Director Adam Wingard will be directing this time as well, following “Godzilla vs. Kong.” We asked him about his thoughts on monster movies and the highlights of “Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire.” Furthermore, the main cast members of the film talked about the appeal of the film and their memories of filming in Australia. (Director interview: Written by Kaoru Hirasawa/Digital Editing/Screen Editorial Department)
Interview with director Adam Wingard
Director Adam Wingard (left) directing Dan Stevens and Rebecca Hall
“What I wanted to see was a monster movie that depicted the world from the perspective of monsters!”
──This Godzilla is very human-like, and it was shocking to see him sprinting along with Kong. Where did the idea for this Godzilla come from?
I love Godzilla movies from the 1960s and 1970s, such as “The Great Monster War” (1965) and “Son of Godzilla” (1967), and my favorite is “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” (1971). is.
The atmosphere of the Godzilla movies from that era is quite different from the first Godzilla movie (1954), so some people criticize it for being too off-key, but I like the style of the Godzilla movies from that era. I also like how it’s like a psychedelic, acid-trip version of Godzilla, like the hit movie of the time, Easy Rider (1969).
That’s why I wanted to do a Godzilla from that era. Also, Godzilla’s movements were inspired a lot by my pet cat named Mischief. Especially when he sleeps curled up in a Roman amphitheater, he looks just like my cat.
Come to think of it, when I talked to director Takashi Yamazaki of Godzilla-1.0, he said that his Godzilla was inspired by his cat. It’s funny that both directors of Godzilla movies were influenced by their own cats (lol).
──Speaking of “Godzilla-1.0”, the common effect was that before Godzilla spits out a beam of light, each of his dorsal fins changes color one by one.
That’s a complete coincidence. When I saw Godzilla-1.0, it was already in post-production. However, there are scenes that pay homage to Godzilla-1.0. When I saw the trailer for that movie, I thought it was amazing how when Godzilla stomps his foot on the ground, the surrounding soil rises up a moment later.
We were still in pre-production at the time, so we paid homage to that scene by creating a scene in Rome where Godzilla stomps his foot on the ground and the buildings around him collapse.
──This time, many of Kong’s ilk appear, but were you worried that because of this, Kong would no longer be a “special being”?
I think it’s important that Kong in the Monster Verse is not “King Kong” but just “Kong” without a king. Not only does he not deserve the title of the movie, he is not the king himself. He doesn’t have his own kingdom. Well, after this movie, he might become the king (lol).
The Monster Verse depicts Kong’s journey. The previous film, Godzilla vs. Kong, was a story about Kong finding his home. However, there was no one there. The sequel is the story of Kong’s search for his family. This is the story of how he faces his loneliness and finds his friends.
Gia, an indigenous girl, is on a similar journey. Both Kong and Gia find a place where there are people like them, and then they choose where they really want to be.
──I was keenly aware of what you just said. The director’s monster movies always tell the story of the monsters themselves, not humans.
that’s right! Because people who go to see monster movies do so because they want to see monsters. That’s what I focus on first and foremost. What I’ve wanted to see since I was 6 years old are monster movies that feature monsters as the main characters and depict the world as seen from their perspective.
Since the monster doesn’t speak, we can depict what he is like and what he is thinking just by his appearance and actions. When the audience sees this, they feel that monsters actually exist. That’s the kind of movie it is. I was able to take on that challenge because of my experience directing the previous film, Godzilla vs. Kong. I became confident that I could write stories that put more monsters in the forefront.
──This time, Dan Stevens, who the director worked with on “The Guest” (2014), will appear and play a new character.
He’s one of the best actors I’ve ever played in my career, so I’ve always been looking for an opportunity to work with him. So he created the role for him. Quoting a poem by British poet Alfred Tennyson isn’t his ad-lib, but only Dan can do it like that.
──Well, this time as well, it’s full of homages to Toho’s monster movies, but could you please tell us what parts you can introduce to our readers without spoiling them?
“Attack on All Monsters” (1968), which is in my list of the best Godzilla movies of all time, features 11 monsters, but this movie also has a lot more monsters than you would expect from the trailer. I hope you look forward to seeing which monsters will appear.
“Godzilla-1.0” director Takashi Yamazaki and director Adam Wingard meet
To commemorate the start of “Godzilla The two, who have a passion for Godzilla, shared their impressions of each other’s works.
Photo by Getty Images
Director Wingard
“The reason why Godzilla has been loved for so long is that even when you look at each other’s works, their styles are completely opposite. That’s what makes Godzilla so cool, both figuratively and tonally. Godzilla himself makes sense. , I think it’s about being able to respond to anything in terms of symbolizing the movie.”
Director Yamazaki
“The final battle of Godzilla x Kong will be so powerful if you watch it in IMAX that I think everyone will be excited.It’s a battle between two people with tremendous power, so if you can experience this in IMAX, it’ll be a gorgeous movie. I think people will think of it as a movie that people should go to the theater for.”
Director Yamazaki talked about the appeal of this work, and concluded by saying, “I want to continue to popularize Godzilla in Japan and the United States, so let’s keep doing our best!” I felt that way,” he concluded, and they shook hands firmly.
Memories of filming shared by the cast
“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”
Scheduled to be released on Friday, April 26, 2024
America / 2024 / 1 hour 55 minutes / Distribution: Toho
Director: Adam Wingard
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, Brian Tyree Henry, Kylie Hottle, Farah Chen, Alex Fearn
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