Godzilla 2 Recruits Krampus Screenwriters Michael Dougherty, Zach Shields

The King of Monsters will be making a comeback in 2019 when Legendary and Warner Bros. roll out Godzilla 2. The monster flick will see the atomic behemoth wreak havoc on another poor, unsuspecting metropolis in the aftermath of Godzilla (2014). So far, a series of crew changes have led fans to worry over the film’s fate, but now the studios are putting those fears at rest with a new announcement. Godzilla 2 has tapped Krampus screenwriters Michael Dougherty and Zach Shields to treat its script.

According to Variety, the two writers will pen Godzilla 2 and help brainstorm storylines for the franchise’s future. Sources told the site that Legendary is prepping a writers room for creators to develop the company’s impending “Godzilla-King Kong” movie universe.

Last year, Legendary first announced they would be teaming up with Warner Bros. to create one monstrous franchise. They confirmed all future Godzilla and King Kong films would be developed by Legendary and then be distributed by Warner Bros. The deal put Legendary at odds with Universal as the two had held a distribution deal, but the production studio decided Warner Bros. would help them mature an “ecosystem” for its truly terrifying monsters to thrive in.

It looks like Dougherty and Shields have been asked to write a script for Godzilla 2 only, but fans are hoping the pair will pitch ideas for Legendary’s mash-up. After all, the pair do have a history with the studio as they developed their holiday horror film Krampus with Legendary.

This reveal is just the latest to come from Godzilla 2. The blockbuster made headlines earlier in the year after its director confirmed they had to bow out from the film. Gareth Edwards announced he had left the project after having direct the first Godzilla flick for Legendary. The director moved from that film onto Rogue One: A Star Wars Story for Lucasfilm, and Edwards has other smaller projects in development as well. His split from Legendary was an amicable one, but it has left the studio without a director for Godzilla 2.

It won’t be long until fans learn which director will replace Edwards. Both Legendary and Warner Bros. have big plans in stores for Godzilla, so they will need a definitive crew to have their goals met. Currently, Godzilla 2 is slated for a 2019 release while Gozilla vs. King Kong will hit in 2020.

If you can’t wait until 2019 to get your monster fix, then you are in luck. Japan recently released their latest reboot of the franchise with Shin Godzilla, a film widely praised by fans and critics. The film is currently in select theaters with English subtitles and will become available on Digital HD soon.