‘Godzilla vs. Kong’: 6 reasons why this MonsterVerse clash is a must-watch at UAE cinemas

It is the kind of film that would be the crowning glory of any summer blockbuster roster, but UAE fans get to watch ‘Godzilla vs Kong’, the latest MonsterVerse instalment, this week. The trailer has already racked up views and a mystery, with the two Titans waging war for reasons that could be prehistoric or not. Ahead of watching the action-packed film at cinemas this week, here’s all you need to know.

Godzilla is a good guy or bad? For those scratching their heads trying to recall that Godzilla was one of the good guys in ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ (2019), where he takes on Ghidorah and Rodan and emerges as humanity’s saviour, the new film does lay the foundation about a prehistoric animosity between the saviour and Kong. “The story starts in a place where humanity has accepted Godzilla as a saviour, or a protector, and we’re flipping that and showing that something weird is going on with him and he’s on the attack and acting recklessly, and no one knows why,” explains director Adam Wingard.

And Godzilla is heading straight for Kong, who’s been liberated from Skull Island after its been proven that the isolated locale can no longer contain him. Without giving the mystery away, Wingard (pictured with Millie Bobby Brown) says the film promises intense battles between these two behemoths. “This is a massive monster movie with not one but two of the most iconic characters in all of movie history battling each other. And they’re both good guys. Or maybe not, depending on how you look at it. What’s going to be really fun is to see who the audience roots for and to see their reaction when they find out who comes out on top,” he says.

Film serves as an origin story for Kong: Kong has, for decades since his heroic and brutal rite of passage, lived — and been studied by scientists — on the uncharted Skull Island. He is no longer an adolescent but fully grown and bigger, bolder and more badass than ever. The Kong seen in this film is by far the largest incarnation that has ever appeared on screen. And as always, Kong has an endearing bond with a human — this time it’s a young Skull Island orphan who is, like him, the last of her line, Jia (Kaylee Hottle). “This movie is Kong’s exploration into his own history — his roots. It’s about discovery,” says Wingard, “and that opens a lot of doors to see what’s out there for the character.”

UAE viewers get bragging rights: Viewers in the UAE will get bragging rights of being the first audience in the world to watch this MonsterVerse instalment ahead of the US and China releases. The popcorn thriller, out on March 25 in UAE cinemas, will release in US theatres and on HBO Max six days later. While audiences in China will see the clash of the Titans on March 26.

Larger than life canvas: Imagination ran wild for the makers, who pictured two titans as figures that would be taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York City, with Kong reaching nearly 103 metres and Godzilla almost 120. With such dimensions in mind, for a critical sequence in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’, production designers Owen Paterson and Tom Hammock devised a temple at the core of the Earth to feel 40 times bigger than St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Italy.

‘Back to The Future’ was an inspiration: Alexander Skarsgard saw his ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ character, Monarch geologist and subterranean cartographer Nathan Lind, as a child of the 1980s and worked with costume designer Ann Foley to create a look inspired in part by ‘Back to the Future’s Marty McFly, including the vest and vintage sneakers.

Location, location: Principal photography for ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ took place in Hawaii in the US and in Queensland, Australia. Both were transformed to help bring to life the story’s settings, realistic and fantastical, from battles on land and at sea, and a breathtaking Hollow Earth that might be the very origin of the Titans. But, while scouting locations for the film in Hawaii, the filmmakers selected certain locales that they would later have to forego during production because, due to volcanic activities, the original sites had been covered in lava.

Order of Monsterverse saga: For those of you who want to brush up on their MonsterVerse history ahead of this Warner Bros and Legendary release, watch the films in this order: ‘Godzilla’ (2014), followed by ‘Kong: Skull Island’ (2017) and ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ (2019).