You can look forward to watching a Titan-sized slugfest on your TV screen soon, as we've just learned "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" will arrive on Max in just a few days' time.
Max has now confirmed that the most recent MonsterVerse hit (which is still the third-highest-grossing movie of the year) is coming to one of the best streaming services on Friday, July 4.
That means you can look forward to watching two of the most well-known monsters put aside their differences (after duking it out in "Godzilla vs. Kong") to defend the planet from a terrifying new threat: the Skar King.
In addition to the regular cut, Max will also gain a version of "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" with American Sign Language (ASL), making it Max's first ASL film interpretation. ASL performer Otis Jones provided the interpretation. and the alternative cut will be found as a unique title on the Max app where it will be identified by key art featuring the sign language symbol.
If you couldn't quite find the time to watch it in theaters, this is the perfect opportunity to experience what in my humble opinion is one of the most thrilling movies of the year (so far). Here's why you should stream "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" when you can.
'Godzilla x Kong' is my favorite 2024 blockbuster (so far)
2024 has delivered a ton of fantastic flicks already: we've already been treated to the likes of "Challengers", "Dune: Part Two", Dev Patel's "Monkey Man" and "Civil War", to name but a few. And while I was stunned by my latest visit to Arrakis and gripped by sheer tension in Guadigno's tennis drama... I had an absolute blast watching "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" earlier in the year.
Legendary's MonsterVerse hasn't always been perfect (I'm looking at you, "King of the Monsters"), but if the team knows how to do one thing well, it's bringing colossal Titan clashes to life. If that's the kind of thing you're looking for, "Godzilla x Kong" is a pure, silly spectacle that's unashamed to lean into being a popcorn blockbuster.
Director Adam Wingard has managed to cram in so much action that should satisfy anyone with an appetite for destruction. On both the planet's surface and deep within the Hollow Earth, countless kaiju battles rumble on. Above, Godzilla contends with being the planet's protector; below, Kong encounters a new simian rival who's long wanted to conquer the planet for himself.
Once the pair are both suitably powered up (Godzilla absorbs other Titans' powers, Kong's equipped with the B.E.A.S.T Glove), they reluctantly square off with the Skar King and Shimo, the frost Titan he's enslaved.
We careen from setpiece to setpiece, and somehow, the stakes seem to only get higher and higher. I simply cannot fathom how anyone would be bored by the absolute carnage that plays out on screen, especially when it looks as good as it does.
Plus unlike some of the other MonsterVerse efforts, the scenes between each punch-up are just as fun. This time around, we have a smaller core cast to pay attention to, they've all got a very specific role to play in the conflict, and we've gained one of the best characters yet: Dan Steven's buoyant Titan veterinarian, Trapper.
So, should you stream 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire'?
As I've hopefully communicated by now, I loved "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" when I saw it in theaters earlier in 2024. It was a Titan-sized step ahead of some of its predecessors, eschewing blander elements in favor of always upping the fun factor as it blazes towards the final fight.
Critically, it didn't fare all too well (it currently holds a 54% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but the 91% audience score (and that impressive box office turnout) proves that "Godzilla x Kong" found its fans, and I'm more than happy to count myself among them.
Is "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" the greatest "Godzilla" movie of all time? Well, no. Here at Tom's Guide, that's a title that still belongs to the Oscar-winning 2023 hit, "Godzilla Minus One". While I'd certainly echo that sentiment myself — "Godzilla: Minus One" is, of course, an excellent watch — if you're purely in the market for blockbuster thrills, I think "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" might just edge it out.
