Godzilla: King of the Monsters Director Reveals Special Mothra, Godzilla Connection

Mothra has long held a place in the “Kaiju-Verse” with Godzilla. First appearing in 1961 with her own self-titled picture, the giant moth has been in combat with the lizard king as well as assisting him in his corner, as was the case with the recently released Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Michael Dougherty, director of the movie, revealed some particular details about the relationship between Godzilla and Mothra, as well as some interesting facts about the fighting bug’s biology.

Michael Dougherty on Twitter answered a fan’s question regarding the relationship between the two titans, pointing out that Mothra’s spotted wings are similar to the eyes of Godzilla himself:

Godzilla: King of the Monsters introduced a new wrinkle into Mothra’s origin, setting her up as the “right hand man” to Godzilla. Much like Rodan to King Ghidorah, Mothra’s purpose was to assist Godzilla in becoming the king of the monsters once again, even going so far as to giving her own life to save the lizard king. When Mothra dies in the film, it gives Godzilla a serious power up that allows him to eventually overcome King Ghidorah and take his rightful crown.

Mothra herself has appeared in the most kaiju movies aside from Godzilla, with the giant moth’s popularity making her a necessary addition to this recently released sequel. The flying kaiju had to be given a more realistic origin in this recent American release, as in the “Toho” films, Mothra was usually psychically linked to a pair of creepy young twins.

Though Mothra seemingly died in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, director Mike Dougherty has stated that the moth’s species is all about death and resurrection, hinting at a possible return in a later film. Who knows, maybe we’ll see her return as early as next year with March’s Godzilla Vs Kong?

What did you think of the relationship between Godzilla and Mothra in the film? Would you like to see it further explored down the line? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Directed by Michael Dougherty, Godzilla: King of the Monsters stars Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ken Watanabe, Bradley Whitford, and more. The synopsis for Godzilla: King of the Monsters reads as such, “The new story follows the heroic efforts of the cryptozoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient superspecies, thought to be mere myths, rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.”

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is in theaters now with its follow-up, Godzilla Vs Kong, arriving in March of 2020.