How to Watch Godzilla vs. Kong: What Time Is It on HBO Max? - Collider.com

The blockbuster slugfest Godzilla vs. Kong is nigh, and folks around the globe are no doubt wondering how, where, and when they can watch it. The sequel follows in the footsteps of 2014’s Godzilla, 2017’s Kong: Skull Island, and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters as the next film in Legendary’s MonsterVerse series of films. But in truth, Godzilla vs. Kong very much stands as its own film, with only a couple of characters who have appeared in previous movies (Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler) and a story that’s primarily focused on a series of fights between the titular monsters Godzilla and King Kong.

The Warner Bros. film is being released on HBO Max and in theaters on the same day, as per Warner Bros.’ bold 2021 plan for its new releases, and we’re here to answer every question you have about how quickly you can watch Godzilla vs. Kong, how long it’ll be on HBO Max, and which theaters it’ll be playing in.

What Time Is Godzilla vs. Kong Released on HBO Max?

Godzilla vs. Kong will be available to stream on HBO Max on Wednesday, March 31st at 3:01am ET / 12:01am PT.

When Does Godzilla vs. Kong Leave HBO Max?

Unlike Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which is an HBO Max Original Film and will be available on the streaming service in perpetuity, Godzilla vs. Kong is only streaming on HBO Max for a limited time. It will no longer be streaming on HBO Max starting May 1st, at which time it will be available to see only in theaters. Eventually it will be released on Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD, and a few months later it may return to HBO Max to stream although that is thus far unconfirmed. So if you plan to watch Godzilla vs. Kong on HBO Max, you have one month to do so.

Can You See Godzilla vs. Kong in Movie Theaters?

godzilla-vs-kong-warner-bros-hi-res-22 — Image via Warner Bros.

Given that this is a blockbuster action movie in which two massive monsters fight each other, the theatrical experience is ideal. And now that the vaccine rollout is increasing rapidly (especially in the United States), more and more people are feeling safe to return to movie theaters. To that end, Godzilla vs. Kong is playing in theaters nationwide starting March 31st – including IMAX theaters – and is likely to have the biggest box office of any movie in a full year.

So yes, you can see Godzilla vs. Kong in movie theaters across the U.S. and worldwide. The film has already been released in a number of other countries, including China where it exceeded projections to debut with $70.3 million on opening weekend.

Do You Have to Have Seen Previous MonsterVerse Movies to Understand Godzilla vs. Kong?

godzilla-vs-kong-warner-bros-hi-res-16 — Image via Warner Bros.

So you now know how to watch Godzilla vs. Kong, but do you need any preparation to understand the film? The Adam Wingard-directed sequel is technically a follow-up to both previous Godzilla movies and Kong: Skull Island, but is only loosely connected to those films. The primary thrust of Godzilla vs. Kong is the battle between the two monsters and a mission to get Kong to a mythical location, but Brown is the only returning character from the previous films and her entire arc in Godzilla vs. Kong is basically just to uncover information about the mythology behind these two monsters.

So no, you don’t have to watch previous MonsterVerse movies before watching Godzilla vs. Kong, but if you’ve seen them you may pick up on a couple of small connections to those films.

KEEP READING: Here's How to Watch the MonsterVerse Movies in Order (Chronologically and By Release Date)

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Adam Chitwood (15698 Articles Published)

Adam Chitwood is the Managing Editor for Collider. He's been working for Collider for over a decade, and in addition to managing content also runs point on crafts interviews, awards coverage, and co-hosts The Collider Podcast with Matt Goldberg (which has been running since 2012). He's the creator and author of Collider's "How the MCU Was Made" series and has interviewed Bill Hader about every single episode of Barry. He lives in Tulsa, OK and likes pasta, 90s thrillers, and spending like 95% of his time with his dog Luna.