How The MonsterVerse Has Set Up Gigan & Destroyah (For After Godzilla vs. Kong)

The future of Legendary’s MonsterVerse is still uncertain after Godzilla vs. Kong, but the franchise has already set up the possible return of two fan-favorite kaiju: Gigan and Destroyah. Godzilla: King of the Monsters brought back classic Toho monsters Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah, but more will likely appear if the series is to continue. Gigan and Destroyah are two of Godzilla’s most popular foes, and the groundwork has already been laid for them to appear in the MonsterVerse.

So far, the MonsterVerse has primarily focused on Godzilla and Kong. With the recent Godzilla vs. Kong trailer promising that “One Will Fall” by the end of their showdown, fans have wondered where the franchise will go next. One popular theory is that Gamera the flying turtle, another famous icon of classic kaiju films, could join the MonsterVerse. Some fans have even called for the franchise to crossover with Pacific Rim, something Guillermo del Toro himself has said he would love to do.

Of course, the other easy option would be to keep bringing in monsters from the Toho Godzilla films. The titans in Godzilla: King of the Monsters already included three of the most famous Toho kaiju in Rodan, Mothra, and Ghidorah, but there are plenty more to choose from to keep the series going, especially if Godzilla remains a primary figure at its center. Mechagodzilla is a clear choice, but he isn’t the only one. Out of all the monsters Godzilla has fought over the years, Gigan and Destroyah are two of the most notorious, and they’ve both already been somewhat set up in the MonsterVerse.

MonsterVerse Future After Godzilla vs. Kong Explained

No MonsterVerse films have yet been announced to follow Godzilla vs. Kong. A Skull Island TV show was announced recently for Netflix, which will follow a group of shipwrecked humans on King Kong’s monster-infested island. Other than that though, fans have been left in the dark about what’s to come after the two alpha titans fight in Godzilla vs. Kong.

A greater MonsterVerse threat has been teased in the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer, with one line in particular referencing more dangers to come. With what’s been show so far, that could take many different forms – extraterrestrial attackers, more rampaging titans, the return of Alan Jonah’s ecoterrorists, or possibly something else entirely. Whatever the next major conflict is, it will need more monsters to carry it at the box office. That means either creating new titans in prominent roles or pulling from the back catalog of cinematic beasts.

The titans created for the MonsterVerse haven’t exactly been the franchise’s most popular kaiju, so it’s more likely that Legendary would bring in more previously established monsters to fill out their ranks. Godzilla and Kong are obviously the two most famous such creatures, and there aren’t many other well-known movie monsters who can compete with their sheer size. Toho boasts the largest collection of possible contenders, and two in particular – Gigan and Destroyah – could be perfect for the MonsterVerse.

How Gigan Can Enter Godzilla’s MonsterVerse

In the Toho Godzilla films, Gigan is an alien cyborg monster, most notable for his role as an antagonist in Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972), Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), and Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). In all three films, Gigan is used as a weapon by alien invaders, sent to conquer Earth and/or defeat Godzilla. He wields massive blades on his arms (later changed to saw mechanical saw blades in Final Wars), a buzzsaw embedded in his torso, and a laser that can be fired from his eye. In addition to his three cinematic appearances, Gigan has featured in numerous video games, comics, novels, and TV shows, earning a spot along the way as one of the franchise’s most popular kaiju.

The MonsterVerse has already introduced several ways by which Gigan might enter. In the Toho films, he was frequently paired with King Ghidorah – a monster who has already made a major impact on the MonsterVerse. Ghidorah was confirmed to be alien in origin in King of the Monsters, which means an alien plotline is very possible in the future. Many classic Godzilla films used invading extraterrestrials as their main antagonists, and it could be a natural step for the MonsterVerse’s next phase.

Even if Legendary opts to not go with an alien invasion story, Gigan could still be brought in. Jonah’s ecoterrorist cell has at least one of Ghidorah’s heads, foreshadowing the possible rise of Mechaghidorah later on. Gigan could be constructed alongside Mechaghidorah – a terrifying cyborg amalgam of other titans from the MonsterVerse, sent out to defeat Godzilla (and maybe Kong) as the right hand of a resurrected King Ghidorah. At the very least, it would be a crazy fight, and a chance for Toho fans to see one of their favorites brought back to the big screen.

How Destroyah Can Enter Godzilla’s MonsterVerse

Though equally infamous in many ways to Gigan, Destroyah’s role in the lore of the Godzilla franchise is quite different. Destroyah only appeared in one film, 1995’s Godzilla vs. Destroyah, which ended the series’ Heisei period. Destroyah is at once one monster and many, a rapidly evolving colony of mutated Precambrian crustaceans that combine into one chimeric beast. The crustaceans’ mutation is triggered by the Oxygen Destroyer – the weapon used to kill Godzilla in the original 1954 film. Though he only appears in one core movie, Destroyah is notorious among fans as the kaiju who actually managed to kill Godzilla.

Since the Oxygen Destroyer was used in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the MonsterVerse could easily introduce Destroyah as a future villain. Godzilla vs. Kong’s ancient titan lore may also be important for the movies to come, and Destroyah’s origins in the Precambrian era could give him an interesting status as the oldest of all titans. The kaiju’s horrific design would translate very well into the aesthetic of the MonsterVerse, and Destroyah’s reputation as the Godzilla-killer would be an excellent way to build tension after the battle with King Kong. Godzilla vs. Destroyah is one of the most critically acclaimed and publicly beloved installments in the entire Toho Godzilla franchise, and its eponymous villain could be a great choice to continue the MonsterVerse story after Godzilla vs. Kong.

About The Author

Rick Stevenson
(1221 Articles Published)

Rick Stevenson is a writer, editor and performer based in Brooklyn, NY. He’s written on TV, film and games for over six years, in addition to assorted stints in bookselling, carpentry, and TV production. Rick studied writing at the College of William & Mary and Oxford University, and can report with some authority that they are both old. He lives and dies for Avatar: The Last Airbender.

More From Rick Stevenson