Godzilla vs. Kong and More of this Week's News for Nerds

Welcome to this week’s PUNCHLIST, where we round up the biggest news in nerd culture. We highlight the tastiest morsel in some detail and then close you out with a link round-up.

Godzilla Vs. Kong

Some of the hottest news this week comes by way of the release of the first trailer for Godzilla Vs Kong. The much-anticipated threequel is currently slated for a May 2021 release date, and the footage has raised quite a number of questions.

Trailer and Warner Bros. Official Synopsis

“Legends collide in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia, a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction across the globe. The epic clash between the two titans, instigated by unseen forces, is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth.”

Is Godzilla The Bad Guy Here?

Each of the last two movies in this franchise have framed Godzilla as the hero of sorts. But the trailer potentially sells another story. There’s the line “Godzilla is out there and he’s hurting people and we don’t know why,” along with one about needing Kong. Combined they sure do make it sound like Kong is recruited to deal with Godzilla. What’s got Godzilla on the rampage?

Mechagodzilla?

One of the first images in the trailer seems to show Mechagodzilla. In his film debut, the mech masqueraded as the real Godzilla thanks to a fleshy disguise before being outed, so maybe that’s the answer to “Godzilla’s” rampaging. But it was also made by aliens back in ’74, which I doubt is the case here. Maybe a tech company built it as a precaution but lost control. Possibly using something from the recovered head of Gidorah from the last movie? But if that’s the case, where does the real Godzilla factor?

Also Mecha-King Gidorah was totally a thing…

What’s the Deal With That Axe?

You know what? Who cares. It’s dope. There are rumors swirling that it’s made from one of the plates off of Godzilla’s back and that’s why it’s able to block and possibly even channel his atomic breath. Could be an ancient weapon. Could be fashioned on the spot by Kong (he is a great ape, after all; they’re known tool users). We’re here for it!

And this is just the stuff that’s “on the tin,” so to speak, in the trailer. Director Adam Wingard commented that the trailer showed “only the tip of the monster iceberg,” so who knows what else this clash of titans will hold for viewing audiences. Who knows? Perhaps we’re being a little mislead by the “vs.” in the title and we could see the two titular characters team up in the third act…