Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is a 2024 film that is the latest installment of the highly successful Monsterverse Franchise. Helmed by Adam Wingard, the film picks up after the events of “Godzilla vs. Kong” (2021) and continues the story of Kong, the giant ape, and Godzilla as they join forces to fend off a much bigger threat.
This installment is pure cinematic magic. Adam Wingard totally nailed it again, winning over kaiju fans everywhere with his love for both Godzilla and Kong and their epic tales. First off, the CGI was on point, making these monsters come alive with their own personalities, lifelike moves, and that cool, slightly cartoony ambiance the movie was going for. It felt like the Showa-era films were brought back to life! We see Godzilla keeping the peace on Earth, taking down humans and titans, disrupting nature’s balance, while Kong is on a quest to find a new home in the Hollow Earth, hoping to meet others like him.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) Plot Summary & Film Synopsis:
The film kicks off in Hollow Earth, which, if you don’t know, is an interior space within the planet and also the point of origin of the Titans and strange creatures of Skull Island. Hollow Earth is massive, and humanity has only been able to map just 5 percent of it, but they have found that the ecosystem of the hollow Earth and the world above are interlinked in more ways than one. Monarch has built a couple of outposts and a research facility in the hollow earth to learn more about the place and creatures dwelling in it. They also have built multiple access points spread across various continents through which they can enter the hollow earth whenever they can.
As for Kong, he is a permanent resident of the hollow earth and divides his days between exploring the hollow earth and being chased by strange and massive creatures who mindlessly kill anything they see. Humanity believes Kong is the last of his kind and sees his effort to search for creatures like himself as both heartbreaking and futile. Talking about Godzilla, he resides in the surface world and protects humanity from hostile titans. At the start of the film, we see him battling and killing a crab-shaped titan called Scylla in Itlay.
Why Does Dr. Andrews Seek Bernie’s Help?
For the last few days, the scientists in Monarch research stations have been receiving a strange electrical signal emanating from the hollow earth, which no one could make sense of, not even Dr. Andrews. Not to mention, Jia, Andrews’ adopted daughter and last living soul of the Iwi tribe, has also been having strange dreams and visions for the last couple of weeks. In case you missed out on the last few installments, the Iwi tribe are the guardians of Skull Island, but the entire tribe was lost to the storm and tides. Only Jia was able to survive and was later adopted by Dr Andrews.
Lately, Jia doesn’t pay attention in classes and keeps scribbling strange drawings that resemble the signal Monarch has been receiving from Hollow Earth. To make sense of the situation, Andrews pays a visit to Bernie, who still runs a podcast articulating people about the Titans and giant creatures living both above and below.
Andrews shows Bernie the signals charts and Jia’s drawings, asking him what they mean. Bernie agrees to lend his expertise, but only if Andrews takes him to the Hollow Earth. Andrews agrees, and Bernie makes it that the strange signal is sort of a distress signal coming from Hollow Earth. It is also possible that Godzilla is sensing the signal, and this is the reason why he is on a Titan-killing spree, absorbing as much nuclear energy as possible and leveling up. From its looks, it appears that the Titan is gearing up for a big battle.
Kong’s Unexpected Encounter: A New World, A Deadly Threat
After having his tooth extracted and getting a new metallic one, Kong makes his way to the hollow Earth with Andrews, Trapper, Jia, and Mikael in tow. Kong stumbles upon uncharted territory, finds that his species isn’t extinct, and still dwells in the Subterranean Realm. Unfortunately, their first introduction isn’t as welcoming as Kong expects. They attack Kong with the intention of killing, but Kong manages to fend off his attackers, forcing them to flee.
These apes are slaves to Scar King, an evil primate who wants to rule the Earth. Kong feels for the enslaved apes and challenges Scar King to a duel but is defeated and gravely injured. It is also revealed that Scar King controls Shimo, a titan with frost power. It was Shimo who, during the first conquest, covered the Earth in the Ice Age. Scar King orders his apes to kill Kong, but the latter escapes, thanks to the Suko (the orange ape).
What Secrets Does the Hollow Earth Hold?
Elsewhere, Andrew and the others plan to land at Outpost 1 and find the source of the SOS signal. Little do they know that someone or something has obliterated the outpost and has left a giant mark. While running for their life, after Mikael is swallowed by a tree, the group accidentally arrives at the ruins of human civilization, very similar to that of the Iwi tribe. It is revealed that the Iwi tribe isn’t extinct and lives in the hidden region of the hollow Earth.
Moreover, it was them who had sent the distress signal to the surface world to warn them about the Scar King, a mad titan who is obsessed with reaching the surface world. A little backstory here: at the start of time, Hollow Earth lived in harmony with the surface world. It was the time when Titans served as protectors of nature, while Giant Apes were guardians of humanity. However, an evil ape called Scar King led his tribe to the battle but was defeated and imprisoned by the titan in the fiery region of the Hollow Earth. Now, Scar King’s only aim is to somehow get to the surface world and rule over it.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) Ending Explained:
What Happens to Shimo & Scar King?
Kong arrives at the ruins and senses Jia. From its appearance, it looks like he doesn’t have much time left. However, Trapper isn’t ready to give up on Kong just yet, and he heals Kong by giving his arm a metallic upgrade. The metallic arm not only heals the frostbite on Kong’s arm but also makes him one of the coolest Titans. Unfortunately, Scar King and his army arrive soon after. Kong knows he cannot take on Shimo and Scar King alone. Therefore, he makes his way to the surface to fetch Godzilla’s help. However, Godzilla is in no mood to reason with Kong and attacks him. Fortunately, Jia woke Mothra and Godzilla to understand that Kong wasn’t a threat.
The titan duo makes their way to the Hollow Earth to face Scar King and his army, but Scar, atop Shimo’s back, crosses into the surface world by using one of the access vortexes. Godzilla and Kong follow suit to continue the battle on the surface world. Unfortunately, Scar King and Shimo are much more powerful compared to their rivals, but the tides of the battle are turned when Suko breaks the blue crystal Scar King was using to control Shimo. As soon as the crystal shatters, Shimo breaks free and freezes Scar King. Kong ends the fight by shattering Scar King’s frozen body into a million pieces.
As the film nears its end, Mothra seals the entrance to the ruins, hiding it from the rest of the hollow Earth. Godzilla resumes his rest and makes the Roman Colosseum his new bed. As for Kong, he returns to the Subterranean realm with Suko and Shimo and frees every giant ape that Scar King has imprisoned.
