Legendary Pictures' Godzilla x Kong: Supernova received much-needed endorsement from MonsterVerse veteran filmmaker Adam Wingard. Wingard is the only director to helm more than one MonsterVerse film, taking over two movies: 2021's Godzilla vs. Kong and 2024's Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Wingard's involvement started a new era for the MonsterVerse. Aside from pitting the two biggest MonsterVerse Titans against each other, Wingard leaned on spectacle, showcasing more over-the-top events featuring Godzilla and Kong, expanded the mythology of Hollow Earth, and featured iconic Toho creations like Mechagodzilla and Mothra.
However, Wingard didn't have the chance to complete his MonsterVerse trilogy. The Hollywood Reporter reported in May 2024 that he had to step away from Godzilla x Kong: Supernova due to scheduling conflicts with his A24 project, Onslaught. Australian filmmaker Grant Sputore (I Am Mother) stepped in.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Direct during the red carpet premiere of Onslaught, director Adam Wingard offered high praise toward Godzilla x Kong: Supernova before saying that Destoroyah would be the ideal Toho villain monster he wanted to adapt on-screen. He noted he "heard a lot of really good things" on the upcoming crossover film and that new director Grant Sputore "did a really good job:"
"Well, I think Destoroyah is like the coolest one. But honestly, I've heard a lot of really good things on the new movie. I think I've heard that Grant [Sputore] did a really good job. So, you know, I got two. He should at least get two. So, I don't know what his are. So maybe he'll do Destoroyah. I don't know."
Wingard also expressed interest in coming back to the MonsterVerse, but he mentioned that it's "great to be able to go out and do different things" before saying that the MonsterVerse works best when it gets fleshed out into different directions:
"I would love to get back into that world. But right now, it's so great to be able to go out and do different things... I think what's great about the MonsterVerse is that it works best when it is flexed into different directions by different voices, and I got to do two, so I got to really kind of push it in one direction, and I think it's going to be interesting to see where they take it from here, and because it'll evolve, especially over the next two movies as it goes into whatever direction they're going in now. I've only heard good things, though."
Wingard's massive influence on the MonsterVerse franchise is hard to ignore, especially after he helped catapult his last movie, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, to become the highest-grossing MonsterVerse movie of all time. His praise for Godzilla x King: Supernova carries significant weight, but it's time for fans to shift focus toward Sputore's work in the film.
Set to release on March 26, 2027, Supernova will bring back Dan Stevens' Trapper Beasley into the fold, who made a huge impact in his last MonsterVerse film, The New Empire. The cast also includes The Last of Us star Kaitlyn Dever, Jack O'Connell, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Matthew Modine, Delroy Lindo, and the late Sam Neill.
Wingard's comments about exploring Destoroyah in a future installment aren't surprising, mainly because this Toho villain monster is more important than fans think. Destoroyah isn't a confirmed villain in Supernova, with leaked Playmates merchandise (via Reddit) suggesting that Spacegodzilla is the main big bad in the next film.
Destoroyah made his Toho debut in 1995's Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, and his creation is tied to humanity's attempt to eliminate Godzilla. In the aftermath of its use against Gojira, the Oxygen Destroyer accidentally mutated ancient Precambrian crustaceans into a rapidly evolving colony that achieved its perfect form. It took a while for Destoroyah to emerge, but when it did, chaos ensued, and it instantly targeted Godzilla.
Why Adam Wingard Is the Perfect Director To Adapt Destoroyah After Godzilla x Kong: Supernova
In Toho's Heisei series, Destoroyah is one of the few kaijus portrayed as cruel and having no regard for humanity and fellow Titans. Destoroyah didn't hesitate to kill Godzilla's offspring and toyed with Godzilla throughout its debut appearance.
Having MonsterVerse franchise director Adam Wingard adapt Destoroyah on-screen would be a fulfilling moment, not just for him but also for the MonsterVerse, as his willingness would ensure a perfect portrayal is in the cards.
Wingard's resume, mainly Godzilla vs. Kong and The New Empire, includes treating these Titans as characters with personalities; his portrayal of Destoroyah may inevitably lean more toward the kaiju's sadistic nature. As a villain, Destoroyah needs a director who can elevate this Titan through a character-driven storyline, and Wingard is the best guy for the job.
Interestingly, the MonsterVerse already planted the seeds for Destoroyah's debut. In 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the military used the MonsterVerse's version of the Oxygen Destroyer to try to eliminate King Ghidorah and Godzilla. This device nearly killed Godzilla, and it's possible that something else formed in the ocean during the aftermath.
Destoroyah's potential introduction would also align with the MonsterVerse's theme of treating Titans as forces of nature. Destoroyah would serve as the first major antagonist indirectly created by humanity after they tried to play God. Dealing with those consequences would lead to compelling stories on-screen, and positioning Destoroyah as this unimaginable Titan that would instantly threaten both Godzilla and Kong could lead to the MonsterVerse's own endgame.
