Legendary and Warner Bros. to release 'Kong: Skull Island,' 'Godzilla 2,' 'Godzilla vs. Kong'

BURBANK, Calif., Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Legendary and Warner Bros. Pictures are joining forces to create a shared cinematic franchise featuring King Kong, Godzilla and other giant super-species.

Monarch, the human organization that uncovered the titular, city-stomping monster in the 2014 Legendary-Warner Bros. blockbuster Godzilla, will appear in multiple releases.

The movie companies' new pact will include 2017's Kong: Skull Island, 2018's Godzilla 2 and 2020's Godzilla vs. Kong.

"Audiences really responded to Godzilla," Legendary Chief Executive Officer Thomas Tull said in a statement Wednesday. "Today, I'm excited to reveal that film was only the beginning of an epic new entertainment universe. As a lifelong fan of these characters, I've always wanted to see the ultimate showdown, and today we're pleased to be announcing that and more."

"Working with our partners at Legendary, we enjoyed tremendous creative and commercial success with Godzilla," added Kevin Tsujihara, chairman and chief executive officer of Warner Bros. "It's great to be able to revisit these characters and help create a franchise with so many creative possibilities for filmmakers. Fans love these big, globally iconic films and it doesn't get any bigger than this."