Years ago, there were discussions of an epic, four-part movie series that would have seen Godzilla take on what might have been his most powerful foe yet. Sadly, it never came to fruition, but the idea has so much potential that it’d be worth exploring in Legendary’s Monsterverse movies. After all, the creature Godzilla was to fight – Bagan – sports an interesting design and backstory that could easily be translated to this particular interpretation of Godzilla’s world.
What the franchise did with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is an indication of its willingness to adapt multi-chapter stories. It essentially functions as a “part two” to Godzilla vs. Kong, as it deals directly with loose ends from the 2021 film and continues developing the dynamic between its titular Titans. And before Adam Wingard stepped away from the Monsterverse, the confirmed Godzilla x Kong sequel was expected to complete a trilogy. Depending on how things progress, the next movie can be the beginning of a new saga, one that could take inspiration from a plan that never moved forward.
Toho Planned A Four-Movie Series With Godzilla, Mothra, & Bagan
It Would Have Involved The Heisei Version Of Godzilla
According to The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monsters: The Lost Films by John LeMay, Toho had an interest in developing a kaiju story that would play out across four movies. It would have dealt heavily with plotlines established in 1989’s Godzilla vs. Biollante, with the linchpin of the story being Mothra vs. Bagan. Godzilla creator Tomoyuki Tanaka came up with the concept of Bagan, a shapeshifting monster with connections to Chinese mythology. Bagan was envisioned as a Godzilla villain, but in 1990, there was a script that called for him to fight Mothra instead.
As LeMay explains in the book, Mothra vs. Bagan wouldn’t have had a conclusive ending. This, combined with a post-credits scene with Godzilla, would have opened the door for a Godzilla-focused sequel. Simply known as Godzilla 3 at the time, the movie would have been a continuation of both Mothra vs. Bagan and Godzilla vs Biollante, in that it would explore Bagan’s alien origin story and revive Godzilla from his paralysis, which was induced by his final battle with Biollante. But of course, the movie didn’t happen, leaving it up to Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah to address Godzilla vs. Biollante’s ending.
Related
All 10 Powers Godzilla Has In The MonsterVerse
Godzilla has many powers in the MonsterVerse, appearing in movies, TV, novelizations, and graphic novels, with some far more devastating than others.
Toho pivoting to Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah can be at least partially attributed to Mothra vs. Bagan not seeing the light of day since it was “part one” of the story. As LeMay writes in his book, it would seem that its overall lack of Godzilla was a point of hesitation for Toho to make the movie. There was a concern that kaiju movies without Godzilla may not perform well at the box office.
As for what was meant to comprise the rest of the saga, that’s not entirely clear. Since both Mothra vs. Bagan and Godzilla 3 were meant to include Bagan, it’s fair to wonder if the monster would have been in the third and fourth installments as well. There’s also the matter of where Godzilla would fit into the picture. With both the first and second movies using different kaiju as their protagonists, it’s plausible that “part three” would have had yet another headlining monster. Following on from that, the fourth and final installment could have united Godzilla, Mothra, and the third monster in a team-up.
How The Monsterverse Can Take Inspiration From Toho’s Cancelled Godzilla Tetralogy
Godzilla, Mothra, And Other Titans Could Fight Bagan In The Monsterverse
The ideas Toho had for its kaiju tetralogy had a lot of promise, so much that there’s potential for them to still work on the big screen at least in some capacity. The franchise going as far as to devote four movies to the concept is unlikely, but thanks to its upcoming Monsterverse TV spinoffs on Apple TV+, a similar structure is indeed feasible. A singular storyline developing across movies and shows offers a lot of storytelling potential that would enable the Monstervese to properly elevate a Titan threat, namely Bagan. Whereas Ghidorah was set up and introduced in one movie, Bagan’s rise could happen gradually.
This could work if the Monsterverse were to finally trust a Titan that’s not named Godzilla or Kong its very own show or film. The latter scenario may not happen, but a show focused on one of the many Titans living in the Monsterverse hardly feels impossible. If that were to occur, it could meet Bagan somewhere in the Hollow Earth, and perhaps set up a story where Godzilla fights him. And now that Godzilla x Kong has resurrected Mothra, she could also be part of that. Since Bagan was supposed to fight Mothra, such a plan would feel fitting. Not only that, but as a creature with lore as rich as Mothra’s, she’s the perfect candidate for a solo Monsterverse show.
How Bagan Could Work In The Monsterverse
Bagan Could Be A Good Fit For The Monsterverse
The challenge of getting the licensing rights to Bagan aside, the evil kaiju could make for a worthwhile addition to Monsterverse’s Titan lineup. Interestingly, his origins line up nicely with the world Legendary has already crafted in the films. His original backstory defined him as a creature who terrorized ancient China, adopting multiple monster forms in the process. One was a dragon, another was akin to a monkey, and the third was an aquatic monster. This enabled Bagan to be a threat in the sky, on land, and in the water. However, all three forms were weaker than Godzilla, which made a fourth form necessary.
Related
Why A Godzilla vs. Rodan Movie Never Happened
Despite being one of the most popular monsters in the franchise, Rodan has surprisingly never been Godzilla’s primary opponent in a movie.
Bagan’s abilities and history would lend itself well to the Monsterverse. Because his powers mean that it could invent different Bagan designs, the Monsterverse would be able to recycle the creature into different projects without the risk of him becoming stale. Much like the designs themselves, the fights would also be unique on account of this aspect of the creature.
With different transformations, he could theoretically face a Titan like Rodan or Mothra in the air, Godzilla in the water, and Kong on land. His final form could be used to battle them all together in a team-up. This could also add a compelling sense of mystery to the story, as his different forms throughout history could create the impression that each one is a separate monster, before the dots are finally connected.
Godzilla
- Movie(s)
- Godzilla , Godzilla 2 , Godzilla 3 , Shin Godzilla , Godzilla , Godzilla , Godzilla vs. Kong , Godzilla Minus One , Mothra vs. Godzilla , Godzilla Vs King Kong , Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. , godzilla: monster planet , Godzilla vs. Gigan , Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla , Godzilla: Final Wars , King Kong vs. Godzilla , Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II , Godzilla: The Showa Era Films , Godzilla vs. Biollante
- Created by
- Tomoyuki Tanaka , Akira Watanabe
- First Episode Air Date
- November 17, 2023
