Earlier this week Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire received a brand new trailer, which left some fans conflicted over a scene that depicted the iconic kaiju sprinting through a crystal-studded cavern.
It’s a given that any movie featuring a gigantic monkey and a skyscraper-sized atomic lizard does, by its nature, require its audience to collectively suspend their disbelief. However, there is, apparently, a limit to how much fantasy some fans are willing to accept, and the latest trailer for Godzilla X Kong has seemingly found that invisible line in kaiju sprinting.
Some argued that the quick movements ruined the titanic sense of scale and weighty movements that often accompanied both Godzilla and King Kong in their modern-day movie appearances. Others simply said that the animation made the apex predators look goofy.
I'm sorry
— -Paleonyx - (COMMISSIONS OPEN)- (@Paleonyx_Art) December 3, 2023
Godzilla is jogging... Godzilla doesn't jog. It looks so goofy and dumb. They couldn't just have him digging or speed walking or something?
The only Godzilla that looks good running is 98 Godzilla, the rest just don't have the posture to pull it off and not look silly https://t.co/7Kg3zySiJe
Godzilla is supposed to be the size of a skyscraper. Seeing him this fast and agile just destroys any sense of scale. https://t.co/43PwDg0fNV
— The Critical Drinker (@TheCriticalDri2) December 4, 2023
— VyceVictus (@VyceVictus) December 4, 2023
Why they running like Mega Man drops Jan 7th https://t.co/XcPL16EHVc
— Digi (@NoponDigi) December 4, 2023
These anti-jogging activists quickly found themselves at odds with fans of the classic Japanese live-action representations of Godzilla, in which the scaly big boy uses all manner of weird biological quirks to book it from point A to point B.
Among the clips served up to disgruntled fans was a scene from the 1973 movie Godzilla vs Megalon, in which the titular lizard can be seen executing a magnificent tail-slide before delivering a devastating double kick to a pinned kaiju. Others pointed to 1971’s Godzilla vs Hedorah, in which the legendary reptile uses its atomic breath to fly through the air backwards.
Genuinely insane to me that some people aren't hyped to see godzilla and kong tag team a mf because godzilla swings his arms when he runs https://t.co/FwsdahjQrM
— 『 Gum Gun -Rebirth- 』 (@TheGumGun) December 4, 2023
Godzilla running around like a dummy is literally tradition tho https://t.co/CEzwv2i30i pic.twitter.com/IukQlNCARF
— John Stewart Green Lantern (@LanternJS) December 4, 2023
Godzilla running omg how unrealistic
— ssj4 hater arc (@KjmudkipzD) December 3, 2023
godzilla: https://t.co/djjXPRNgRU pic.twitter.com/2y1NLpBlcJ
Nobody told these people about the time #Godzilla used his Atomic Breath to fly, but yeah sure running that looks totally goofy #GodzillaxKongTheNewEmpire https://t.co/SmW8fJTnt7 pic.twitter.com/LS1lK4QFSe
— Jonathan Ellison??? (@jonnyrubberman) December 4, 2023
Earlier this month we interviewed the upcoming movie's director Adam Wingard, who is returning to helm the sequel following the success of 2021's Godzilla vs Kong. During the interview Wingard gave insights hinting at the nature of the "develish Kong-type character" who will seemingly serve as the primary antagonist in the upcoming movie.
"We wanted to come up with an antagonist that would both be a match for Kong and Godzilla, and that's really hard to do," explained Wingard. "There's a lot more to this character and how he's a threat, and that's going to be something that's going to be fun to kind of dole out."
Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire is set to dig deeper into the history of the titans and their mysterious subterranean world when it launches on April 12 next year. For more monstrous content why not check out our article on how to watch every Godzilla movie in order, or take a look at the iconic giga-lizard's aesthetic evolution through the years.
Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer
