(Left) Sam Neill in ‘Jurassic Park’. Photo: Universal Pictures. (Right) 2021’s ‘Godzilla vs. Kong.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Preview:
- Sam Neill is the latest recruit for the latest Godzilla and King Kong ‘Monsterverse’ movie.
- Grant Sputore is directing the new movie.
- Dan Stevens will be back as vet Trapper.
Given that he’s one of the key figures in the ‘Jurassic Park’ franchise (and who popped back up for ‘Jurassic World: Dominion,’ you might think that Sam Neill would want to avoid trouble with giant beasties in his cinematic career.
Yet here he is again, not back with the genetically returned dinosaurs this time, but instead taking his chances running around with another massive reptile –– Godzilla, who will be back on screens with best pal/frenemy King Kong for the next, still-to-be-officially-titled Monsterverse movie from Legendary and Warner Bros.
Features several new human characters alongside the beloved and iconic Titans Godzilla and Kong as they face off against a cataclysmic world-ending threat. Plot… Read the Plot
Deadline reports that Neill has joined the cast of the new movie, which is now in production.
Related Article: 12 Best Godzilla and/or King Kong Movies
What was the story of ‘Godzilla x Kong’?
(L to R) Godzilla and Kong in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The movie followed up the explosive showdown of ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat of a monstrous white ape hidden within our world, challenging their very existence –– and our own.
It delved further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.
The new, untitled effort is still mostly being kept under wraps, but according to the first official details, it’ll follow “several new human characters alongside the beloved and iconic Titans Godzilla and Kong as they face off against a cataclysmic world-ending threat.”
Yep, apparently, there are still some giant threats lurking out there; so the big ape and the giant lizard will have to spring into action once again. But at least they have new some human friends (and potentially foes) to spend time with!
Who is working on the new movie?
Kong in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Alongside director Grant Sputore (who made his directorial debut with Netflix sci-fi thriller ‘I Am Mother’), the film will have a script from ‘Shang-Chi’ and ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ writer Dave Callaham.
And back in January, Deadline reported that the movie saw its first piece of casting as Kaitlyn Dever locked in a deal to star.
Best known for her roles in TV limited series ‘Dopesick’ and the 2019 movie ‘Booksmart,’ Dever has a key role in the second season of HBO’s ‘The Last of Us,’ which just returned to screens.
Kaitlyn Dever in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2. Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO.
Details on her character are also, like much of the movie, a mystery, though apparently it represents a renewed push to add in solid characters, which has been a common complaint of especially some of the more recent Monsterverse efforts.
We can also add to the new recruit list the likes of ‘Unbroken’ and ‘Back to Black’s Jack O’Connell and Delroy Lindo, most recently seen in ‘The Harder They Fall’ and headed our way in Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ this week. Also aboard? Alycia Debnam-Carey, who last appeared in Netflix wellness scam drama ‘Apple Cider Vinegar,’ which coincidentally starred Dever.
As with Dever and Modine, we don’t yet know anyone is playing, but Dan Stevens is confirmed to reprise his role as Trapper, the cocky, thrill-seeking veterinarian who helps Kong when the giant ape is injured.
Where else have I seen Sam Neill?
(from left) Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard), Owen Grady (Chris Pratt), Maisie Lockwood (Isabella Sermon) and Kayla Watts (DeWanda Wise) in Jurassic World Dominion, co-written and directed by Colin Trevorrow.
As we mentioned above, Neill may still be best known for his role as warm-but-grouchy paleontologist Alan Grant in various ‘Jurassic’ movies.
Yet the versatile actor has enjoyed a long, successful career hopping between the giant likes of those blockbusters and more indie work.
In the last few years alone, he’s been seen in movies such as ‘Bring Him to Me,’ ‘The Portable Door’ and ‘Thor: Love and Thunder.’
Further back, he’s been part of the cast for ‘The Piano,’ ‘The Dish’ and ‘Event Horizon.’ On TV, his back catalogue includes Apple TV+ series ‘Invasion,’ ‘Apples Never Fall’ and ‘Peaky Blinders.’
What has happened with the Monsterverse so far?
(L to R) Godzilla and Kong in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Already around for a decade, Legendary’s Monsterverse follows humanity’s battle to survive in a world facing a catastrophic new reality –– the monsters of our myths and legends are real.
It all kicked off with ‘Godzilla’ in 2014 and continued through 2017’s ‘Kong: Skull Island,’ 2019’s ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters,’ 2021’s ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ and last year’s record-breaking ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.’
The Monsterverse has grossed more than $2.5 billion at the global box office and has expanded onto smaller screens via ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ for Apple TV+, which has been renewed for a second season.
When will the new Monsterverse movie be on screens?
The movie is currently scheduled for release on March 26th, 2027. Let’s hope theaters have time to reinforce their walls. And that it doesn’t inspire kaiju to start their own version of the ‘Minecraft’ audience chaos when it opens.
Godzilla in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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