GvK 2 Villain: Best MonsterVerse Titan Theories For Godzilla & Kong Sequel

Several Toho kaiju serve as viable candidates for Godzilla vs. Kong 2’s villain. Reportedly, a sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong is currently in development. According to an Australian government agency, a new installment in Legendary’s MonsterVerse will begin filming later this year.

For now, there’s been no confirmation that Legendary is actually making a new Godzilla or Kong movie. As things stand, the only MonsterVerse projects that are officially in the pipeline are a Skull Island anime for Netflix and a live-action TV show for Apple TV+ that will explore the aftermath of 2014’s Godzilla. But, a new movie centered on Godzilla, Kong, or both Titans does make a lot of sense for the MonsterVerse’s immediate future. After all, Godzilla vs. Kong was a pleasant box office surprise for Warner Bros. and a big hit on HBO Max in 2021. The success it brought in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic would certainly justify a decision to keep the MonsterVerse going.

If it’s confirmed that a fifth MonsterVerse movie is coming, that would of course raise questions about who the villain would be. The franchise has already utilized the two biggest names in Godzilla’s rogues’ gallery, but Mechagodzilla and King Ghidorah aren’t his only noteworthy adversaries. There are plenty of other Toho properties that could work as menacing opponents for Godzilla and Kong. Here are the best options for the sequel’s villain.

Gigan

Ghidorah may not have been the MonsterVerse’s only alien Titan. Godzilla vs. Kong’s Roswell tease set up more aliens in the MonsterVerse. If there is another one out there, chances are it’s Gigan, the cyborg monster that terrorized Godzilla with its hook-like hands in Toho’s movies. The first kaiju to make the King of the Monsters bleed has a reputation for brutally beating down Godzilla in 1972’s Godzilla vs. Gigan. He doesn’t have a history of being a main villain, and may not be used in that way in the MonsterVerse either. However, Gigan would work well if Godzilla vs. Kong 2 has dual antagonists for each Titan to fight.

Hedorah

As a monster who perfectly fits the ongoing MonsterVerse theme regarding the threat humanity poses to the planet, Hedorah could wreak havoc on the Earth in Godzilla vs. Kong 2. Introduced in 1971’s Godzilla vs. Hedorah, the Smog Monster is an alien entity that feeds on pollution. Part of what made beating him so difficult was the sludge-like composition of his body, which easily resisted Godzilla’s punches and atomic breath. In Godzilla vs. Hedorah, clever planning by the humans (and Godzilla) was necessary to do him harm, which is why Kong’s intelligence would be an asset against the MonsterVerse’s Hedorah.

Some are speculating that Hedorah will come to the Hollow Earth. If so, Godzilla vs. Kong’s ending may have set the stage for the Smog Monster’s arrival in Kong’s new home. In the original movie, Hedorah seeks out pollution, so if humans try to colonize or commercialize this newly discovered world, Hedorah could eventually make his way there, spreading his taint from the surface to the Hollow Earth world. If that were to happen, he could earn the wrath of both MonsterVerse alphas.

Biollante

For its villains, the MonsterVerse has used natural Titans (the MUTOs and a giant Skullcrawler), an alien (Ghidorah), and a giant robot (Mechagodzilla). One archetype that hasn’t been featured yet is a genetically-engineered monster. Going in this direction could be the best way for Godzilla vs. Kong 2 to offer something different. It can do that if it brings in Biollante, an enormous plant-like kaiju with a tragic backstory. Biollante was created from the spliced DNA of Godzilla, a rose, and a dead girl whose spirit seemed to inhabit the monster. If Godzilla vs. Kong 2 does its own take on Biollante, it could be another instance where the Titans have to clean up a mess made by the humans. Also, It’s worth noting that one of the articles in the Godzilla: King of the Monsters credits confirmed that Monarch has experimented with making organic Titans, which means that the setup for Biollante has already begun.

SpaceGodzilla

Unused concept art for Godzilla vs. Kong led to a theory that SpaceGodzilla is a hidden MonsterVerse enemy of Godzilla and Kong’s ancestors. A MonsterVerse art book hinted at some surprising details about the events that took place during their ancient Titan War. Cave paintings depicted in the art book show the two sides joining forces to fight a winged Godzilla. Some interoperations of this argue that this winged Godzilla may have been the MonsterVerse’s SpaceGodzilla, an incredibly powerful, extraterrestrial creature born from Godzilla’s mutated DNA. The theory about the Titan postulates that Godzilla’s original fight with Kong had a similar ending to the one that occurred in the movie. Supposedly, Godzilla and Kong stopped fighting when SpaceGodzilla showed up.

Since this concept art wasn’t used, it shouldn’t be taken as MonsterVerse canon. That being said, it could still be used later, especially if the original plan was to reveal that Godzilla and Kong share a secret, common enemy. If SpaceGodzilla comes onto the scene, the MonsterVerse could use this opportunity to dive deeper into what really went on during the Titan War. And with his massive power, taking him down may depend on a second Godzilla-Kong team-up.

King Caesar

If the sequel does give each Titan a monster to fight, it can deliver on a popular fan theory about the Hollow Earth. It’s been suggested that Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla’s King Caesar – who was worshipped as a guardian deity in Toho’s movies – is the real king of the Hollow Earth world. The idea behind the theory is that in order to properly earn his “King Kong” title, Kong needs to beat the current Hollow Earth alpha. He seemingly took that role in Godzilla vs. Kong’s ending but did so without dethroning anyone. If Kong tries to be the Hollow Earth’s alpha, he could receive a challenge from a Titan who also has a claim to the title. As a monster with a name like King Caesar, he’d be a fitting choice to be the Hollow Earth’s reigning alpha, even if he’s not a true villain in the Godzilla franchise. Since he’s considered a hero, he could team up with Kong and Godzilla against another opponent at the end of the movie.

Destoroyah

In Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, the film that ended the Heisei series, it was revealed that when the Oxygen Destroyer killed the 1954 Godzilla, it secretly gave birth to a new evil. Crustaceans mutated by the Oxygen Destroyer evolved into the all-powerful Destoroyah, who served as Godzilla’s final opponent before his death. With his history, it’s long been theorized that a Godzilla vs. Destoroyah matchup could be the endgame for Legendary’s MonsterVerse. Regardless of whether or not that’s really going to happen, the door is open for him to fight Godzilla on the big screen. The use of the Oxygen Destroyer in Godzilla: King of the Monsters laid the groundwork for him to appear. Originally, it was thought that he would be the perfect villain for Godzilla 3, but there is at least a chance that he could fight both Titan alphas in Godzilla vs. Kong 2 instead.

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