Alexander Skarsgård has addressed long-standing rumors that his character’s role was significantly reduced in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong and confirmed substantial portions of his performance were left on the cutting room floor. In a new interview with Empire magazine, the actor who portrayed Hollow Earth theorist Dr. Nathan Lind acknowledges the reality of starring in a monster-focused blockbuster where character development often takes a backseat to spectacular creature battles. His absence from last year’s sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire further underscores the shifting priorities of the franchise as it continues to evolve beyond its human characters, putting monstrous spectacle at the story’s center.
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“There was definitely more of a backstory, more character-driven scenes that ended up on the cutting-room floor,” Skarsgård explained. “But if you sign up to do a movie like Godzilla Vs. Kong, there are only two stars in that film. And you’re not one of them.” The actor displayed good-humored understanding about the collaborative process with director Adam Wingard, adding, “Adam Wingard, the director, and I, can play around and come up with weird quirky shit, and add layers of character work. But at the end of the day, if they’re gonna cut down the film, Skarsgard will end up on the floor, not Godzilla or Kong. So I totally get it, and, you know, the movie works. It didn’t need more Skarsgärd.”
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“I’ve had really good creative relationships with all the directors that I’ve worked with on bigger movies, where they’ve been very open to creating a playful environment on set,” Skarsgård said about working on major studio productions. “So I’ve never felt stifled or creatively suffocated. But then the stakes are much higher, so you might have super fun coming up with cool side-stories or weird little aspects of the character, but then, when there’s hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, ultimately those eccentricities might not make the final cut.”
In the original film, Dr. Nathan Lind was introduced as a discredited geologist whose theories about Hollow Earth eventually proved correct. Lind was a pivotal character who helped connect narrative threads between Monarch, Kong, and the expedition to Hollow Earth. However, elements that might have further developed his personal story — including more details about his brother’s death during a previous expedition — were significantly trimmed in the final cut. Despite these reductions, Dr. Lind remained integral to the plot, even heroically restarting Kong’s heart during a critical moment in the finale.
The Monsterverse Continues with Godzilla x Kong 3
The MonsterVerse franchise shows no signs of slowing down, with a third team-up film already in active development. Following the record-breaking success of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Legendary Entertainment has confirmed that Godzilla x Kong 3 is scheduled for release in 2027. The project marks a significant change in creative leadership, with Grant Sputore taking over directing duties from Adam Wingard, who helmed both previous team-up films but has moved on to direct Onslaught for A24. Furthermore, the upcoming sequel is scripted by Dave Callaham, whose impressive credits include Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
The next chapter in the MonsterVerse is poised to expand the mythology further while continuing to deliver the spectacular titan battles that have become the franchise’s signature. With Kong now established as the protector of Hollow Earth and Godzilla maintaining his role as Earth’s surface defender, Godzilla x Kong 3 will likely explore how these two domains increasingly interact, potentially introducing threats that affect both realms simultaneously. As the countdown to 2027 begins, fans can look forward to new revelations about the ancient histories of these iconic monsters and the world they inhabit.
Godzilla x Kong 3 hits theaters on March 29, 2027.
Would you like the next MonsterVerse movies to keep reducing human relevance to the plot? Join the discussion in the comments!
