EW just shared the first two images from Godzilla: King of Monsters, the Michael Dougherty-directed sequel to the Godzilla reboot that’s setting the stage for a huge battle with King Kong.
Godzilla looks triumphant in what is easily one of the coolest film photos of the year, while the below shot reveals our first look at both The Conjuring‘s Vera Farmiga and “Stranger Things” star Millie Bobby Brown in the sequel, which takes place five years after the events in the first film.
“The world is reacting to Godzilla in the same way we would react to any other terrifying incident, in that we are overreacting,” says director Michael Dougherty, whose previous credits include the horror movie Krampus. Godzilla hasn’t been seen since that destructive finale, “but there’s paranoia and endless speculation about whether he is the only one out there or whether we’re threatened by others like his kind.”
The 2019 film’s human characters include Dr. Emma Russell (Farmiga), a scientist working for the beastie-hunting organization Monarch, and her daughter Madison (Brown). The pair are kidnapped by what Dougherty describes as “a mysterious organization, with their own plans for the creatures.”
The sequel follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.
“Rodan’s been kind of a sidekick character, but I’ve always had a soft spot for him,” adds Dougherty. “In a lot of ways he’s more powerful than Godzilla. He’s like this winged A-bomb. I think we’ve done him justice.”
The film promises to be pretty epic, with star O’Shea Jackson Jr. previously teasing that we’ll “never forget” the final battle between Godzilla and King Ghidorah.
Warner Bros. has set a May 31, 2019, release date with Godzilla vs. Kong slated for release on May 22, 2020. Speaking of which, Dougherty does set the stage for the epic battle. “It’s not like we’re bending over backwards to introduce Kong, but there’s definitely some bread crumbs,” the Dougherty teases.
With the San Diego Comic-Con kicking off next week, maybe we’ll even get a teaser trailer or some art to go along with these images?
GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS
(L-R) MILLIE BOBBY BROWN as Madison Russell and VERA FARMIGA as Dr. Emma Russell
GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS
Godzilla
