GODZILLA VS KONG Catapults to $9.6 Mil Opening Day

[AndyDursin]

Taking it all with a grain of salt this early, though I do wonder if they're cutting their losses with the running time -- or just cutting back on the horrendous human characters if they're nearly as unappealing as they were in the last Godzilla film.

https://movieweb.com/godzilla-vs-kong-r ... lrPEa7OLL8

[Monterey Jack]

We need more 105 minute movies (**coughNoTimeToDiecough**).

[AndyDursin]

Except it's really 95 minutes after 10 minutes of credits.

Shades of SUPERMAN IV??

There's always a balance! While I def don't want the 3 hours of James Bond, I also can't think of any really good genre movies that clock in at 90 minutes either, at least not made after 1965 or so.

[mkaroly]

Most of the classic Godzilla moves were under 100 minutes running time, so I am totally cool with this. Just make a good movie!

[AndyDursin]

If it's mostly monster action I'm fine with it.

If the movie is dominated by the patently unlikeable characters of the previous Godzilla movie, then watch out lol.

Sounds like the movie may have learned the lesson of the previous picture, which outright flopped, and made some adjustments.

Here's hoping!

[AndyDursin]

Looks like I'll be getting the "Max" out of my HBO Max subscription and not have to go to a theater after all for this, one of the only 2021 "franchise" movies I care about:

https://deadline.com/2021/01/godzilla-v ... 9UxQxTwyDs

[Monterey Jack]

Getting GvKK over two months early, in theaters and on HBOGo.

https://deadline.com/2021/01/godzilla-v ... ssion=true

Now...PLEASE be better than Tenet and WW84. That's two strikes, WB, and it's the bottom of the 9th.

[AndyDursin]

March was supposed to be the release date so they've moved it back where it was before. Crazy it's two months away and there has never been a trailer or any official footage released, ever, for this movie. WB must've pulled the entire promotions team when COVIDpandemia hit because there isn't even a one-sheet poster out there.

Now...PLEASE be better than Tenet and WW84. That's two strikes, WB, and it's the bottom of the 9th.

Word was always bad on WW1984 and has been consistently good on this one. The (reportedly) shorter running time and the fact Michael Dougherty has next to nothing to do with this film can only be plusses. We hope!

I'd take something like KONG SKULL ISLAND and call it a day. My guess is it will deliver -- and it'd better at this point!

[AndyDursin]

Another plus is that press release says the movie is "written by Terry Rossio".

Not only does he have a long track record with hits (the Zorro and Pirates movies, Aladdin, Shrek, etc.), but he and Ted Elliott wrote the original '90s GODZILLA for Jan DeBont that actually NAILED what audiences wanted from a Godzilla movie -- before Emmerich and Devlin rewrote the whole thing and decided to make a King Kong/Jurassic Park retread instead.

What's incredibly sad is had GODZILLA been made with DeBont, I'm certain the film would've been a hit -- their script was strong from everything I've seen about it.

It's sort of fitting he's back here, trying to salvage the Godzilla franchise after the dismal last sequel.

[mkaroly]

If theaters are still open in March, I will be making a trip to one to see it...looking forward to it. I enjoyed G:KOTM (though admittedly the main human characters were very unlikeable and annoying) and hope this film is an improvement.

[mkaroly]

Not sure how I feel about Godzilla being the bad guy...and the rap music in the trailer is awful. Otherwise...lookong forward to the movie!

[AndyDursin]

I don't think G is going to be the real bad guy. Or won't be for very long. My guess is they fight and then team up against someone not seen in this trailer!

[AndyDursin]

Also things to like:

DAYLIGHT!!!

Characters already don't seem nearly as mopey.

[mkaroly]

Hopefully it's a draw...or maybe there is a MechaGodzilla in this one...lol...I am hoping that line in the trailer about Godzilla not being himself will result in them later joining forces and double teaming some other enemy. I have affection for both characters...lol...don't make me choose sides!

[AndyDursin]

My friend thinks its not even Godzilla in the trailer but MechaG fighting Kong...not a bad theory. Theres also a shot of Mechagodzilla in the background of one scene too so I am pretty sure there is going to be an epic team up.

I am encouraged by the tonal shift. Millie Bobby and her friends driving around. A little girl from Skull Island who Kong has an affection for -- that looks a lot more encouraging than the dismal, downbeat characters and nameless soldier drones from the previous picture.

One thing I'd like to know is why Universal has enough ownership of the Kong character that they can't use the KING moniker, they can only refer to him as Kong. Yet they are able to use Skull Island so...I don't quite understand it. Stuff to do with the legal suits of decades back I'd imagine.