Audiences around the world turned out for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and have effectively secured the future of the MonsterVerse. Needless to say, a lot of people of disparate backgrounds have come together and found common ground in something they all enjoy.
However, that hasn’t immunized the film against critics who say it lacks depth and leaves too much hanging without explanation.
There are always deleted scenes and commentary for the Blu-ray and digital releases that resolve these issues, but if you favor light reading on a sunny afternoon then there is another answer.
GxK’s novelization is here to fill in the gaps and in the process it’s setting the record straight on a persistent rumor regarding the reluctant nemesis Shimo. For quite a while, it was believed the frosty lizard and Godzilla were relatives.
According to Comicbook.com, that theory can be put to bed as the book takes time to explain they are not kin. It does, however, confirm a few suspicions about the forcibly coerced monster.
Shimo did indeed freeze and defeat Ghidorah long ago, and its breath ray “slows down atoms,” meaning Absolute Zero could be achieved. They also give away Shimo’s age of approximately three million years.
That must be give or take roughly a decade because the book reveals that the story takes place in 2027 and not ‘24 or ‘23 – meaning there is a 6-7 year diegetic gap between films. Between GxK, Kong: Skull Island, and Monarch, the Monsterverse has a real fondness for bouncing around the timeline.
Speaking of Kong and Monarch, the novelization answers questions we all had about the BEAST Glove and Project Powerhouse. One reason they had it at the ready when Kong was injured by Shimo’s ice beam was pieces of Mechagodzilla were used to build the upgrade.
Written by Greg Keyes, the novel of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has the following summary that begins, “Writer Greg Keyes returns to the Monsterverse to transport readers ever deeper into the world of Monsters.”
It adds, “This book explores the events of the film while adding to the history and lore of the Titans, portraying existing scenes from a fresh perspective and expanding upon the film. A must-read for any Godzilla and Kong fan.”
If you must read it, dear GxK fans, the novel of the movie is on sale now.
NEXT: ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ Review – Balderdash Of The Titans