Get ready for a monstrous journey through the MonsterVerse! Since 2014, Legendary Pictures has been building an epic world filled with iconic monsters like Godzilla and King Kong. These giant creatures have clashed and teamed up in movies that span the globe, from the streets of San Francisco to the mysterious Skull Island.
The MonsterVerse keeps growing with new movies, shows, and more monsters joining the mayhem. It’s a cinematic universe to rival Marvel and DC, but with way more destruction! So stomp along with me as we rank all the MonsterVerse movies released so far, from the weakest to the most powerful. Will your favorite rise to the top? Let’s find out!
6. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Coming in at the bottom of the list is Godzilla vs. Kong. I know, I know, seeing the two most famous monsters finally face off on the big screen sounds amazing. And the fights between Godzilla and Kong definitely deliver the goods. Director Adam Wingard knows how to film giant monsters beating each other up.
But sadly, everything else about this movie is a huge mess. The human story is really, really bad. It’s full of annoying cliches, dumb characters, and a pointless subplot about kids stumbling into the middle of the monster action. Ugh.
Half the movie follows Kong journeying to the Hollow Earth, which is kind of fun. But Godzilla’s barely in the film until the big final battle. Overall, Godzilla vs. Kong has some cool monster moments but it’s easily the worst of the MonsterVerse movies. The screenplay needed a few more drafts to match the epic monster clashes.
5. Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Next up is Kong: Skull Island, which rebooted King Kong for the MonsterVerse. This 1970s set adventure sees a group of explorers and soldiers visiting the mysterious Skull Island, where they find a lot more than they bargained for. And by that I mean GIANT MONSTERS!
The best parts of the movie are the creature effects, monster fights, and the colorful 70s style. Kong looks awesome as he battles giant skullcrawlers and other creepy critters. It’s a fun monster adventure with some great action scenes.
However, the movie’s story and characters are pretty weak. The tone is all over the place, jumping between goofy humor and dark monster horror. Some of the talented cast, like Brie Larson and Tom Hiddleston, feel wasted in underwritten roles.
So while Kong: Skull Island delivers on the monster spectacle, it’s not quite as strong as later MonsterVerse entries when it comes to storytelling. But it’s still an entertaining popcorn flick if you want to see Kong smash some giant skull monsters.
4. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Smashing into the middle of the list is Godzilla: King of the Monsters. This sequel to 2014’s Godzilla fully embraces the giant monster mayhem, with Godzilla battling his iconic foes like King Ghidorah, Mothra and Rodan. And when the monsters fight, it’s a glorious spectacle of city-leveling destruction.
The movie also expands the MonsterVerse mythology, revealing that the monsters are ancient gods who once ruled the Earth. There’s some fun world-building as the secret monster-tracking organization Monarch tries to find ways for humans and titans to co-exist. That’s complicated by eco-terrorists who want to release the monsters to restore natural balance and destroy human civilization. It’s actually a pretty interesting setup.
However, the execution has some major flaws. Once again, the human characters are pretty bland and forgettable, spouting clunky dialogue. The over-the-top tone and non-stop monster action gets numbing after a while with little story momentum between battles. And frustratingly, some of the monster fights are obscured by bad weather and hard-to-see camera angles.
So while Godzilla: King of the Monsters delivers epic titan throwdowns, the messy screenplay holds it back from being truly great. But it’s still a must-see for Godzilla fans who want the classic monster roster in modern CGI glory. Bring on the god-zilla!
3. Godzilla (2014)
Roaring into the top 3 is the MonsterVerse’s first entry, Godzilla. Rather than just rehashing the iconic monster’s origin, the 2014 reboot takes an inventive approach. Godzilla is reimagined as an ancient alpha predator who rises to battle parasitic monsters called MUTOs that threaten humanity.
The movie slowly builds tension and mystery around Godzilla, saving his full reveal for an epic hero moment. Director Gareth Edwards shoots much of the monster action from a human perspective, making their scale feel truly massive and frightening. It’s a grounded, gritty take on a Godzilla story that doesn’t skimp on the destruction.
A talented cast brings gravitas to the human drama, with Bryan Cranston delivering a heartbreaking performance in the prologue. Ken Watanabe classes things up as a mysterious Monarch scientist. Unfortunately, the lead characters played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen are pretty generic. The screenplay has some clunky dialogue and military movie cliches.
But despite a few flaws, Godzilla successfully made the King of Monsters feel relevant and majestic for a new generation. The final battle between Godzilla and the MUTOs is an jaw-dropping spectacle that had audiences cheering. This effective reboot kicked off the MonsterVerse in style and laid the groundwork for even bigger things to come.
2. Godzilla (1954)
Haha, just kidding! I know the original 1954 Godzilla isn’t technically part of the MonsterVerse. But I couldn’t resist giving a shout-out to the grandaddy of all giant monster movies. Without this somber, haunting allegory for the horrors of nuclear war, the MonsterVerse wouldn’t even exist.
The original black-and-white Japanese classic still holds up as a powerful piece of filmmaking nearly 70 years later. From the ominous Geiger counter clicks to the mournful roar of Godzilla himself, this movie has so many iconic moments. And the final shot of Godzilla sinking into the ocean depths is unforgettable.
Sure, the special effects are dated compared to modern CGI. The guy-in-a-rubber-suit approach looks cheesy now. But director Ishirō Honda wrings real pathos out of the monster mayhem, crafting a dark fairy tale for the atomic age. Respect must be paid to the king!
2. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Coming soon to a theater near you, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire looks like a strong contender for the MonsterVerse throne. We don’t know too much about the plot yet, as the movie is still a year away. But the first teaser trailer was recently released, and it looks pretty epic.
Apparently, the story involves a mysterious new threat that forces Godzilla and Kong to team up to save the world. The teaser shows the two titans standing together against a stormy sky, looking like the ultimate monster buddy cop duo. Let’s hope they don’t spend the whole movie fighting each other again!
The trailer also gives us a glimpse of a strange new monster foe that appears to be made of lava or molten rock. Could this be a new original titan created for the movie? Or a reimagined version of a classic Toho creature like Destroyah or Gigan? I’m excited to find out.
Director Adam Wingard is returning from Godzilla vs. Kong, so the monster action should be top-notch. And the screenplay is co-written by Terry Rossio, who worked on the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and the 1998 American Godzilla. So there’s some experienced blockbuster talent involved.
Overall, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire looks like it could be the most ambitious and exciting MonsterVerse movie yet. The thought of Godzilla and Kong uniting to take on a deadly new threat has me hyped already. I can’t wait to see the two most famous monsters in movie history join forces to save the world. Long live the kings!
1. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023)
Surprised to see a TV show at the top of the list? Don’t be, because Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is secretly the best thing to come out of the MonsterVerse so far. This AppleTV+ series is set between the events of 2014’s Godzilla and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters, but it’s much more than just a gap-filling prequel.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters takes us deep inside the secret scientific organization that’s been studying the titans for decades. Through the eyes of a young recruit, we learn the secret history of Monarch and its discovery of dormant monsters around the globe. Each episode focuses on a different titan, revealing the myths and legends surrounding creatures like Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah.
But the show is more than just a monster-of-the-week anthology. An overarching mystery unfolds involving a mole inside Monarch who’s leaking information to a dangerous eco-terrorist group. Our protagonist has to track down the traitor while learning to work with her quirky team of scientists and soldiers. The show becomes a thrilling cross between The X-Files, Mission: Impossible and a Toho creature feature.
What really makes Monarch: Legacy of Monsters soar is the way it builds out the MonsterVerse mythology and makes the world feel lived-in. We see how Monarch covers up titan sightings, study ancient ruins for monster lore, and struggle to prepare for the return of creatures who once ruled the planet. The titans feel like real animals with believable behaviors and abilities. It’s a grounded, intelligent approach to a fantastic premise.
The show is also gorgeous to look at, with movie-quality CGI bringing the monsters to life. The Mothra episode is a special highlight, depicting her as a bioluminescent goddess worshipped by a remote island culture. And the final battle between Godzilla and the monster-deploying terrorists is straight-up incredible, like a kaiju-sized Metal Gear Solid boss fight.
Some fans were disappointed that the events and worldbuilding of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters didn’t really factor into Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. The new movie seems to ignore a lot of the cool stuff set up in the show. But taken on its own terms, this is the best example of how to do a “shared universe” right. It enriches the MonsterVerse while telling a compelling original story with characters you care about.
So if you have AppleTV+, fire up Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and witness the MonsterVerse at its finest. These aren’t just big dumb monster movies. This is a rich, fascinating world of giant creatures and the brave humans who study them. All hail the titan trackers of Monarch!
