Godzilla Movie

The reason the MCU can make solo films for obscure characters and why the MonsterVerse can’t.

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Gojirafan2013

MemberBaragonAug-12-2021 5:04 AM

I often hear fans argue that if the MCU can make general audiences care about obscure Marvel characters like the GOTG, Black Panther, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, and Captain Marvel, then the same can be done for monsters like Rodan, Mothra, Behemoth, etc.

But one reason the MCU succeeded at making those characters mainstream is due to brand recognition. Marvel has been ingrained in American pop culture for decades, and has built up a large fanbase over the years. Because of familiarity with the brand and the genre (Superhero Genre) it belongs in, casual moviegoers are more likely to see Marvel movies that star niche characters. I want to add that the MCU is also distributed by Disney, which is one of the richest and most well-known entertainment and media enterprises in the world. So people have already built a trust with the company to put our great content.

The MonsterVerse on the other hand is part of a genre (Kaiju Genre) that has never really been mainstream, and has a very niche fanbase that isn’t large enough to carry its films on their own. The MonsterVerse needs the general audience to generate enough money to make its films successful since they make up the majority of the movie-going audience. Therefore, as much as fans may dislike it, it is far less risky to rely on household names like Godzilla and King Kong that have had a lot of exposure to Western audiences as opposed to more niche monsters like Rodan, Behemoth, etc. Because the Kaiju Genre is a very niche genre, the general audience is less likely to run to the theaters to see a film titled Behemoth or Rodan.

I want to also add general audiences have always had a stigma towards Kaiju films, and view them as forms of mindless entertainment. I also doubt that most of them see the monsters as actual characters, with the exception of Kong. Rather, they see them as eye candy. Because Kaiju fans view the monsters as characters with personalities, they are more naturally inclined to want to see solo films for other monsters besides Godzilla and Kong. But just because the fans would be interested in watching another monster struggle to defeat a powerful enemy doesn’t mean general audiences would feel the same way.

Now, the only other monster that I can see getting a solo film is Mothra, and that’s because she’s somewhat recognizable among casual monster movie fans, and can bring in a whole new element to the MonsterVerse: the Spiritual element.

43 Replies

Djdndnejwnwn

MemberGiganAug-17-2021 6:11 PM

Jack CapelliniThis is true for America, I can see a cinematic universe about Godzilla doing better in japan

expecting the worst, sets you up for thr worst

Djdndnejwnwn

MemberGiganAug-17-2021 6:22 PM

Especially with the success of shin Godzilla and singular point with both appealing to the general public, it seems plausible

expecting the worst, sets you up for thr worst

Die-hard Spino Fan

MemberBaragonAug-17-2021 7:58 PM

Wow, very nice assessment. 

That is one big pile of shit - Ian Malcom, 1993

g-man fan

MemberBaragonAug-21-2021 6:32 AM

so  very true

damiendada

MemberMothra LarvaeAug-22-2021 5:06 AM

It's true I'm okay with that too.

Gojirafan2013

MemberBaragonSep-19-2021 10:04 AM

@HinikunaGoji: I feel that Toho making a “World of Godzilla” cinematic universe is our best chance of getting Mothra and Rodan solo films. 

G. H. (Gman)

AdminGodzillaSep-19-2021 11:09 AM

Observation:
While I'm not entirely sure I agree with Jack's assessment, I do think the MCU is in a unique position to do things other cinematic universes can not. After watching The Suicide Squad flop as hard as it did, (followed by titles like Birds of Prey) I don't think obscurity is bankable for WB.

If a movie has the Marvel logo, audiences flock to it. That's not the case for everything. A solo Mothra or Rodan movie, especially in the current climate blockbusters exist in, is financial suicide. I think Jack's nailed it about one thing though, if there's a chance for a solo film about those monsters it's coming from Toho.

Even then I don't think they have a great shot. As popular of a character as she is, the Mothra trilogy didn't do great business. (Though they were made on much smaller budgets than the Heisei and Millennium Godzilla films--Probably for the best.)

"'Nostalgic' does not equal 'good,' and 'standards' does not equal 'elitism.'" "Being offended is inevitable. Living offended is your choice."

Trash panda

MemberAnguirusSep-20-2021 2:37 PM

Hmmmm.....I don't know

I'm kinda in the mid here

Ah shit I’m using my wrong eye again. Sorry that was meant to be behind your back

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-20-2021 5:31 PM

Me too even though The Suicide Squad is a masterpiece

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-20-2021 5:34 PM

Also to offer my own take, I think the MCU is so successful that anyone will watch it and the critics will adore it no matter the actual quality (example: Captain Marvel) and Toho's monsters have more of that cult status and I think there's potential after the success of Godzilla Vs. Kong.  Unfortunately it's hard to tell given the current rights issue making it's future uncertain.

 

Also people have flocked to KOTM and GVK solely because Millie Bobby Brown was in it, which sort of repeats Gman's statement about Marvel: "If a movie has the Marvel logo, audiences flock to it."

That's all I have to offer for now, feel free to display your thoughts.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

Djdndnejwnwn

MemberGiganSep-20-2021 6:00 PM

sonictiger

when referring to suicide squad I think it means 2016.

expecting the worst, sets you up for thr worst

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-21-2021 3:00 PM

Oh well the 2021 version is amazing.

Also thoughts on the statement?

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

Djdndnejwnwn

MemberGiganSep-21-2021 3:34 PM

sonictiger

none, really. I’ve already voiced my thoughts up there

expecting the worst, sets you up for thr worst

G. H. (Gman)

AdminGodzillaSep-22-2021 5:36 AM

HinikunaGoji,
I was referring to 2021. It's a decent movie and all, but it's relatively obscure comic book material that has become one of the biggest financial flops of the year.

I think doing the same with obscure Toho IP would lead to similar results--Good movie or not.

"'Nostalgic' does not equal 'good,' and 'standards' does not equal 'elitism.'" "Being offended is inevitable. Living offended is your choice."

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-22-2021 9:54 AM

DECENT?!?!?!? DECENT????? Anyhow, I would say if the movie doesn't have the title of Godzilla or Kong....Yeah, it could flop hard.  And I don't think moviegoers will fall for celeb-baiting for a third time since Millie Bobby Brown was wasted twice.

I already made an article on this, so I'll stop here.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

Djdndnejwnwn

MemberGiganSep-22-2021 10:40 AM

sonictiger

Decent doesn’t mean bad. I just wouldn’t expect a superhero movie to be an artistic masterpiece. Though I didn’t go see it so I wouldn’t know.

And after researching Suicide Squad did flop. It only made back 14% of budget

expecting the worst, sets you up for thr worst

G. H. (Gman)

AdminGodzillaSep-22-2021 11:12 AM

HinikunaGoji,
It's made $166M world wide off a $185M budget. It hasn't even cleared its budget and still needs to make another $100M+ just to break even. It won't happen.

I fear a solo Monsterverse Rodan movie, for example, would be a similar bust.

"'Nostalgic' does not equal 'good,' and 'standards' does not equal 'elitism.'" "Being offended is inevitable. Living offended is your choice."

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-22-2021 3:32 PM

Even if Rodan had celeb-baiting like KOTM and GVK, it would not work whatsoever.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

Djdndnejwnwn

MemberGiganSep-22-2021 5:04 PM

sonictiger

GvK really didn’t Celeb bait, sure they had famous actors, but it was no where near the advertising of Millie Bobbie Brown for KOTM

expecting the worst, sets you up for thr worst

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-23-2021 9:40 AM

What's annoying about KOTM is that sure Madison did stuff but WB forced the claim that she was the main character so far up our [REDACTED] that people were expecting that and then....we all know what happened.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-23-2021 9:44 AM

The thing is, the fact that they were advertising Millie so much (due to name value) makes WB look more pathetic than they already are as they're basically saying that they have no faith in this movie being watched.  They went to insane degrees to push the fact that they had an insanely popular Emmy-Nominated actress in this movie about monsters beating the heck out of one another just because they're not sure how many US Godzilla fans are there and they don't know if casual viewers will care about the movie so they're basically bribing you to see it at this point.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-23-2021 9:48 AM

Also, they basically set up Madison for a larger role but didn't even have the decency to follow through with that in Godzilla Vs. Kong.  So it was all basically a wasted effort on WB's part because they were claiming they were doing all this stuff with an insanely popular actress when in truth they weren't.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

G. H. (Gman)

AdminGodzillaSep-24-2021 4:55 PM

sonictiger,
That isn't the first time WB did this. Bryan Cranston is an infinitely bigger name than Millie Bobby Brown and he was advertised front and center as the main character for Godzilla '14. The ads and trailers made it look like Cranston was going to go up against a villainous Godzilla and we ended up getting something different.

To be fair, regardless of their quality, Godzilla vs. Kong and Kong: Skull Island were probably the two most honestly advertised of the Monsterverse.

"'Nostalgic' does not equal 'good,' and 'standards' does not equal 'elitism.'" "Being offended is inevitable. Living offended is your choice."

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-27-2021 10:29 AM

Godzilla Vs. Kong advertised a bonkers battle and it gave us an absolutely bonkers battle.  Kong: Skull Island promised more screentime to the title character since Godzilla '14 failed to do so.

So yeah, you're right.  It's probably why I think GVK and KSI are the stronger films and G14 and KOTM are the weaker films.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

G. H. (Gman)

AdminGodzillaSep-27-2021 11:29 AM

sonictiger,
While I do think there's merit to how personal expectation is met based on how a film is advertised, I do not think marketing should be one of the variables used to judge a film's quality.

"'Nostalgic' does not equal 'good,' and 'standards' does not equal 'elitism.'" "Being offended is inevitable. Living offended is your choice."

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-27-2021 5:15 PM

All I'm saying is, I usually feel a bit wronged when movies don't deliver what they promise in the marketing.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

Kattozilla

MemberAnguirusSep-28-2021 9:07 AM

that's called false advertising

i've officially left. thanks for the memories!

sonictiger

MemberGiganSep-28-2021 5:38 PM

Yes, that's my point.

A movie with false advertising usually is deemed a failure.

“Calling yourself a hero make you a self-mythologizing narcissistic autocrat!”

Djdndnejwnwn

MemberGiganSep-29-2021 12:23 AM

sonictiger

A movie that is deemed a failure is a movie that doesn’t do well at the box office. 

Godzilla 14s advertising made Godzilla seem like a villain in the movie, but the movie preformed well and was still liked. So false advertising isn’t what constitutes a failure.

Anyone else remember seeing the G14 trailers in theaters.

expecting the worst, sets you up for thr worst

Xenotaris

MemberGiganSep-29-2021 12:47 AM

I love Godzilla 2014, I only saw the initial trailer to Godzilla 2014 in theaters

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