Godzilla x Kong Sequel Gets Grant Sputore to Continue the MonsterVerse

It didn’t take long for Legendary to find its replacement for the next Godzilla x Kong movie following the departure of Adam Wingard a couple of weeks ago. The latest sequel in the MonsterVerse will be directed by Australian filmmaker Grant Sputore, who has just one feature under his belt thus far, that being the 2019 Netflix cyberpunk thriller I Am Mother starring Hilary Swank, Rose Byrne, and Clara Rugaard. While Wingard’s exit from the franchise came as a surprise to some given the success of the latest film, it reportedly boiled down to a “timing issue,” with the door being left open for him to return in the future.

As per Deadline, Sputore will tag in to direct the next installment in Legendary’s MonsterVerse that began in 2014 with Godzilla, and has since birthed four more films, an animated Netflix series, and a successful live-action show on Apple TV+. Sputore came from the world of television commercials before directing his first feature in 2019, which was nominated for two AACTA Awards (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) for Best Supporting Actress in Hilary Swank, and Best Visual Effects or Animation. I Am Mother currently holds an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

While people have been lamenting the decline in box office numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Legendary has managed to find success with its continued MonsterVerse. 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong managed to take in $470.1 million dollars, while the latest installment released earlier this year brought home a whopping $567.6 million, making Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire the most successful film in the MonsterVerse franchise to date. Collectively, the series has earned an impressive $2.5 billion dollars worldwide.

What Will the Next Godzilla x Kong Movie Be About?

While it’s unclear at this point exactly what the next film in the MonsterVerse saga will be about, it is expected to be a continuation of events from the previous entry featuring Godzilla, King Kong, and a number of other Titans. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire saw the return of Mothra to the franchise following her appearance in 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and while the series has also seen appearances by Rhodan and King Ghidorah, there are a number of other Titans that have yet to show up, including Gigan, SpaceGodzilla, and Anguirus.

What is known is that the next film in Legendary’s MonsterVerse will be penned by screenwriter Dave Callaham, whose previous credits include Wonder Woman 1984, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Callaham also had a hand in writing the reboot of Masters of the Universe, which recently tapped Nicholas Galitzine to star as Prince Adam/He-Man.

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5 Ways Godzilla x Kong Sets up a Son of Kong Sequel

The success of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire likely means the continuation of the MonsterVerse, potentially with a Son of Kong movie.

As the MonsterVerse continues to expand with another theatrical film, it will also continue on the small screen, as Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has officially been renewed for a second season at Apple TV+, and there are a number of other projects also currently in the works.