As Legendary’s Monsterverse continues to expand, it introduces not only new monsters but also fascinating locations beneath the Earth’s surface, collectively known as the Hollow Earth. These realms, first mentioned in 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, are home to unique species of flora and fauna and sometimes operate under different physical laws. Each subsequent movie and TV show has delved deeper into this mysterious territory.
While the Monsterverse revolves around iconic monsters Godzilla and King Kong, it has evolved far beyond the original lore from Toho and RKO. The introduction of the Hollow Earth has opened up the franchise to new settings and creatures, allowing for both classic Toho monsters and original Titans to emerge. In Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, a casual mention of the Hollow Earth hints that much of it remains unexplored, leaving vast possibilities for future stories and adventures in the Monsterverse.
3. Hollow Earth (The primary ancient subterranean ecosystem)
Technically, the Hollow Earth first appears on-screen in the Monsterverse in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, when Monarch’s nuclear sub passes through a vortex into Godzilla’s ancient lair. Although exploration was limited to that small area, this journey confirmed the existence of the Hollow Earth, prompting Monarch to explore further. By the time of Godzilla vs. Kong, Monarch, along with Apex, ventures into the Hollow Earth via an Antarctica portal, led by Kong.
The Hollow Earth presents a twisted reflection of Earth’s surface ecosystems, populated by creatures of varying sizes and dangers. Kong is one of the largest daikaiju in this realm, but he faces significant threats from monsters like the Warbats in Godzilla vs. Kong and the Wartdogs in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. While most fauna are smaller than Kong, they are still much larger than their surface counterparts. The landscape itself is dominated by lush jungles and craggy mountains, creating a diverse and treacherous environment.
The region of the Hollow Earth that Kong discovers via the Antarctica portal is particularly unique, representing the midpoint of the Hollow Earth. At the center, gravity inverts, creating a zero-gravity zone while allowing creatures on either side to experience gravity on their respective surfaces. The Iwi tribe inhabiting this area has developed a method to control gravity using giant natural crystals, effectively turning it on and off.
In this section of the Hollow Earth, Kong encounters a massive temple, likely constructed by either the original Hollow Earth humans or Kong’s ancestors. The temple features a Kong-sized throne and is built on a grand scale, indicating its importance. Within the temple, Kong finds his trusty axe, which he can charge on the temple floor using residual radiation energy that still pulses through the structure. This temple, carved into a massive cave, once served as the stronghold for all members of Kong’s subspecies.
Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire provided some additional perspective on the sheer scale of the Hollow Earth, while also introducing many new creatures previously unseen in the preceding movies. It also demonstrated that different portals from the Hollow Earth connect to different points on the surface, with each passing through a gravitational “membrane” in order to move between the Hollow Earth and the surface. Skull Island is essentially just the Hollow Earth ecosystem that made its way to the surface, which explains the similarities in flora and fauna.
The Iwi tribe that Jia belongs to was thought to have been eradicated by the storms that ravaged Skull Island, but in the Hollow Earth it’s discovered that their sister tribe is very much alive and well. They have a persisting civilization, complete with a storied documented history, access to advanced engineering techniques and defended by the latest incarnation of Mothra herself. Their existence sheds some light on the early humans who worshiped Godzilla, whose influence can be seen in his lair.
2. Axis Mundi (A mysterious corner of Hollow Earth where space-time is warped)
While the Hollow Earth exists at the center of the Earth, the highly volatile sub-world of Axis Mundi serves as a middle realm between the surface and the primary section of the Hollow Earth. Similar to the Hollow Earth, Axis Mundi is connected to the surface world through a series of portals. These portals, first introduced in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, operate similarly to the Hollow Earth portals. However, there is a crucial difference: Axis Mundi portals are unstable.
Note: The portals between Axis Mundi, Hollow Earth and the surface are referred to as “Vile Vortices”, are based on 12 real places on the Earth where physics seem to falter, and unusual phenomena occur. The most famous one is the Bermuda Triangle.
Axis Mundi is essentially an interconnected series of tunnels and pockets of space situated between the Hollow Earth and the surface. This unique position subjects the realm to gravitational pull from both the Hollow Earth and the surface, rendering its portals volatile and inconsistent. As demonstrated by Lee Shaw, these portals can be collapsed with significant interference, such as an explosion. Interestingly, the heavy radiation from massive Titans like Godzilla and the Ion Dragon acts as a stabilizing agent, allowing these creatures to pass through the portals more reliably.
Due to the gravitational distortion in Axis Mundi, space-time is warped, causing time to pass differently compared to the Hollow Earth or the surface. For example, Dr. Keiko Randa fell into a portal and was lost for 57 days, while 56 years passed on the surface. How Monarch will use this information remains to be seen, but it will undoubtedly be a significant plot point in the second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
- Subterranean Realm (A deeper level of the Hollow Earth)
Kong stumbles upon the third realm of the Hollow Earth almost accidentally in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. This Subterranean Realm is completely uncharted when the action begins, but Kong navigates it despite the reluctance of his unwilling young ally, Suko. After defeating the deadly Drownviper and pausing for a spot of lunch, Suko leads Kong into the lair of the Skar King.
Note: Kong’s battle against the Drownviper in Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire is a nod to Toho’s 1967 film King Kong Escapes, where Kong famously battles a sea serpent in the ocean.
In Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, much of the terrain Kong traverses in the Subterranean Realm is reminiscent of Skull Island and his home portion of the Hollow Earth. His battle against the Drownviper serves as a brief callback to Kong: Skull Island, where he kills and eats the massive Mire Squid. The landscape shifts dramatically when Suko leads Kong across the bouncing spine column bridge of an ancient Titan, much larger than Kong or Godzilla.
Deep within the Subterranean Realm lies the volcanic, crystal-covered lair of the Skar King and his followers. The Skar King rules with an iron fist, demanding hard labour and instilling a perverse loyalty born of terror. Within this dungeon is the great Titan Shimo, an ice-spitting counterpart to Godzilla. Shimo is forced to obey the Skar King due to a crystal he wields, which inflicts agonizing pain on the Titan.
Skar King’s exile to the Subterranean Realm followed his defeat in an ancient war against Godzilla. As the guardian of the Hollow Earth’s Titans, Godzilla couldn’t tolerate Skar King’s ambition to conquer the surface world. Thus, Godzilla pushed him deeper into the Hollow Earth, sealing off any access to surface portals.
Skar King’s escape from the Subterranean Realm is triggered by Kong, who, after losing his right arm to Shimo’s Frost Bite Blast attack, inadvertently leads Skar King to an uncharted entrance. Riding atop Shimo, Skar King and his followers reach the Iwi civilization, surrounded by numerous portals to the surface. Their confrontation, including a brief zero-gravity skirmish before they tumble through a portal to the surface, unfolds in the heart of the Hollow Earth.
Note: Malenka, the Iwi city in the Hollow Earth, was strategically established near a cluster of Vile Vortices.
Following Skar King’s demise, Kong returns to his lava-strewn lair accompanied by a grateful Shimo, now liberated from the Skar King’s tyranny. The remaining subjects of Skar King are freed from pain and suffering, their future uncertain under Kong’s benevolent rule. It remains to be seen whether Kong will establish his rule in this lair or lead his followers back to the primary section of the Hollow Earth, perhaps to reclaim the abandoned Kong temple.
As the Monsterverse continues, the sequel to Godzilla X Kong has been greenlit, promising new adventures and potentially uncovering entirely new sections of the Hollow Earth.
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