“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” Hits the Screens, Director Discusses Filming Challenges

Key Takeaways:

– “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” had a successful opening weekend following its release on March 29, 2021.
– Director Adam Wingard faced challenges in scaling up from indie films to major productions.
– Wingard developed a novel system for directing deaf actress Kaylee Hottle.
– The film’s global reach has brought the total earnings for the MonsterVerse to over $2 billion.

Fresh on the heels of its release, the latest addition to the MonsterVerse, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” is garnering attention across the globe. Directed by Adam Wingard and featuring notable performances from actors such as Rebecca Hall, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle, the movie adds a new twist to the tale of its giant, roving monsters.

Scaling Up: An Intimidating Transition for Adam Wingard

Best known for his work on small, independent horror films, Wingard’s jump to helm major Hollywood releases came with its challenges. Previously, Wingard had directed Netflix’s contentious adaptation of “Death Note,” giving him a taste of larger productions. However, stepping onto the big-budget sets of Godzilla Vs. Kong was an intimidating experience for him.

The director discussed his initial fear and how he gradually adjusted to the scale of the production on the Filmmaker’s Toolkit podcast. Surprise turned to comfortable familarity as he focused on what was in front of the camera.

Wingard shares, “I felt very intimidated when I got hired on ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’. You do these indie movies, and you’re used to a certain size…And ultimately, the actual set was just big enough to accommodate exactly what you’re used to on an indie movie.”

Learning As He Goes: Wingard Crafted Smoother Productions in Sequel

Despite the daunting budget and vast scale of the earlier MonsterVerse movie, Wingard entered “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” with a lot more knowledge. After navigating through the production of “Godzilla vs. Kong,” he learned valuable lessons about managing visual effects and animation — skills he applied to the sequel. This made the filmmaking process smoother and more efficient.

Challenges of Directing Deaf Star Kaylee Hottle

Working with the star-studded cast of the MonsterVerse didn’t come without its challenges. Especially when it came to directing deaf actress Kaylee Hottle, who reprised her role as Jia. Wingard explained how he developed a complicated system with lights and visual cues to guide the actress on her performance and reactions to certain scenes.

Wingard explains, “We had to come up with a system where we had lights off-screen flashing to Kaylee that somebody would hit whenever I was cueing the actors. Sometimes we had people on ladders waving to Kaylee so she would know when to look.”

MonsterVerese Continues to Rake in the Moolah

Despite mixed critical reviews, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” began its weekend opening strongly, earning $80 million worldwide. This brought the MonsterVerse franchise over the milestone figure of $2 billion in total earnings, according to Deadline.

With an awe-inspiring tale of titanic beasts and human collaboration, this film, like the ones before it, will entertain audiences and bolster the giant-sized legacy of the MonsterVerse. As we stay tuned for possible future installments, one thing is clear: the success of these monstrous films is no small feat, and neither is the skill required to bring them to life.