WHAT TO WATCH

“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is opening this weekend, and there’s a lot more going on here than just our two beloved behemoths. It’s part of Warner Bros. MonsterVerse series of films, which has its own complex history and mythology. If you want to catch up, there are several streaming options ready to help you out. If you just want to celebrate the majesty of our favorite monsters, there are plenty of movies out there as well.

“Godzilla” and “King Kong” (Netflix)

This is the Godzilla that marks the official beginning of the current MonsterVerse series. The only recurring character from here that shows up in “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is Godzilla herself, but this is where we start getting into the current lore about where the monsters come from and what it means for us humans. Godzilla is naturally the best part of the movie, but Bryan Cranston’s performance is also definitely worth watching.

This “King Kong,” on the other hand, isn’t connected to the version of the big guy you’ll see in “Godzilla x Kong.” Peter Jackson’s epic but too-long remake keeps the original’s tragic origins while giving us a preview of the fight scenes we’ll experience later. Let yourself get teary over the ending, then move on to a happier cinematic world where Kong is alive, well, and fighting even more creatures.

“Kong: Skull Island” and “Godzilla vs. Kong” (Max)

These are the prequels that lay the real groundwork for the new film. This is the actual backstory for Kong, painting him as an island protector who lost the majority of his people. He’s the real star of the show, as is right, but there’s also the chance to watch Brie Larson and Tom Hiddleston being pretty.

“Godzilla vs. Kong” is the direct prequel to the new movie, and therefore is the one most helpful to watch in advance. There are actually recurring human characters (played by Rebecca Hall, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle), and the introduction of underground worlds that will appear in the sequel. Though the fight between our two cinematic giants is somewhat contrived (though not as much as the one in “Batman vs. Superman”), the battles are definitely worth it.

Classic Godzilla (Tubi)

If your heart is still with the old-school Godzilla movies that were distributed by Janus Films decades ago, then you’ll want to head over to Tubi. The site has several early Godzilla movies, including “Gojira” (1954), “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (1956), “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (1964), and “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla” (1974). Some of these characters have made appearances in MonsterVerse movies – Mothra appeared in 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” while Mechagodzilla was in 2021’s “Godzilla vs. Kong” – and it’s fun to see the original versions. Even more than that, there’s a real charm to the rubber suit monsters that no CGI can really match. λ