“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” Releases Two Weeks Early in Surprise Announcement

LOS ANGELES — “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is set to hit theaters earlier than expected, according to an announcement made by Legendary and Warner Bros. The fifth installment in the MonsterVerse series will now open on March 29 instead of April 12. This change in release date was made possible by the delay in production of Academy Award-winning director Bong Joon-Ho’s “Mickey 17.”

Directed by Adam Wingard, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” explores the aftermath of the epic clash between the two iconic monsters in “Godzilla vs. Kong” (2021). The new film delves deeper into the mysteries of the Hollow Earth and introduces a new Titan menace that forces Godzilla and Kong to form an alliance. Returning cast members include Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle, with Dan Stevens joining as a new lead.

The MonsterVerse franchise, which began with “Godzilla” in 2014 and continued with “Kong: Skull Island” in 2017 and “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” in 2019, has expanded beyond the big screen. Netflix released the anime series “Skull Island” in 2023, while Apple TV+ premiered the live-action series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” in the same year.

Meanwhile, the delayed film “Mickey 17,” based on Edward Ashton’s novel, features an ensemble cast including Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. Bong Joon-Ho penned the adapted screenplay based on Ashton’s book, which revolves around a man on a mission to colonize a distant planet. Each colony has a crew member specifically assigned to high-risk tasks that are likely to result in their deaths, with their memories backed up and their consciousness restored in cloned bodies upon their demise.

In summary, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” will be released on March 29, two weeks earlier than originally scheduled. The film continues the MonsterVerse series, building on the events of “Godzilla vs. Kong.” Additionally, the blockbuster franchise has expanded to include television series like “Skull Island” and “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.” On the other hand, the release of “Mickey 17,” directed by Bong Joon-Ho, has been postponed due to production delays.