Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Movie, 2019, The Titans, Set in 2019
Godzilla: King of the Monsters is #3 of 7 in release order and #4 of 7 in chronological order in the MonsterVerse.
The story
Follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species, thought to be mere myths, rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity's very existence hanging in the balance.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters recap
Five years after San Francisco, Monarch paleobiologist Emma Russell, who lost her son in the battle, has built the Orca, a device that can call and calm Titans. Eco-terrorist Alan Jonah kidnaps her and her daughter Madison, and Emma is revealed to be working with him: she believes the Titans must be freed to heal the planet. They awaken Monster Zero, a three-headed dragon frozen in Antarctica, which turns out to be King Ghidorah, an alien rival to Godzilla. Ghidorah wakes Rodan, a fire demon from a volcano in Mexico. Mothra hatches in China. In a battle in Mexico, the military's Oxygen Destroyer badly wounds Godzilla and Ghidorah takes command of the Titans, which rise all over the world. Emma's ex-husband Mark joins Monarch to rescue Madison.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters ending explained
Ishiro Serizawa carries a nuclear warhead into Godzilla's underwater lair and sacrifices himself to revive him. Madison steals the Orca and lures Ghidorah to Boston, where Emma dies saving her family. Mothra gives her life shielding Godzilla, who absorbs her energy, burns Ghidorah apart in a nuclear pulse and becomes king. The other Titans, Rodan included, bow to him as the world watches.
Post-credits scenes
The credits show news clippings of Titans restoring the environment around the world. After the credits, Alan Jonah buys one of Ghidorah's severed heads from fishermen in Mexico, setting up the next films.
Where to watch Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Godzilla: King of the Monsters is streaming on VIX in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 6.0/10, Rotten Tomatoes 85%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Kong: Skull Island, before Godzilla vs. Kong.
- Chronological order: after Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, before Skull Island.
What to watch before Godzilla: King of the Monsters
In release order, the essentials before Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) are Godzilla (2014) and Kong: Skull Island (2017).
Cast
- Kyle Chandler as Mark Russell
- Vera Farmiga as Emma Russell
- Millie Bobby Brown as Madison Russell
- Ken Watanabe as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
- Zhang Ziyi as Dr. Ilene Chen / Dr. Ling
- Bradley Whitford as Dr. Rick Stanton
- Sally Hawkins as Dr. Vivienne Graham
- Charles Dance as Alan Jonah
- Thomas Middleditch as Sam Coleman
- Aisha Hinds as Colonel Diane Foster
- O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Chief Warrant Officer Barnes
- David Strathairn as Admiral William Stenz
Directed by Michael Dougherty.