The reason the MCU can make solo films for obscure characters and why the MonsterVerse can’t.

I often hear fans argue that if the MCU can make general audiences care about obscure Marvel characters like the GOTG, Black Panther, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, and Captain Marvel, then the same can be done for monsters like Rodan, Mothra, Behemoth, etc.

But one reason the MCU succeeded at making those characters mainstream is due to brand recognition. Marvel has been ingrained in American pop culture for decades, and has built up a large fanbase over the years. Because of familiarity with the brand and the genre (Superhero Genre) it belongs in, casual moviegoers are more likely to see Marvel movies that star niche characters. I want to add that the MCU is also distributed by Disney, which is one of the richest and most well-known entertainment and media enterprises in the world. So people have already built a trust with the company to put our great content.

The MonsterVerse on the other hand is part of a genre (Kaiju Genre) that has never really been mainstream, and has a very niche fanbase that isn’t large enough to carry its films on their own. The MonsterVerse needs the general audience to generate enough money to make its films successful since they make up the majority of the movie-going audience. Therefore, as much as fans may dislike it, it is far less risky to rely on household names like Godzilla and King Kong that have had a lot of exposure to Western audiences as opposed to more niche monsters like Rodan, Behemoth, etc. Because the Kaiju Genre is a very niche genre, the general audience is less likely to run to the theaters to see a film titled Behemoth or Rodan.

I want to also add general audiences have always had a stigma towards Kaiju films, and view them as forms of mindless entertainment. I also doubt that most of them see the monsters as actual characters, with the exception of Kong. Rather, they see them as eye candy. Because Kaiju fans view the monsters as characters with personalities, they are more naturally inclined to want to see solo films for other monsters besides Godzilla and Kong. But just because the fans would be interested in watching another monster struggle to defeat a powerful enemy doesn’t mean general audiences would feel the same way.

Now, the only other monster that I can see getting a solo film is Mothra, and that’s because she’s somewhat recognizable among casual monster movie fans, and can bring in a whole new element to the MonsterVerse: the Spiritual element.