Godzilla x Kong director reveals his top five Godzilla movies

Last Updated on April 3, 2024

With Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire officially stomping its way into theaters tomorrow, some fans will be eager to revisit the many movies which make up the long-running series. If you’re wondering which Godzilla movies you should check out, Godzilla x Kong director Adam Wingard has revealed his personal top five movies in the franchise.

While speaking on the Inside Total Film podcast, Wingard said that the Shōwa era of the Godzilla franchise is his favourite, encompassing the movies which were released from 1954-1975. “I like the psychedelic, colorful vibe,” Wingard said. “Godzilla vs. Hedorah is my favorite of that series, because it’s the most experimental. It’s like the Easy Rider of Godzilla movies.” However, Wingard doesn’t just restrain himself to the Shōwa era, as he also loves 1995’s Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. “In a way, it’s kind of the closest anything has ever been to the Shōwa films, without trying to be,” he said. “And it’s just a really beautiful movie that is very moving at the end.“

So, what are Wingard’s top five Godzilla movies? Here’s the list:

• Godzilla (1954)

• Invasion of the Astro-Monster (1965)

• Destroy All Monsters (1968)

• Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

• Godzilla vs Destoroyah (1995)

The director added that although he didn’t mention Godzilla Minus One in his list as it’s still “too new to me,” he would definitely include it in his top five list.

Although Godzilla x Kong has been receiving mixed reviews, it does sound like it’s a lot of pure fun bursting with monster mayhem. However, our own Chris Bumbray did have one complaint. “While the trailers made it look like it’s a non-stop brofest between Godzilla and Kong, the two are kept apart for close to ninety minutes, and this movie is just under two hours,” Bumbray wrote. “All of the scenes you’ve seen of them doing their thing together are from the last chunk of the film. While that’s a bummer, I must admit that I found myself surprisingly engaged by the build-up.” You can check out the rest of Bumbray’s review right here.

What are your top five Godzilla movies?