rest seems in good hands.


Confirmation that Wingard will not return for the Godzilla X Kong What happens next may surprise those who have followed its development over the months that followed. The New Kingdomthe Liberation. Every update from the next installment, including the return of the original author from 2014 Godzilla, David Callaham, reported that although no deal had been made for the director, Legendary fully expected his return. Wingard himself has frequently discussed his ideas for a third film, wanting to delve deeper into Kong’s relationship with the Hollow Earth Ape Tribe and Godzilla’s own mysterious history:

I definitely have some ideas about where they could go. The way Kong is treated in this movie, if this movie succeeds, I think the next movie will be the Godzilla version of what we did with that movie, sort of digging deeper into his story. But Kong’s story is only just beginning, although I think he is establishing himself to some extent as king. He will not be a Skar King type ruler, he is not a dictator of any kind. And so seeing how Kong will work with this group and how he will be a leader himself, I think it will be very interesting, because I don’t think it will be easy.


Although he may not be back in the director’s chair for Godzilla X Kong sequel, this doesn’t entirely mean that Legendary will abandon its ideas on how to continue the franchise, given how closely it was involved in building it with the previous two films. The Monsterverse has seen a variety of creatives get their hands on the hardware and use it in their own way, including Jordan Vogt-Roberts. Kong: Skull Island taking a prequel approach to introducing the titular monkey, while Apple TV+ Monarch: Legacy of Monsters used multiple timelines to flesh out the origins and modern functioning of the eponymous agency.

To date, the Monsterverse has seen four different directors and over 10 different writers for the films alone, some of whom have worked on multiple projects, namely Wingard and screenwriters Max Borenstein, Zach Shields, and Terry Rossio.


Another key reason why Wingard’s departure from Godzilla X Kong the sequel shouldn’t be a bad sign, it’s his own creative direction for his career. The filmmaker is attached to both a Face/Off legacy suite and Thundercats live-action film for years, which, coupled with its new action thriller, Assault, left his plate full and gave him the choice of what he feels motivated to do, which may not be the Monsterverse follow-up at the moment. That being said, with the franchise having already seen multiple directors at the helm and a returning creative from Monsterverse writing the script, the Godzilla X Kong the rest seems in good hands.

Source: THR

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