Godzilla vs Kong will see the two monsters battle it out once again, but the result will have to be different to the original Toho film. While some Godzilla and King Kong fans still debate over the outcome of their first battle in the 1960s, the general consensus is that Kong was the winner. However, how their original battle played out would never occur in the MonsterVerse.

Fresh off of his victory over King Ghidorah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the titular Titan will return in the fourth installment in Legendary’s MonsterVerse, Godzilla vs. Kong. After two solo Godzilla movies and one Kong movie, the two Titans will finally meet. Directed by Adam Wingard, the upcoming film has a March 2020 release date. A portion of the cast from King of the Monsters will also be returning, which includes Kyle Chandler, Zhang Ziyi, and Millie Bobbie Brown as Mark, Dr. Chen, and Madison respectively. Godzilla vs. Kong will see the two collide in a “spectacular battle for the ages” as Monarch dives deeper into the origin of the Titans.

Despite Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ lack of success at the box office, Warner Bros. has expressed confidence in Godzilla vs. Kong. Expectations for the movie are high, considering the popularity and reputation of Godzilla and King Kong. The two pop culture icons, who hail from different sides of the planet, are considered to be two of the most powerful, fearsome monsters in the genre. While both monsters have histories that go back over 60 years, Godzilla and King Kong have only clashed on the big screen one time, so fans of both monsters will be paying close attention to how Wingard handles their long-awaited rematch.

How Kong Beat Godzilla In The Original Movie

After acquiring the rights to use King Kong from RKO, Toho pit the giant ape against their own Godzilla in 1962’s King Kong vs. Godzilla, which became the first color film to feature either of the monsters. The film was only Godzilla’s third movie appearance, and as he hadn’t been on the big screen since 1955’s Godzilla Raids Again, Godzilla wasn’t quite the Japanese icon that he is today. Also, Godzilla had to earn a reputation as a heroic figure, which is something that didn’t happen for another two years.

So naturally, King Kong was the hero and Godzilla was the villain terrorizing Japan. King Kong (who was greatly enlarged for the movie) sought to drive off Godzilla, but encountered a great deal of difficulty. When the two began fighting, it quickly became apparent that Godzilla was physically superior to King Kong, which made him the movie’s underdog character. In their first two meetings in the movie, Godzilla was able to get the best of King Kong, and in both fights Godzilla held every advantage. His strength and durability was greater than Kong’s, and to make matters worse, Kong had no defense for Godzilla’s atomic breath.

What turned the tide was a bolt of lightning that hit King Kong. The lightning gave King Kong a massive recharge that revitalized him and filled him with power. King Kong rushed back into the fight and gave Godzilla everything he could handle. His hands radiated with electrical energy, and Godzilla appeared to be weak to electricity throughout the film. The two toppled over into the ocean, and engaged in an off-screen battle. Only King Kong emerged. The presumption is that while underwater, King Kong defeated Godzilla. While Godzilla fans have argued against the notion that Godzilla could have been beaten, an official plot synopsis from Toho later confirmed Kong’s victory.

How MonsterVerse’s Kong Is Different From Toho’s Version

Toho’s take is quite different from more traditional portrayals of the character in other King Kong movies. Toho’s Kong possesses electrical powers that allow him to draw power from lightning, power lines, and other sources of electrical energy. Electricity fuels Kong and makes him even stronger than usual. He can even channel this power into his hands, and unleash it against his foes by shocking them. This power is Kong’s greatest weapon, though why or how he has these abilities is unclear.

Toho’s Kong, who has appeared in two movies, is different from all other versions of Kong. In American-made movies going all the way back to the 1933 classic, Kong is portrayed as a giant gorilla with no actual super powers. The same can be said of Kong in the MonsterVerse. In Kong: Skull Island, Kong is never shown to be capable of gaining power from man-made or natural electrical energy, which means that unlike Toho’s Kong, Legendary’s version will have to rely on his own intelligence, brute strength, and agility to beat Godzilla.

What Godzilla Vs. Kong Will Do Differently

Godzilla and King Kong have already fought on the big screen once, but the rematch won’t be anything like the original. First of all, MonsterVerse’s Godzilla isn’t a villain, so why the two heroic characters will fight remains a mystery, though one possible reason is that Kong may seek to become the new alpha. Some elements of their first fight may factor into the rematch, such as King Kong’s inability to contend with Godzilla’s atomic breath, but the outcome won’t be the same since both Godzilla and King Kong don’t share the strengths and weaknesses of their counterparts in the 1962 crossover movie. Godzilla, for instance, has only displayed a weakness to electricity in his first and only fight with Kong. Godzilla won’t have this problem in the MonsterVerse.

Though even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. King Kong’s trump card and secret weapon in King Kong vs. Godzilla is completely absent from the MonsterVerse’s Godzilla vs Kong, which means he’ll need to find a new way to challenge Godzilla. Without his electrical powers, it would have been Godzilla who emerged from the water in their first confrontation. So how will Kong attempt to hold his own against the King of the Monsters?

It’s already been confirmed that Godzilla vs. Kong will shorten the size gap between the two Titans. Godzilla 2 director Mike Dougherty has said that Kong was only an adolescent in Kong: Skull Island, which means he’ll be much bigger when he returns. But will the size change be enough? Being on Godzilla’s level wasn’t enough in King Kong vs. Godzilla. Godzilla’s remarkable strength, atomic breath, and tail are sure to be a problem for Kong, who will need to rely on his agility if he hopes to have an advantage over Godzilla. Regardless of how their next fight is handled, one theme from King Kong vs. Godzilla is sure to carry over into the MonsterVerse’s Godzilla vs Kong - Kong will still be the underdog.

More: How King Of The Monsters Directly Sets Up Godzilla vs. Kong

  • Godzilla Vs Kong Release Date: 2021-03-31