Godzilla Vs Kong has a new release date, and it brings the much-anticipated monster brawl to screens much sooner than previously expected. The follow-up to 2018’s King of the Monsters is one of the movies that will be getting a simultaneous debut both in theaters and on HBO Max. Now that WarnerMedia has worked things out with Legendary Entertainment, which co-financed the blockbuster, they have decided to bump up that release by two full months. The two iconic monsters will now duke it out this March.
Previously, the movie had been set to premiere on May 21. Godzilla Vs Kong will now arrive on March 26. That means it will be one of the first massive blockbuster releases of 2021. Though it will be opening in an extremely hampered theatrical marketplace, as many theaters in the U.S. remain closed, with a large chunk of overseas markets struggling as well. That is particularly brutal since these movies tend to do quite well overseas. That’s likely why Legendary wasn’t happy when WarnerMedia initially announced that its entire 2021 movie slate would land both in theaters and on HBO Max. Especially since Netflix reportedly offered north of $200 million for the rights.
But both sides have worked things out and the plan will proceed. This undoubtedly means that WarnerMedia had to shell out some additional money to make Legendary happy. That makes this an expensive endeavor, as the latest entry in the Godzilla franchise is said to come with a price tag of $160 million, before marketing costs. Given the nature of the theatrical marketplace currently, it will be tough for the studio to make that budget back. Much like Wonder Woman 1984 before it, more than anything, this has now become a streaming play. Whether or not that pays off in the end will be the big question. For now, it means fans will have the choice to watch the movie from the comfort of home or at a theater, and soon.
Adam Wingard, known for directing Blair Witch and Death Note, is at the helm. Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler will be reprising their roles from King of the Monsters. Beyond that, much remains mysterious as we haven’t seen a full trailer, just bits and pieces of footage and some toy leaks. But with the release date moved up, we should be expecting a trailer any day now. Even without a trailer, it’s pretty clear what this is about; a modern showdown between two of the most iconic monsters in the history of cinema.
The cast also includes Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2, Hunt for the Wilder People), Brian Tyree Henry (Joker, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Demian Bichir (The Nun, Alien: Covenant), Alexander Skarsgard (The Stand, Big LIttle Lies), Eisa Gonzalez (Baby Driver, Hobbs & Shaw), Jessica Henwick (Underwater, Iron Fist), Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3, The Prestige) and Lance Reddick (John Wick: Chapter 3, The Wire). We’ll be sure to keep you posted as further details are made available. This news was previously reported by Variety.