(Photo by Apple)
Since 2014, filmmakers collaborating with Legendary Pictures have been patiently building up the MonsterVerse galaxy, featuring the most iconic big boys of movie history, brought together in a cinematic universe to rival Marvel, DC, and even Leprechaun. It begins with Godzilla disrupting the local San Francisco techbro population, then Kong doing his Pilates on his island getaway, before their big dance in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong. Befitting a franchise whose heroes and villains can clear 5k marathon in 60 seconds (and use all the other runners as a buffet), the MonsterVerse has strapped us in and gone all over Earth — from San Francisco to Tokyo, Southeast Asia to deep underground. The series is even crossing the streams with series like AppleTV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Netflix’s Skull Island.
Up next is Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Until the movie releases April 12, 2024, we’re ranking all MonsterVerse movies and series, with Certified Fresh works first. —Alex Vo
Adjusted Score: 91592%
Critics Consensus: With performances by father-son duo Kurt and Wyatt Russell that work a charm, Monarch adds a welcome wrinkle to the Godzilla legacy by honing its monstrous scope to a very human level.
#2
Adjusted Score: 95908%
Critics Consensus: Delivering squarely on its title, Godzilla vs. Kong swats away character development and human drama to deliver all the spectacle you’d expect from giant monsters slugging it out.
#3
Adjusted Score: 91872%
Critics Consensus: With just enough human drama to anchor the sweeping spectacle of giant monsters smashing everything in sight, Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla satisfyingly restores the franchise’s fire-breathing glory.
#4
Adjusted Score: 96908%
Critics Consensus: Offering exhilarating eye candy, solid acting, and a fast-paced story, Kong: Skull Island earns its spot in the movie monster’s mythos without ever matching up to the classic original.
Adjusted Score: 82933%
Critics Consensus: A rousing if faintly recycled reincarnation of King Kong’s latest cinematic foray, Skull Island succeeds in its aim of putting a more adult twist on Saturday morning cartoons of yore.