King Kong and Godzilla are among the most notable kaiju in today’s climate. Both monsters have graced cinemas and viewers’ homes alike with their fun stories, exceptional skills, and iconic appearances. While most kaiju enthusiasts gravitate to Kong because of his close relations with humans, others attach themselves to Godzilla.
Whether out of pure nostalgia for the monster king or for the thrill of seeing him defeat new antagonists, fans can’t help but get excited. While Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire had its share of issues, many found Skar King and his companion, Shimo, mildly fascinating. While that film doesn’t set up a sequel, the Monsterverse’s future looks bright based on recent news.
Today, we’d like to delve into the Monsterverse’s future by sharing our picks for some Toho kaiju we’d like to see appear in the next Hollywood Godzilla film. From the destructive Destoroyah to the cutesy Godzilla Junior, there are many monsters we’d love to see receive that Monsterverse coat of paint.
Destoroyah
Next to King Ghidorah, Destoroyah is one of Godzilla’s most menacing enemies yet. This crab and devil-like entity was birthed from the Oxygen Destroyer. This was a weapon used to destroy the original Godzilla from Toho’s 1954 film. Additionally, this weapon appeared during Godzilla and King Ghidorah’s fight in the 2019 film, Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
This gives weight to Destoroyah’s possible inclusion in the Monsterverse. Many long-time Godzilla fans argue if Destoroyah were to appear, he should be saved as the final villain for Godzilla to fight. Also, they’d like him to be built up over time, akin to how Marvel handled Thanos’s character in the MCU. This would mirror Destoroyah’s debut appearance in the 1995 Toho Film, Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah.
This is a film that closed off the Heisei era of Godzilla films in Japan. With Destoroyah’s powerful abilities, vile personality, and horrifying forms, he’d be a great final boss for Legendary Pictures to close the Monsterverse with.
Gigan
Considering how goofy and over-the-top the Monsterverse has become with recent film installments, Gigan’s chances of joining the Monsterverse have “arisen.” At first, many folks didn’t believe Gigan would ever appear in the Monsterverse due to his alien-like origin. Yet, the Monsterverse has steered toward the sci-fi route as of late with inclusions like King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla.
Therefore, we can see Legendary Pictures tweak Gigan’s origins, making him a human-made machine monster, much like Mechagodzilla in Godzilla Vs. Kong. His design could be a mix of his recognizable ones from 1972’s Godzilla Vs. Gigan and 2004’s Godzilla: Final Wars. We’re optimistic many fans, including those of the anime variety, will find Gigan’s menacing chainsaws stylish and formidable.
Additionally, Gigan could add more flavor to the Monsterverse, personality-wise. This is something many people love about Skar King and Kong’s characters’ depictions in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. While Gigan can be a threatening cyborg monster, he’s not afraid to dance around and taunt his opponents in amusing ways.
Anguirus
Before Titanus Doug and Shimo, there was Anguirus. He was one of Godzilla’s first-ever enemies. He’d later become one of Godzilla’s comical yet admirable companions, lending him a hand in battles against Mechagodzilla, King Ghidorah, and Gigan. Although Doug, Shimo, and Suko have him beat on the cute front, Anguirus’s ankylosaurus-like design would appeal to children, teens, and those unfamiliar with his origins.
Considering how popular dinosaurs are, many would love Anguirus. While Anguirus is often laughed at for being second fiddle to Godzilla, he’s no pushover. New audiences will admire this kaiju’s determination and willingness to give it his all in battles, no matter if the opponent is weaker or stronger than himself.
Although the Monsterverse’s version of Godzilla is shown to fight many monsters who’d challenge his throne, it’d be a nice callback to see Godzilla team up with Anguirus.
Biollante
Biollante’s probably the best kaiju to include if Legendary Pictures wants to up their human storytelling game. This kaiju kicked off Toho’s Heisei era with a bang, giving fans a marvelous tale full of sadness and thrills. Biollante came about from a doctor’s decision to intertwine Godzilla and his deceased daughter’s cells into a rose. This plant transformed into Biollante, a big flower abomination that maintained his daughter’s consciousness.
Although Godzilla gives Biollante a thrashing in their film, Biollante successfully retreated, making her one of the few kaiju who survived his wrath. Like Destoroyah, Biollante is a monstrous antagonist many want on the big screen because of her narrative and battle potential. She’s a ginormous female kaiju who is equally loved among the community alongside other female kaiju like Mothra and the newly introduced, Shimo.
While Shimo’s role in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire was abysmal, Biollante can open the door for more strong, well-written female baddies. In addition to having intriguing abilities of the healing and assaulting spectrum, Biollante would be an amazing addition.
King Caesar
Considering how compelling the Monsterverse’s lore is regarding several ancient kaiju rivalries and species, King Caesar is a kaiju many fans feel could add more historical and fantastical importance to this cinematic universe. He’s depicted as one of the brighter monsters, fighting many evil kaiju like Mechagodzilla in 1974’s Godzilla Vs Mechagodzilla next to the King of the Monsters, himself.
One of the few times King Caesar clashed with Godzilla was in Godzilla: Final Wars. However, this was due to the Xiliens (an alien race) controlling him alongside other kaiju. While King Caesar may look like a goofy lion-like creature, this boy knows how to deliver a wallop. This is due to King Caesar having incredible close-combat skills and a spectacular lightning beam attack.
If not Godzilla, it’d be great to see King Caesar mingle with Kong, considering both are of the mammal variety. Nevertheless, we’re hopeful this large kaiju will make his grand debut in the Monsterverse one day.
Jet Jaguar
Although the Monsterverse can be hit or miss with its human characters, characters like Jia stood out in Godzilla Vs Kong. Who wouldn’t find her character interesting after seeing her and Kong’s multiple exchanges in that film? Unfortunately, Jia’s role in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire didn’t provide the same effect, with some folks arguing new additions like Trapper were more engaging than her.
Trapper displays levels of competence and technical intelligence throughout the film. Therefore, if Trapper becomes a mainstay in the Monsterverse, there’s a possibility Legendary Pictures may have his character invent this cinematic universe’s version of Jet Jaguar. For non-kaiju fans, Jet Jaguar would serve as the good-natured version of the Monsterverse’s interpretation of Mechagodzilla.
He’s a robot kaiju who fights for humanity, much like the others above. He has admirable battle skills and teamed up with Godzilla a few times. Considering all the destruction Godzilla, Kong, and others have caused throughout each film, there’s a high chance humanity will dabble into creating another mechanical kaiju again to maintain peace and prevent unnecessary travesties.
SpaceGodzilla
Don’t let SpaceGodzilla’s name fool you. Although he is an evil clone of Godzilla, his impressive strength, know-how, and abilities will make anyone shiver with fear or excitement. Like Gigan, SpaceGodzilla has an extraterrestrial origin, making it hard for audiences to see his inclusion in the Monsterverse at first. Fortunately, with how wacky things have gone, there’s a high chance this crystal-shoulder beast will arrive.
SpaceGodzilla’s origins are straightforward. He’s a clone that was born from Godzilla’s cells which were cast into space. Allegedly, people say Biollante’s cells made their way into space, too, giving credence to the theory that SpaceGodzilla was born from both kaiju. However, many argue against this theory, so take with it what you will.
Regardless, SpaceGodzilla’s accomplished many incredible feats since his 1994 debut. From defeating Godzilla to kidnapping Godzilla’s son, Godzilla Junior, SpaceGodzilla is a menace! Moreover, it took the combined effort of Godzilla and his robot acquaintance Moguera to defeat SpaceGodzilla. From his sheer strength to his cunningness, SpaceGodzilla would be an incredible adversary for Godzilla and others to face in the Monsterverse.
Battra
As they say, every hero needs a villain. Where Mothra brings warmth to those she meets, Battra is the opposite. He’s someone of malice but receives nice development in the 1964 film Godzilla Vs Mothra. Although he finds humanity’s actions disruptive and clashes with Mothra periodically in that film, he changes for the better, giving fans a fun redemption tale to cherish.
On that note, Battra could offer Hollywood Godzilla fans a similar experience. Since many were upset by Skar King’s fate in the Monsterverse, Battra could be a nice replacement, especially since it’d mirror Skar King and Kong’s dynamic well. Additionally, it could give fans an enemy-turned-good kaiju to look forward to.
It’d be great to see Battra fight alongside Godzilla, Kong, Mothra, and others, especially if they tackle a formidable foe like SpaceGodzilla, Destoroyah, or Bagan. The latter of which we’ll address soon. Based on the unfortunate things that happened to Scylla and Tiamut in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, adding Battra to the mix doesn’t sound like an awful idea.
Godzilla Junior
Surprisingly, many Monsterverse fans were unsure how things would go with Suko’s character. While some adored him, others argued he was only included to get more children in seats due to his adorable appearance. Fortunately, Suko served a notable role in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire and established a healthy friendship with Kong.
Now, many view Suko as Kong’s son and someone who can carry Kong’s mantle if he perishes one day. Although there are some murmurs about some rules Legendary Pictures must follow regarding Godzilla in their films, many would like to see Godzilla have a small companion or son of his own. Enter Godzilla Junior, many long-time Godzilla fans’ favorite monster child of all time.
Although Godzilla Junior isn’t Godzilla’s first son, many cherish his adorable design, personality, and relationship with Godzilla more than his other son, Minilla. Moreover, Godzilla Junior’s inclusion could enhance Godzilla’s character from a writing and emotional standpoint. While it’s great seeing Godzilla clash with enemy kaijus, it’d be nice if the King of the Monsters had moments like Kong that’ll allow casuals and critics to empathize with him.
Bagan
Unlike most kaiju listed here, Bagan is one of the rarer ones. He’s a villainous monster who never shined in the cinematic spotlight due to having several canceled film projects involving him. Fortunately, Bagan’s opportunity to fight Godzilla arrived via the SNES video game, Super Godzilla, released in 1993. After going through a gauntlet of monsters and challenges, Godzilla fights Bagan, the game’s final boss.
Based on his video game appearance, Bagan is an ancient, Chinese-originated beast who’d later receive a power boost from alien invaders. These invaders infused Bagan with Godzilla and King Ghidorah’s cells, giving him similar powers to the two. This made him a difficult challenge for Godzilla to overcome. Even in his most powerful state in the game, SuperGodzilla, Godzilla struggles to combat this fierce opponent.
As with Destoroyah, some fans feel Bagan would be a notable final boss for Godzilla to fight. Not only would Bagan’s inclusion lead to a catastrophic and epic battle, but it’d also allow Bagan to star in a film, something Toho denied him.
So, there we have it, our 10 picks for 10 Toho kaiju we’d like to see in the next Hollywood Godzilla film!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!