Newly released concept art for Godzilla offers the imposing original take on the monster's design. The film that kicked off the MonsterVerse, Gareth Edwards' Godzilla was released in 2014. That movie marked the second American adaptation of the monster and has since garnered plenty of acclaim for its respectful approach to the material and grounded, suspenseful nature. Starring Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Godzilla managed to revive the monster and initiate a cinematic universe.
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The praise given to 2014's Godzilla included an appreciation for the iconic movie monster's design. Though some fans complained that the creature wasn't seen enough, due to the buildup approach taken by the film, the times that Godzilla was on-screen were thrilling and featured excellent effects. Edwards' Godzilla updated the monster's look slightly, but kept the aspects that made the original Toho version so successful. Godzilla's design in 2014 retained that basic look, and had large dorsal fins across his back and tail. His massive size adds to the forbidding nature of his appearance, and his blue atomic breath makes an appearance in the movie. Despite the success of this design, it's always interesting to know what could have been.
Now, concept art shared on Twitter teases an original iteration of the beast. Artist Andrew Baker shares the images via Twitter. In the post, he also describes the grueling creative process that led to the design, which was of course tweaked to become the legendary 2014 version of the monster. See the full tweet and images below:
Baker's mention of a lengthy Skype call with Edwards while they completed the design process indicates the director's dedication to creating a satisfying look for Godzilla. The resulting design is frightening, with a more reptilian face and mouth, which offer the monster additional ferocity. The dynamic nature of the drawings is impressive and lends the famed creature an air of constant momentum, which makes him seem ready to strike. Of course, the design that ended up being used in th 2014 film was extremely well done, and a fitting tribute to the legacy of Godzilla. Subsequent MonsterVerse movies have tweaked Godzilla's look, earning new spikes on his back and longer claws in King of Monsters, and the former of which were adjusted again in Godzilla vs. Kong. With each director putting their own small spin on the monster's design, it's exciting to consider how Godzilla will evolve in his next on-screen appearance.
A sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong has been set for March 2024. Fans of the MonsterVerse will also be able to dive back in with Apple TV+'s Godzilla series, which was filming this summer. Though not much is known about the series, it is said to take place after the events of the 2014 film. Perhaps Godzilla's appearance will resemble the original concept art more closely, since the series will directly follow Edwards' take on the legendary creature.