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Published Jul 17, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT
Faith Roswell is a Senior Writer on Screen Rant's Classic TV team. Since earning her degree in Creative Writing over a decade ago, Faith has written articles on film and TV from a variety of different angles. Faith now combines her knowledge of psychology with her love of monster movies to give more insight into what makes the best ones.
You may have read her Screen Rant lists and features covering horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, or read her Amazon Top 10 book, "Movie Monsters of the Deep."
Faith has had an extensive career as a writer, appearing on BBC live radio, researching true crime for Rotten Mango podcast, and writing for publications including Mental Floss, Atlas Obscura, and The Daily Jaws before beginning here at Screen Rant.
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Godzilla truly has earned his title, "The King of the Monsters." Ever since his first movie appearance in 1954, he has sparked a legacy that few other characters have achieved, with merchandise, collectibles, comics, movies, and theme park attractions. Part of the key to his success is the fact that instead of merely being a monster, Godzilla represents a horrifying historical moment, which can be scarier than anything the human imagination can create. Created as a metaphor for nuclear weaponry and with skin that resembles radiation scarring, the first of Godzilla's many forms stood out from his later appearances.
The best Godzilla movies have leaned into both horror and action, learning from the hard lesson in 1998's Godzilla, which drastically redesigned the titular monster, turning him into a giant lizard rather than the big-bellied mutant with the instantly-recognizable silhouette. Recent Godzilla movies have used advances in visual effects, but the original character's slow-moving and seemingly-inevitable rampage felt more ominous, and arguably more powerful. The MonsterVerse's many Titan battles are legendary, portraying Godzilla as one of the most powerful monsters of all time, but he can be beaten, both by characters in his own universe and different stories altogether.
The Kraken
Godzilla originally came out of the sea, and he can clearly swim, but he appears more comfortable on land. On the other hand, The Kraken is one of the most iconic sea monsters of all time, whether controlled by Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Poseidon in The Clash of the Titans, or free, as in Scandinavian folklore. The Kraken is usually portrayed as a giant octopus, but Ray Harryhausen's humanoid monster was ahead of its time in the original Clash of the Titans.
That said, any version of The Kraken could beat Godzilla in a fight in the water, as long as it does not let Godzilla charge up his dorsal plates. With The Kraken being an ancient monster and Godzilla's radiation being a more modern invention, The Kraken is unlikely to have defenses against this skill. However, it can last indefinitely in water, is immense, and if it pulled Godzilla down into the depths of the ocean, it has the advantage and the strength from being in its own element.
Mechagodzilla
While setting Godzilla against other movie monsters in imaginary fights is fun to speculate over, some movie monsters do not need this debate, as they have already proven that they are stronger than Godzilla. Mechagodzilla has beaten Godzilla in three different fights, proving that the human-made robot doppelgänger can get the better of his arch-enemy multiple times.
It is possible that another fight between the two will happen sooner than expected, as the TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has already set up Mechagodzilla's arrival by showing the mysterious Apex Cybernetics taking a big leap forward. With Apex being involved with the creation of Mechagodzilla, a win against the original monster depends on how advanced the next creation will be. If he is smart enough to target Godzilla's weak spots as he has done before, this becomes more likely, and it looks as though Godzilla will have to have a rematch.
Mothra
Credit: Everett CollectionMothra's strength and power is more than just physical. In a challenge that relies on nothing more than brute force, it is likely that Godzilla could easily overpower her. However, Mothra proves that there are many kinds of strengths, and some are underestimated, as Mothra has a shocking franchise record in the MonsterVerse, with nine wins against other kaiju, including Godzilla himself. Part of this is due to her very specific abilites.
Mothra has the power to connect with other kaiju in a way that many MonsterVerse characters do not, and while she rarely defeats him on her own, her skills are essential for taking him down. As a heavy creature usually remaining in contact with the ground, Godzilla is no match for Mothra's aerial agility. Her most powerful weapon, though, is her ability to reincarnate, ensuring that she is never really beaten, not even by Godzilla.
Cthulhu
Godzilla has several extraordinary powers, but he is a living, atomic-breathing creature, and his abilities, despite changing in every movie, are still more grounded than the arsenal of psychological weapons that Cthulhu has and can use. Lovecraftian horror centers on monsters beyond imagination, whose mere presence and perception is enough to drive witnesses mad. As an Elder God who exists on another plane of existence, Cthulhu is the ultimate immortal monster.
Godzilla's radiation is often the final resort weapon that is capable of mass destruction, but even this is not enough to destroy Cthulhu, who has the ability to regenerate. The great Old One also has mind-controlling powers, and a version of Godzilla under the control of such a disturbing entity could destroy the entire universe. This instantly makes Cthulhu a formidable enemy, both to Godzilla, and to the rest of the world if the two were to team up.
Kaiju
One of Pacific Rim's many kaiju would almost certainly last seconds in a battle with Godzilla, but they have a weapon that even the "King of the Monsters" has no way of getting or realizing unless he communicates with the human characters in the movie. The kaiju in the movie are a hive mind of cloned bioweapons from another dimension, sent as initial fighters to neutralize any threats in the dimension. As Godzilla would certainly count as a threat, after a few epic battles in which he comes out as the victor, the tables would turn.
The alien race who sent the kaiju have patience that can last for hundreds of thousands of years, so after the first wave of kaiju, thought to be the dinosaurs, failed to inhabit the Earth, the advanced aliens waited. It might take time for them to learn Godzilla's weaknesses, but time is something that they have in abundance, and after the hive mind shares the tried and tested methods used against him, Godzilla has next to no chance, especially in a multiple-kaiju breach.
Medusa
Greek mythology is not often kind to its female characters, with the legend of Medusa proving this better than any other. After Poseidon assaults Athena's priestess, she is punished for his actions, with Athena turning her hair into snakes and cursing her with a gaze that turns anyone who meets it to stone. Even in death, Medusa's curse still held, with Perseus killing her and using her severed head to destroy his enemies, including The Kraken.
With Medusa's head being capable of turning a Titan to stone, Godzilla would be no match for her, even with his most powerful weapons being linked to radiation. Godzilla's atomic breath is his signature weapon, and later hyper-charged versions made him even more formidable. Still, if Medusa was able to get near enough to look at him, he would be turned to stone before he could breathe, making a fight between them devastating, while extremely short-lived.
Clover
Known as Clover, the Cloverfield monster survived a nuclear blast, which instantly puts it in a surprisingly powerful position. Unlike many of Godzilla's other opponents, who have to rely on their skills outpacing his, or favorable conditions like an ocean fight, the fact that Clover is capable of surviving Godzilla's most powerful weapon makes a close-quarters battle almost inevitable. Godzilla's size has often changed, but he is usually higher than a skyscraper, while Clover is on another level.
|
Title |
Year |
Rotten Tomatoes critics' rating |
Rotten Tomatoes audience rating |
|
Cloverfield |
2008 |
78% |
68% |
|
10 Cloverfield Lane |
2016 |
91% |
79% |
|
The Cloverfield Paradox |
2018 |
22% |
41% |
The monster in the original Cloverfield movie was a lost baby, and yet it was roughly the same size as Godzilla, while its mother towered above the clouds, the size of an enormous mountain. Even the baby Clover could hold its own in a fight with Godzilla, but if its mother joins the fight, then Godzilla is almost certain to run in the opposite direction. This would be a wise move, as staying in one place could allow Clover's parasites to infect him with their toxic bite, potentially even making the parasites more powerful monsters than Godzilla.
Kronos
As the leader of the Titans, Kronos is gigantic, and could easily use his size to his advantage, because one of his other main weapons is surprisingly useless. Kronos' ability to control fire makes him a dangerous enemy to most, but while firestorms and lava could destroy Godzilla's physical form, it cannot destroy radiation, which is his primary weapon. This would mean that Kronos must close the distance between the two and fight in close quarters.
Kronos is a Titan, but these are not to be confused with the MonsterVerse Titans like Godzilla, who exist in another universe.
Godzilla became more of a character in later movies, but his original movie showed him as a slowly rampaging animal that it was impossible to escape. On the other hand, Kronos is more of a person, even while remaining monstrous, and he is capable of using and fighting with divine weapons, which gives him an even greater arsenal. Kronos would likely need a divine weapon that could distract or incapacitate Godzilla, before letting his fire abilities do the rest.
Movie(s) Godzilla, Godzilla 2, Godzilla 3, Shin Godzilla, Godzilla, Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla Minus One, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Godzilla Vs King Kong, Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., godzilla: monster planet, Godzilla vs. Gigan, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Godzilla: Final Wars, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla: The Showa Era Films, Godzilla vs. Biollante
Created by Tomoyuki Tanaka, Akira Watanabe
First Film Godzilla
Latest Film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
First Episode Air Date November 17, 2023
Cast Akira Takarada, Momoko Kôchi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell
The Godzilla franchise, spanning over six decades, follows the adventures of the titular kaiju, a colossal, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. Originating in Japan, Godzilla has evolved from a destructive force of nature to a protector of humanity, battling various other giant monsters, including iconic foes like King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla. The series explores themes of environmental destruction, nuclear anxiety, and human resilience. With numerous films, TV series, and an expanding universe, Godzilla remains a cultural icon, captivating audiences worldwide with its epic battles and compelling narratives.
English (US) ·