'Godzilla: King of the Monsters' Director Says Sequel is the 'Aliens' to 'Godzilla's 'Alien'

Godzilla: King of the Monsters will be a different beast than 2014's Godzilla, and if you need something to compare that difference to look no further than the Alien franchise. The first film focused solely on Godzilla and the world's reaction to this larger than life Titan coming to the surface, but as the title makes clear the sequel will involve a host of other Titans, and for King of the Monsters director Mike Dougherty that required a change in how the film approached action and suspense. If you need a better illustration of the change he's referring to, James Cameron's Aliens sequel is a great reference point.

ComicBook.com recently had the chance to visit the set of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and during our visit we spoke to Dougherty all about the anticipated film. At one point he referenced Gareth Edward's first Godzilla as well as the differences between that film and King of the Monsters, comparing the change in tone and scope to the similar change between Ridley Scott's original Alien film and James Cameron's sequel Aliens.

"I hesitate to say it, but I would call it the 'Aliens' to Gareth's 'Alien.' So, it's a bit more of an ensemble thing, whereas the first movie was really more about Ford Body's character kind of weaving his way through that adventure and Monarch kind of was the backdrop for that. Here, Monarch was the focus," Dougherty said.

The good news is both films are beloved, despite their different takes. Scott's film was more focused on suspense and horror, while Cameron's put more emphasis on action. Both are well regarded, and if we get something akin to Cameron's Aliens film in King of the Monsters we doubt there will be many complaints.

You can check out the official synopsis for Godzilla: King of the Monsters below, and you can find even more coverage straight from the set right here!

"In a time when monsters walk the Earth, humanity's fight for its future sets Godzilla and Kong on a collision course that will see the two most powerful forces of nature on the planet collide in a spectacular battle for the ages. As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into uncharted terrain and unearths clues to the Titans' origins, a human conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever."

Godzilla: King of the Monsters hits theaters on May 31st.

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