Godzilla: King of the Monsters makes its debut this summer, taking the iconic monsters that have graced the big screen for years and giving them a fresh twist. But according to the film’s director, Mike Dougherty, that will involve an interesting amount of mythology.
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ComicBook.com got to speak to Dougherty during a recent visit to the King of the Monsters set, where he discussed the relationship that human society has with the Titans within the film. As Dougherty put it, the film is going to try to acknowledge the way that previous generations and centuries would have responded to Godzilla and company, something that might further impact what’s shown in the present day.
“…That’s something that we’re also trying to bring to this film, a mythological, almost biblical, backdrop to these creatures.” Dougherty explained. “I mean, it’s called Godzilla, so in some ways we’re putting the God back in Godzilla. You know, the idea that these creatures were once worshiped by some ancient civilization. I really loved that about the old movies, you know, that Mothra was this deity. It really opened up the mythology. So, if Mothra existed thousands of years ago, and Godzilla existed thousands of years ago, and Mothra was worshiped by some ancient civilization as was Kong, then it would make sense that the other creatures probably had some contact with human beings at some point to.
“As a kid, it always kind of bummed me out that mankind and dinosaurs never crossed paths.” Dougherty added. “After years of Harry Hazan films, that was such a heartbreaking truth to discover. So, I’m saying f*ck that, at some point, ancient humans, at some point that we don’t know about, did interact with these ancient beasts.”
With a wide ensemble of human characters also factoring into the film, the relationship between man and beast will reportedly play out in ways that fans might not immediately expect.
“It’s not like the monsters are suddenly popping up out of nowhere, they’ve always been here, they were here before we were.” Dougherty explained during the same set visit. “So, the concept we’re running with is that this will belong to them. You know, if anything, [we’re] a really invasive species, and we’ve simply rediscovered something that’s always been underneath our feet, literally. That, they are in some way, the old gods, the first gods.”
Godzilla: King of the Monsters stars Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ken Watanabe, Bradley Whitford, and Thomas Middleditch.
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 Monsters is set to hit theaters on May 31st.
