It looks like the upcoming Goliath versus Goliath showdown may be appearing on smaller screens than were originally anticipated.
At 520 square metres, we’re not entirely sure that the BFI IMAX, the UK’s largest screen, could contain two cinematic titans when they finally clash in Legendary’s upcoming fourth entry in its series of monster films. However, if reports are accurate, it seems that you may have to settle for watching Godzilla and Kong duke it out on a screen of a far more modest size… the one in your living room.
Reports are surfacing (via Deadline) that Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. are locked in negotiations as to where and how the upcoming Godzilla Vs Kong will arrive in front of our eyes, but all of the signs are pointing towards a streaming release.
Netflix has reportedly offered $200m for the film, with Legendary apparently keen to accept, having shouldered the financial burden of 75% of the film’s production. However, WarnerMedia, who own the distribution rights to the movie therefore also have a say in the way in which the film is released, is apparently looking to secure a release through its own US streaming platform, HBO Max.
It’s worth noting that WarnerMedia has issued a flat denial to this story, stating that the film will have a theatrical release. However, it’s also true that Deadline has a pretty good record when it comes to breaking these types of stories, as it did most recently with the similar news regarding Wonder Woman 84.
If the film can strike the right balance between Kong: Skull Island's pulpy thrills and Godzilla's global-stakes disaster drama, we could have quite the movie. Those two films both grossed over half a billion dollars at the box-office, although the Godzilla follow-up, King Of The Monsters, did less well with $386m, which could be a factor in Legendary wishing to push it onto Netflix.
The film’s slated release date is May 2021, but with America still struggling badly to deal with the ongoing pandemic, the idea that a vaccine will have cured all ills by then seems increasingly unlikely, perhaps also prompting the hand of Legendary and Warner Bros. We’ll see for sure in the coming days and keep you posted of further developments.
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