Following a schedule shift earlier this week that moved Legendary and Warner Bros. Pictures’ Godzilla 2 from 2018 to 2019, comes word, via Deadline, that the project has lost its director. Gareth Edwards was planning to return for the followup to his 2014 film but has, reportedly, now amicably exited the budding cinematic Kaijuniverse to pursue his own original projects. As revealed earlier this week, Godzilla 2 will arrive on the big screen March 22, 2019 and will pave the way for Godzilla vs Kong on May 29, 2020. Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ Kong: Skull Island will hit first, however, debuting March 10, 2017.
Details on Godzilla 2 are relatively few, although a presentation at last year’s Comic-Con International reiterated that the next chapter should introduce classic Toho monsters like King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Rodan.
“Audiences really responded to ‘Godzilla,’” said producer Thomas Tull when Godzilla vs Kong was officially announced last year. “Today, I’m excited to reveal that film was only the beginning of an epic new entertainment universe. As a lifelong fan of these characters, I’ve always wanted to see the ultimate showdown, and today we’re pleased to be announcing that and more.”
Gareth Edwards latest film, meanwhile, brings him to a galaxy far, far away. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an immediate prequel to A New Hope, tells the story of resistance fighters who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star. Felicity Jones leads the cast of the film alongside Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk and Riz Ahmed. Look for it to hit the big screen December 16, 2016.
