Godzilla vs. Kong might be the latest blockbuster to skip theaters and be released on a streaming service instead. Legendary and Warner Bros. kicked off the MonsterVerse in 2014 with a reboot of Godzilla. The film paved the way for a new take on King Kong through the lens of the Vietnam War film Kong: Skull Island. The most recent installment came last year when Godzilla: King of the Monsters hit theaters and helped set up the MonsterVerse's biggest crossover.
The plan for the MonsterVerse was to see Godzilla and a much bigger Kong square off in Godzilla vs. Kong. The film assembled a huge cast, including the returns of Millie Bobby Brown, Kyle Chandler, and others from previous installments. Legendary and WB previously had plans for Godzilla vs. Kong to arrive in March of this year, but that release date was changed long before COVID-19 dismantled the movie release calendar. This led to the film moving off its November 2020 date and settling down in May 2021. However, Godzilla vs. Kong might head to the small screen instead.
According to THR, Godzilla vs. Kong is likely to be released on streaming service. Netflix reportedly offered Legendary $200 million to gain the rights to Godzilla vs. Kong, but WarnerMedia stepped in to block the deal so they could counter with an offer that will bring the film to HBO Max. No official announcement has come, although a Warner Bros. spokesperson said, "We plan to release Godzilla vs. Kong theatrically next year as scheduled."
One of the driving forces behind Godzilla vs. Kong's potential move to streaming is the film's high budget and a stacked slate of blockbusters for 2021. Legendary financed 75% of the $200 million blockbuster, with WB paying for the remaining 25% and giving them a say in which streaming service it could debut on. Since they are behind HBO Max, the potential for Godzilla vs. Kong to draw more subscribers is high.
If a deal is struck for Godzilla vs. Kong to launch on streaming, it might not completely rule out a theatrical launch. WB recently announced that Wonder Woman 1984 will debut in theaters and on HBO Max at the same time. The highly-anticipated DC sequel will even launch a week early in theaters across the world where HBO Max is not available. Godzilla vs. Kong could receive a similar rollout in 2021, especially if the theaters have yet to completely rebound from the impacts of COVID-19.
The likelihood of Godzilla vs. Kong going to a streaming service is likely to draw mixed responses from fans. The good news is that a streaming release would likely mean that there won't be any more delays to Godzilla vs. Kong's release, giving fans a chance to finally see the movie. However, the thought of not seeing the epic clash between Godzilla and Kong on the big screen is disappointing. If Godzilla vs. Kong does wind up on HBO Max or another streamer, hopefully it will receive a wide theatrical re-release at some point so everyone interested in seeing the film on the big screen gets the chance to do so safely.
Source: THR
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