Director Adam Wingard Explains Why Lance Reddick Was Mostly Cut From Godzilla vs. Kong
JB Augustine
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Despite being listed in the opening credits of his latest movie, Godzilla vs Kong, John Wick actor was on screen for all of five seconds, give or take.
Source: John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), Lionsgate Films
Related: Gamespot Gives Thumbs Down to Godzilla vs. Kong For Lack of Smart Human Characters
In a new interview with GamesRadar, GCK director Adam Wingard discussed how Reddick’s role as the Director of Monarch was supposed to be bigger and why it was ultimately cut down to nothing.
“Originally, Lance’s part was a little bit bigger as he plays the Monarch director, he’s running the organization,” Wingard said. As Monarch’s Director, Reddick was supposed to set the plot in motion from the beginning. That was the case until the filmmaker got to the editing phase.
Source: John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum (2019), Lionsgate Films
Related: Godzilla Vs. Kong Writer Reveals Film Almost Had A Post-Credit Scene
“There was a scene earlier in the film, a big board room scene where they’re setting up the mission,” Wingard continued. “He had a larger role, but ultimately we didn’t need that scene, we changed a couple of plot details during the editing process, so that earlier stuff got cut.”
He added, “Now, that stuff just counts as a fun cameo. He is still top credited, it’s still part of his contract. It’s funny because he shows up in the opening credits and then turns up for four lines, maybe three, in the movie ultimately.”
Source: Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), HBO Max
Related: Godzilla vs. Kong Review: Delivers What It Promises, But Neglects a Few Things
Wingard next debunked a lingering rumor about reshoots, which some say were extensive and changed the scope of the film. It turns out less time was devoted to reshooting material than in any previous MonsterVerse entry.
“We actually did the least amount of reshoots than any of those MonsterVerse films,” he revealed. “Normally, they do about two weeks, but we only did five days.”
He went on to say this is where his background as a low-budget indie filmmaker came in handy.
Source: Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), HBO Max
Related: New Godzilla Singular Point Trailer Shows Off Two More Classic Kaiju
“We did have to be quite surgical, as we did change one element of the plot and it affected a couple of scenes at the beginning and a couple of scenes at the end,” he said. “That’s where my low-budget, no-budget background comes in. You have to be very crafty and able to think in those terms. We were very surgical in those terms.”
Wingard assures his surgical actions and thinking created the ultimate cut of the movie in the version that can be seen on HBO Max, saying, “this is the ultimate version of the film, I would never do a different version of it.”
Source: Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), HBO Max
Related: Godzilla vs. Kong Director Adam Wingard Reacts To Fan Response To Debut Trailer
In a different conversation,Wingard told Den of Geek that there is enough footage for a five-hour cut, but remained steadfast that he won’t make a special director’s edition, a la Zack Snyder. “For me, this is the version that worked the best, and I don’t see any reason to do a director’s cut,” Wingard stated.
That’s too bad since, somewhere in the rest of the footage, the work Lance Reddick put into the picture is there, unedited. However, Reddick isn’t alone, as actresses Zhang Ziyi and Jessica Henwick also filmed scenes that were ultimately left out of Godzilla vs. Kong.
Source: Godzilla vs Kong (2021), HBO Max
What do you make of Wingard’s explanation for the reduction of Reddick’s screentime? Let us know your thoughts on social media or in the comments down below!
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