I Really Need Godzilla To Team Up With Rodan After Godzilla x Kong

After Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, I’m even more eager for a Godzilla-Rodan team-up in the Monsterverse. After Rodan bowed down to Godzilla at the end of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, I was optimistic that the King of the Skies would make a second appearance in the Monsterverse. The closing scene certainly hinted at that possibility, but the subsequent Monsterverse entries have avoided that scenario entirely. But while it may seem like Rodan has been left behind, Godzilla x Kong’s ending gave me a new reason to hope for his return.

I’m not sure what Legendary has in store for Rodan, but what I do know is that a Godzilla x Kong sequel is happening. The New Empire didn’t offer any direct setup for another installment, but it did lay the groundwork for Godzilla and Kong to count Shimo and Mothra as allies in whatever their next battle is. Assuming that the movie follows the blueprint of most sequels, it will try to find a way to up the ante in terms of the threat Godzilla and Kong are facing. That’s why I think Shimo and Mothra won’t be the only ones fighting beside them. And if there’s another Titan on their side, I really want it to be Rodan.

Rodan Would Be A Great Counterpart To Shimo In The Monsterverse

Rodan Would Bring Balance To Godzilla vs. Kong 3

Shimo’s apparent role in the Monsterverse’s future is a big part of why I think Rodan’s return would be a great move for the next film. At the end of Godzilla x Kong, it was strongly implied that going forward, Shimo and Kong will be friends in the Monsterverse. Through Shimo’s ice powers, the Monsterverse could create an interesting contrast between Godzilla and Kong if the former winds up in an alliance with Rodan, a monster known for his fiery abilities.

As monsters that represent fire and ice respectively, Rodan and Shimo are polar opposites of each other in terms of what they bring to the table, and that’s all the more reason for Godzilla to be paired with Rodan in Godzilla vs. Kong 3. If Kong is going to have a partner in combat of his own, there’ll be a need for the Monsterverse to balance that out on Godzilla’s side. Anguirus would be a great choice for that as well, but Rodan’s powers add something to the equation that Anguirus can’t. With Rodan, Godzilla will have the perfect counterpart to Shimo, which could make for an exciting tag-team fight if another Godzilla-Kong rematch happens.

Godzilla, Rodan, Kong, & Shimo Would Be The Perfect Titan Team For Godzilla Vs. Kong 3

They Could Be The Strongest-Possible Team For Godzilla vs. Kong 3’s Heroes

With Rodan filling such a role in the Godzilla x Kong sequel, the Monsterverse would have the blueprint for a spectacular Titan quartet that I’d love to see on the big screen. One reason why Godzilla and Kong make a great team is how different they are from each other; Godzilla is a weapon of pure, raw power, whereas Kong’s capabilities are less about brute strength and are defined more by his agility and intelligence. Having that combination makes them a threat to any force in the Monsterverse, and the same concept easily applies to Rodan and Shimo.

With Rodan burning up their foes and Shimo bombarding them with her ice breath, the four Titans would have two drastically different weapons to unleash on Godzilla vs. Kong 3’s villains. Utilizing fire and ice in this manner carries a ton of potential when it comes to creating impressive visuals during the movie’s final fight scene. I loved seeing Godzilla, Mothra, and Kong working together in The New Empire, but these four Titans teaming up – complete with each of their unique abilities – could even be more exciting to watch. I honestly can’t imagine a stronger combination of four heroic kaiju in Godzilla’s universe.

The Monsterverse Already Has The Setup It Needs For Godzilla & Rodan To Team Up With Kong & Shimo

Rodan Can Easily Be Added To The Picture For Godzilla vs. Kong 3

With Godzilla having already made a minion out of Rodan in King of the Monsters, the setup for Rodan joining Godzilla, Kong, and Shimo certainly does exist. When Rodan was last heard of, he was hibernating inside a volcano near Fiji, and is presumably still there. That accounts for why he’s not been around as of late, but those circumstances could easily be changed by the Monsterverse’s next threat. If Godzilla thinks he can’t handle it alone, he could call Rodan out of hibernation. Given that he previously recognized Godzilla as the alpha, he’d be obliged to obey, thus paving the way for the pair to fight alongside Kong and Shimo in the movie’s ending.

A Godzilla Team-Up Is The Redemption The Monsterverse’s Rodan Needs

Godzilla & Rodan Are The Quintessential Kaiju Team-Up

As someone whose list of most-watched Godzilla movies includes Invasion of Astro Monster and Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, I’ve always been interested in the prospect of the Monsterverse’s Godzilla enjoying a team-up with Rodan. That not coming to pass in Godzilla: King of the Monsters was a bit of a disappointment, especially when considering his history. It’s not just that he’s a personal favorite; he’s also teamed up with Godzilla in four Toho movies, which is more than what can be said for any other Godzilla ally, Mothra included.

It’s with this in mind that I’ve felt it necessary for Rodan to have a similar relationship with Godzilla in the Monsterverse. He didn’t get that in King of the Monsters, which is made worse by the fact that both of his monster fights ended in losses. That can be rectified, however, if the next movie pairs off Godzilla and Rodan and lets them work as an effective tag team. It can even pay homage to some of the team attacks they used on Ghidorah in the Showa era. After seeing Godzilla and Kong’s use of teamwork in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, I have high hopes that the Monsterverse can and will do justice to Godzilla’s greatest ally.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Director

Adam Wingard

Release Date

March 29, 2024

Studio(s)

Legendary Pictures

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers

Terry Rossio , Adam Wingard , Simon Barrett , Jeremy Slater

Runtime

115 Minutes

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