The MonsterVerse’s Son of Kong is sure to be very different from the original movie. Released in the same year as the original King Kong movie, 1933’s Son of Kong was a sequel that focused on the aftermath of Kong Kong’s death in New York City. In the film, the spotlight shifted back to Skull Island where a group of humans encountered Kong’s 12-foot-tall, albino son.
Reportedly, Legendary has plans for a fifth big-screen MonsterVerse installment. Said to be a sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong, the movie’s rumored title is Son of Kong. This claim is supported by previous reports that Legendary wanted Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard to helm a Son of Kong adaptation set in the MonsterVerse. The setup for such a story doesn’t currently exist, but it is on the table. Son of Kong could work if Kong finds other members of his species after Godzilla vs. Kong’s ending. Others of his kind may be living somewhere in the MonsterVerse’s hidden Hollow Earth world. If that’s true, Kong could have a son offscreen, who could then become the protagonist of his own movie.
If Son of Kong really is the MonsterVerse’s next movie, it’ll have to take a route that differs immensely from the original movie. Son of Kong’s story, which involved humans discovering Kong’s home and meeting his son, is a bit too similar to a story that’s already been done in the MonsterVerse. A group of humans exploring dangerous, unchartered territory populated by unusual beasts and monsters was the focus of Kong: Skull Island. For that reason, Son of Kong’s story is entirely too repetitive for it to work in the Godzilla vs. Kong sequel.
Even though Kong is no longer based on Skull Island, a Son of Kong remake would still have a lot in common with Kong’s first MonsterVerse movie. Hollow Earth may have a different environment and unique monsters that haven’t been seen yet, but the human story and the role of Kong’s son would still draw some strong parallels to Skull Island, where Kong protected the explorers from the native creatures. To avoid this, it’ll be important for Son of Kong to distinguish itself from the original movie, and in turn, Kong: Skull Island.
As a result, the MonsterVerse’s Son of Kong may opt against doing another human expedition plot or a repeat of the humans having to rely on a giant ape to survive in the wilderness. That being said, Son of Kong can still share the spirit of the 1933 film (and Kong movies in general). The original version centered on a much smaller ape, and a MonsterVerse interpretation of this idea can move in interesting directions with this concept. Since Kong’s son naturally won’t possess his father’s size or his fighting prowess, battling the denizens of the Hollow Earth could present the young ape with some huge, grueling challenges.
