An obscure monster in Toho’s kaiju library, Gorosaurus sports a unique history, one that surprisingly encompasses bothGodzillaand King Kong. Thanks to theMonsterverse’s Godzilla and Kong movies, the King of the Monsters and the King of Skull Island are now deeply intertwined, but before 2021’sGodzilla vs. Kong, that was hardly the case. Despite their statuses as the two biggest names in the monster movie genre, Godzilla and King Kong only had one prior meeting. They battled it out in 1962 inKing Kong vs. Godzillaand had to wait 59 years for a rematch.
That rematch - which notably occurred in Legendary’sGodzilla vs. Kongcrossover - ended the massive disconnect between the two. Because of this decision, Kong can now interact with other monsters associated with Godzilla lore that he was never able to meet before. He fought Mechagodzilla inGodzilla vs. Kong,and was rescued by Mothra inGodzilla x Kong’s The New Empire’sending.Interestingly, though, these aren’t the only monsters in Godzilla’s franchise to have crossed paths with Kong. One in particular, Gorosaurus, met him in 1967.
Gorosaurus Was A King Kong Villain & A Godzilla Ally In Back-To-Back Movies
Gorosaurus Appeared In King Kong Escapes & Destroy All Monsters
When Toho acquired the licensing rights to King Kong for his crossover with Godzilla, it’s important to note that this was not the extent of their plans. Toho’s deal enabled the studio to use him for five years. Before the rights could expire, Toho decided to give their interpretation of Kong a solo vehicle in the form ofKing Kong Escapes. For its main villain, it developed Mechani-Kong, a mechanical counterpart to King Kong and an obvious precursor to Mechagodzilla. But rather than simply pit him against Mechani-Kong, Toho decided to also give King Kong a secondary antagonist - Gorosaurus.
Gorosaurus was introduced as an allosaurus-inspired dinosaur that King Kong had to go up against while on Mondo Island. He served the same purpose as other giant creatures King Kong had fought in previous films; he posed a short-lived challenge, but was ultimately killed by Kong, who proved to be the superior predator.
Gorosaurus' signature move, which he employed successfully against both King Kong and King Ghidorah, is his kangaroo kick.
Despite his death, Toho elected to bring back Gorosaurus inDestroy All Monsters, which was designed to be an all-star monster movie that assembled nearly every kaiju in its library. Gorosaurus was a very minor monster, of course, but due to his suit being on hand and in good shape, it made sense to use him. What’s more, his last appearance was only a year ago, so he was most likely somewhat fresh on the minds of audiences. The difference between this appearance and his last one is that this time, he wasn’t a villain. Instead, he was a resident of Godzilla’s Monster Island home and one of the kaiju who helped him take down King Ghidorah.
Gorosaurus & King Kong Could Have Been A Fun Tag Team Against King Ghidorah
In a way,Destroy All Monsterswas an opportunity for redemption for Gorosaurus, in that he was able to rectify his crushing defeat inKing Kong Escapeswith a huge blow against King Ghidorah. But while this certainly boosted his profile, it didn’t erase his loss to King Kong, considering that he never returned and King Kong was shut off from Godzilla’s world after the 1967 movie. But that’s not to say a reunion was never on the table; in fact, the two came quite close to a shared movie appearance.An earlier draft ofDestroy All Monsterscalled for King Kong to make an appearance.
John LeMay’sThe Big Book of Giant Japanese Monster Movies The Lost Filmsrecalls that King Kong was supposed to be included, but was cut due toDestroy All Monsterstaking too long to come together. With a 1968 release date, it couldn’t incorporate Kong without Toho renewing their licensing agreement. As for what his role would have been had the plan moved forward, that’s unclear. But since the film pitted Ghidorah against all of its other kaiju, it’s fair to assume that King Kong would have been utilized in the same way.
it’s highly likely King Kong and Gorosaurus would have been on the same side
In other words, it’s highly likely King Kong and Gorosaurus would have been on the same side. That wouldn’t have been unusual, nor would it have been difficult forDestroy All Monstersto justify in a narrative sense. This shift wouldn’t have been any different from how it reworked Anguirus and Kumonga fromGodzilla villainsinto allies. No in-universe explanation was provided, nor did it address the fact that Godzilla had previously killed Angurius and Kumonga. Presumably, King Kong and Gorosaurus' adversarial relationship inKing Kong Escapeswould have been ignored as well.
How Gorosaurus Could Meet Godzilla & Kong Again
Gorosaurus May Be An Unrevealed Monsterverse Titan
Theoretically, the reunion of Gorosaurus and King Kong that was almost facilitated inDestroy All Monsterscould still happen elsewhere. Legendary’s Monsterverse has brought a handful of Toho kaiju into its universe, and though Gorosaurus may not feel like a high priority for the franchise, he would fit rather seamlessly into the lore. Not only that, but he’d give the Monsterverse something it’s sorely missing: a dinosaur Titan. It’s surprising that the Monsterverse, being a world of giant monsters, doesn’t have any giant dinosaurs. Gorosaurus could easily fit that niche.
All 3 Godzilla & King Kong Crossover Movies That Never Happened
Between their 1962 and 2021 crossovers, three additional movies featuring Godzilla and King Kong were considered by Toho before getting abandoned.
Given that Gororsaurus is really just a gigantic dinosaur, it’s not hard to imagine a creature like him being a member of theMonsterverse’s rich Titan lineup. It could be that he roams one of the many realms in Godzilla and Kong’s Hollow Earth world. If so, he could emerge inGodzilla x Kong’supcoming sequel, possibly as a rival alpha to Kong, potentially setting up a fight akin to the one they enjoyed on Mondo Island inKing Kong Escapes. Or, he could be one of the Monsterverse’s benevolent Titans. This would more closely honor the heroic rebranding he received inDestroy All Monsters.
What’s more, heading in this direction could be a step toward the Monsterverse having its own version ofDestroy All Monsters.Due to all its talk of ancient Titan wars, a movie with multiple Titans fighting on opposing sides would feel like a fitting avenue for it to take, which should indeed call for more heroic kaiju to join the fold. If that happens, the Monsterverse may have room for Gorosaurus to fight alongsideGodzilla, Kong, and possibly both Mothra and Rodan again as well. In doing so, the Monsterverse would perfectly honor Gorosaurus' roots inKing Kong EscapesandDestroy All Monsters.
Godzilla
The Godzilla franchise, spanning over six decades, follows the adventures of the titular kaiju, a colossal, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. Originating in Japan, Godzilla has evolved from a destructive force of nature to a protector of humanity, battling various other giant monsters, including iconic foes like King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla. The series explores themes of environmental destruction, nuclear anxiety, and human resilience. With numerous films, TV series, and an expanding universe, Godzilla remains a cultural icon, captivating audiences worldwide with its epic battles and compelling narratives.
