Destoroyah is a legendary TOHO kaiju who is often associated with Godzilla's demise; he's essentially the Doomsday to Godzilla's Superman.
Given that background, how likely is it that Destroyah will make an appearance in filmmaker Adam Wingard's third and, presumably final Godzilla movie?
The massive demonic kaiju was first shown in the 1995 movie Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. It is the result of the combination of several mutant crustacean bacteria that were changed by the Oxygen Destroyer, the weapon that destroyed the original 1954 Godzilla.
Destroyah was on the verge of putting Godzilla down for good before the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) stepped in to turn the tides. Even though Destroyah was defeated in the end, Godzilla still died from the wounds he sustained during their battle. However, Godzilla Jr. absorbed his radioactive essence, causing him to rapidly grow and become the new King of Monster Island.
Godzilla fans have long discussed Destoroyah's inclusion in the MonsterVerse and are torn on his appearance as his origin is so heavily tied to the Oxygen Destroyer weapon.
But could Godzilla x Kong director find a way to retcon Destoroyah's origin for an epic conclusion to his trilogy?
When asked about Godzilla Jr. aka Godzooky appearing in the next MonsterVerse film following the inclusion of Suko aka Mini Kong, Wingard had an interesting response.
"I’ll say this, one of my top Godzilla movies is Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. The reason it’s one of my favorite films is I don’t think any other Godzilla movie, maybe outside of Minus One and the 1954 original, has ever hit such emotional highs," said Wingard.
He continued, "The ending of that film, when Godzilla Jr. dies and, subsequently, Godzilla [frick]ing melts to death, is so poignant and also beautiful in the way that they do it. The first time I saw it, it brought tears to my eyes. And part of that is thanks to Akira Ifukube’s grand score that plays in that scene."
If Wingard returns for a third film (and based on the box office numbers, that appears to be a strong possibility), he went on to provide some strong hints that Destroyah might be the next antagonist he tackles.
"It’s crazy because you look at [Godzilla vs. Destoroyah], and it’s a very high-end version of having a guy in a Godzilla suit. I would say it’s probably the peak of it because I don’t think it’s been matched in terms of that version — the quality and the scale of having Godzilla brought to life through an actor in a suit. But that’s the thing for me, if I were going to do another one of these films, I would want to hit that kind of emotional resonance with Godzilla as a character this time. That’s what I’ll say for now."
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is directed by Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs Kong), with screenplay credits possessed by Terry Rossio, Simon Barrett, and Jeremy Slater.
The film will see Rebecca Hall return as Dr. Ilene Andrews, alongside Brian Tyree Henry's Bernie Hayes. Dan Stevens is set to play the lead. Rounding out the cast are Kaylee Hottle, Fala Chen, Alex Ferns, and Rachel House.
Millie Bobby Brown's Madison Russell is not returning for this installment after serving as the lead character in Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong. Legendary sought Brown's return but the actress had scheduling conflicts due to her filming commitment on Anthony and Joe Russo's The Electric State.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was released in North American theaters on March 29, 2024.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Synopsis:
This latest entry follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.