Godzilla’s Epic Team-Up Almost Included 4 More Legendary Kaiju!

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The union of the most formidable monsters in the Godzilla series could have been even more monumental. This is significant given that Destroy All Monsters was a groundbreaking event for the franchise. It’s worth noting that crossovers were scarce, but not entirely unheard of; Universal had combined several of their horror characters in the 1940s. Yet, no one had achieved something as grandiose as Destroy All Monsters, and it still stands as a remarkable feat even compared to modern standards.

Before the release of the movie, Toho had quite a collection of monsters at their disposal, many of which had no previous connection with Godzilla. For example, Varan, Gorosaurus, Baragon, and Manda were among these creatures. On the other hand, Mothra and Rodan were characters who had already been incorporated into the Godzilla series as his allies, following their own individual films. To make things even more interesting, the movie “Destroy All Monsters” introduced additional monsters to the storyline by including a few that were original to Godzilla’s universe, such as Kumonga, Minila, Anguirus, and King Ghidorah.

Toho Cut 4 Kaiju From Destroy All Monsters

Sanda, King Kong, Ebirah, And Maguma Were All Cut

As a movie critic, I must confess that “Destroy All Monsters” was a spectacle to behold, boasting an impressive roster of 11 colossal creatures from Toho’s kaiju universe. However, it seems the filmmakers had even grander ambitions, as per “The Big Book of Giant Japanese Monsters: The Lost Films.” Originally, their vision for “Destroy All Monsters” was nothing short of epic – they aimed to gather all their monsters, not just the majority. Among the four additional behemoths that were initially planned but did not make it into the final cut were Sanda, King Kong, Ebirah, and Maguma.

Two of the four monsters had not crossed paths with Godzilla before, and their introduction to the story would have made quite an impact. Sanda, one of the monsters from “War of the Gargantuas,” inspired by Frankenstein’s Monster, was one such creature, but unfortunately, he didn’t appear in the movie. This leaves Baragon as the only monster from the “Frankenstein vs. Baragon” franchise that made it into the roster for “Destroy All Monsters.” Maguma, a walrus-type kaiju with a minor role in Toho’s 1962 film “Gorath,” did not show up in “Destroy All Monsters” (or any other movie), which means “Gorath” remains a solitary tale in the Toho kaiju universe.

In addition to Godzilla, there were two other adversaries who already had their own conflicts with him. One of these enemies was Lobster kaiju Ebirah, the main antagonist in the 1965 film titled “Ebirah, Horror of the Deep“. The other well-known character is King Kong, who doesn’t need an introduction. By this time, he had already starred in two Toho movies – “King Kong vs. Godzilla” and “King Kong Escapes“. Interestingly enough, the latter film was released just a year before “Destroy All Monsters“, which means that King Kong’s next appearance would have been in the immediate sequel to his previous movie.

The delay in the production of “Destroy All Monsters” is likely the reason why King Kong was not present in the movie. Initially, it was intended for both “Destroy All Monsters” and “King Kong Escapes” to be released a year earlier. This would have allowed for a seamless continuation of the five-year contract that Toho had with Rankin-Bass following the release of “King Kong vs. Godzilla.” However, due to unexpected delays in the production of “Destroy All Monsters,” another agreement was necessary just to include King Kong in the final film.

Destroy All Monsters’ Kaiju Selection Depended Largely On Suit Availability

Which Monsters Appeared In Its Movies Weren’t Always Decided By Creative Decisions

For the remaining three creatures, their non-appearances seem less straightforward. But considering Toho’s standard approach when selecting monsters, there might be a plausible reason behind their exclusion. Most Godzilla films produced by Toho during the Showa era weren’t high-budget productions. Given the cost of creating monster suits, it made financial sense for Toho to recycle costumes from earlier movies. This was the approach Toho intended to take with “Destroy All Monsters,” as all the kaiju in that film were returning characters.

It’s important to note that not all monster costumes were readily available or in perfect condition for filming purposes. For instance, the monster called Baragon faced this problem – according to the book “The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: Showa Completion 1954-1989“, his costume was lent out to another studio, which prevented him from participating in the fighting scenes.

In addition, there were limitations on how Manda and Varan could be utilized, given that the studio had only a few leftover props related to these creatures. This might have influenced Toho’s choices regarding Sanda, Maguma, and Ebirah as well, if problems arose with any of their suits, it seems unlikely that they would create a new one solely for a minor role in Destroy All Monsters.

How The Godzilla Franchise Might Have Been Different If All 4 Kaiju Had Appeared

It Could Have Led To More Appearances From Maguma & Sanda

If Toho had been able to utilize their entire roster for the movie “Destroy All Monsters”, it could have resulted in an even more grandiose team-up, considering King Kong, a globally recognized film monster and one of Godzilla’s most formidable rivals, would have been part of it. Moreover, Sanda, a prominent kaiju from the popular Toho movie “War of the Gargantuas”, would also have joined the fray. However, despite the increased excitement, this version of “Destroy All Monsters” doesn’t seem to deviate significantly from the original.

In essence, both narratives revolved around extraterrestrials manipulating Godzilla and the inhabitants of Monster Island. The climax featured a thrilling showdown where these characters would unite. One noticeable variation is that an early draft may have included a scene depicting Maguma guarding the aliens’ spaceship. Whether this would have led to extra action scenes or monster battles isn’t certain, but it could have resulted in entertaining scenes, like King Kong and Godzilla launching a coordinated assault against Ghidorah, or Sanda joining forces with Godzilla and the rest to pummel Ghidorah.

In my humble opinion as a cinephile, introducing these four titans into the cinematic universe could significantly reshape the franchise’s mythos. For example, in Destroy All Monsters, if Maguma was portrayed either as an ally or adversary of Godzilla, it would undeniably elevate his status, sparking increased curiosity about these colossal creatures in subsequent productions.

Interestingly enough, Sanda is the most renowned Toho monster who has never shared a connection with Godzilla. Pondering over how he might have joined forces with Godzilla to vanquish King Ghidorah opens up intriguing possibilities for future collaborations and crossovers within the franchise.

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2025-05-26 17:18