History Main / PrimateVersusReptile

*** ''Film/GodzillaXKongTheNewEmpire'': The trailers imply that Godzilla and Kong fight again, in Egypt this time, but also teaming up for the greater good. Kong is also shown being attacked by Shimo's --another reptilian kaiju-- Frost Bite Breath. The film ultimately becomes a ''double case'' of PrimateVersusReptile, as Godzilla and Kong team up against Skar King and Shimo, another ape-reptile duo.

* ''Franchise/PlanetOfTheApes: Colony'': The cover features a spear-wielding ape facing off against a scaled dinosaur.

*** ''Film/GodzillaXKongTheNewEmpire'': The trailers imply that Godzilla and Kong fight again, in Egypt this time, but also teaming up for the greater good. Kong is also shown being attacked by Shimo's --another reptilian kaiju-- Frost Bite Breath.

[[folder: Mythology and Religion]]
* Older than dirt: the proto-Indo-Europeans (a.k.a. "Kurgan-people") and neighborhood cultures have many tales, where the resident Stormgod figure (in some tales also the head-god) fight the "dragon", who stole the rainclouds or the waters "from the heavens". For example: Illuyanka and Tarhunz from Hittite mythology, Indra battles with Vrtra (Hyndu mythology), Zeus and Typhon, Heracles and the Hydra, Apollo and Python, Tistria and Apaosa (from the Avesta), Rustem and the Dragon (from the Sahname), Thor and Jourmungand, Beowulf and the dragon, Fráech and the sea monster (Táin Bó Fraích), Vahagn and the dragon Vishap from Armenia etc.
Later this Urtale are evolved as - in one line - battles between giants and dragons, and in another line finally (after the coming of Christianity/Islam/Buddhism) transferred to another tale and entirely different trope (Dragons and knight).

* ''WesternAnimation/Rugrats1991'': A variant in "[[Recap/RugratsS2E1ToyPalaceSandHo Toy Palace]]". When Tommy and Chuckie get locked inside the titular toy store, Tommy at one point accidentally turns on a life-sized doll of Thorg the ape, which chases him and Chuckie throughout the store. Tommy later manages to turn on a life-sized doll of Reptar the dinosaur, which pushes the Thorg doll into a Time Machine, which takes it to the time period where Washington crossed the Delaware River.

- Older than dirt: What do you think? That the tapbletop-writer's original ideas were the battles of giants ("gods") and dragons? The proto-indoeuropeans (the so called "Kurgan-people") - and of course,their many neighborhood cultures also -have many tales, where the resident Stormgod-figure (in some tales also the head-god) fight the " dragon", who stole the rainclouds or the waters "from the heavens". For example: Illuyanka and Tarhunz from Hittite mythology, Indra battles with Vrtra (Hyndu mythology), Zeus and Typhon, Heracles and the Hydra, Apollo and Python, Tistria and Apaosa (from the Avesta), Rustem and the Dragon (from the Sahname), Thor and Jourmungand, Beowulf and the dragon, Fráech and the sea monster (Táin Bó Fraích), Vahagn and the dragon Vishap from Armenia etc.
- Over time the story deterioted and some elements are forgotten: The - prone of violent acts, but benevolent - storm-gods became "giants" and "rulers of the mountains peaks"(where at the roots the dragon hidden the waters), and weather-controller Fair Folks (in the Balkans). The "dragons" (Our dragons are different) were transformed into "lesser" forms of reptiles.
- Or birds! For example some mythology the original "dragon" is a migthy/evil bird: the Sumnerian/Akkadian Anzu-bird, the Gryphon/"Great Eagle" in Scythian mythology, the battle between the dragon and the griffin from The Voyage of St. Brendan, where the classic dragon became the allegorical"storm god."
- And after Christianity/Islam/Buddhism etc. arrived the trope became: Dragons and Knights.

[[quoteright:300:[[Film/{{KingKongVsGodzilla}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kkvg1962promotional.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:It's fur vs. fang in the ultimate [[UltimateShowdownofUltimateDestiny evolutionary grudge match!]]]]

** ''Film/KingKong1933'': The titular ape fights a ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (called "the Meat-Eater" in the script), a serpent-like plesiosaur and a [[TerrorDactyl giant pterosaur]].

** ''Film/KingKong2005'': The film ups the stakes by Kong fighting not one, not two, but ''three'' Tyrannosaurs (named Vastatosaurus in this film, [[TRexpy a fictional genus that is supposed to be the descendant of Tyrannosaurus]]).

*** ''Film/KongSkullIsland'': Kong is presented as a benevolent protector of the island, fighting off the reptilian monsters called Skullcrawlers who prey on smaller creatures, including humans.
*** ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'': Kong clashes not only with the Big G himself ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin as implied by the title]]), but also with several flying snake-monsters, which are called "[[NonIndicativeName Warbats]]" according to supplementary material. Unusual for this trope, Kong and Godzilla are both heroes in this continuity and only clash due to a LetsYouAndHimFight situation brought about by [[spoiler: Mecha-Godzilla]]. That said, Kong is still treated much more sympathetically by the narrative, with the director calling him the [[Film/{{Rocky}} Rocky Balboa]] to Godzilla's Apollo Creed.

* ''Literature/InvadersFromTheBigScreen'' have you coming across a giant ape fighting an [[TheGreatSerpent equally-huge snake]] in the monster film storyline. As both monsters are blocking your way through the jungle, you can choose to help the ape via PepperSneeze, and it helps you escape the movie world in exchange.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' has an event match wherein [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Bowser]] and Franchise/DonkeyKong (both appearing ''much'' larger than normal) fight on Fourside, an ''VideoGame/EarthBound''-themed skyscraper stage -- an obvious homage to ''Film/KingKongVsGodzilla''.

* ''Literature/TheAtomicTimeOfMonsters'' inverts the usual dynamic by having the fire-breathing [[PrehistoricMonster retrosaur]], Tyrantis, be TheHero, with the [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinetic]] [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti sasquatch]] Promythigor as a TragicVillain. Furthering the {{Irony}} is that between the two, the simian Promythigor is the Godzilla equivalent in that he was scarred by unethical military technology and is associated with violent explosions, while Tyrantis, despite being based on a vintage TRexpy, is more like Kong, being a sweet-natured prehistoric beast characterized by his friendship with Dr. Lerna, the human heroine. The author later [[https://tyrantisterror.tumblr.com/post/652163147071930368/tyrantis-roams-the-earth-cope-william-david clarified]] that this contrast was intentional: because the "less" human Tyrantis has basic needs that make him easier to handle, he is more benign than the "more" human Promythigor, whose greater intelligence results in a self-centered, destructive mindset that makes him the greater threat.

* ''Literature/TheAtomicTimeOfMonsters'' inverts the usual dynamic by having the fire-breathing [[PrehistoricMonster retrosaur]], Tyrantis, be the protagonist, with the [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinetic]] [[BigfootSasquatchAndYeti sasquatch]] Promythigor as a TragicVillain. Furthering the {{Irony}} is that between the two, the simian Promythigor is the Godzilla equivalent in that he was scarred by unethical military technology and is associated with violent explosions, while Tyrantis, despite being based on a vintage TRexpy, is more like Kong, being a sweet-natured prehistoric beast characterized by his friendship with Dr. Lerna, the human heroine. The author later [[https://tyrantisterror.tumblr.com/post/652163147071930368/tyrantis-roams-the-earth-cope-william-david clarified]] that this contrast was intentional: because the "less" human Tyrantis has basic needs that make him easier to handle, he is more benign than the "more" human Promythigor, whose greater intelligence results in a self-centered, destructive attitude that makes him the greater threat.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'': A variant in "[[Recap/RugratsS2E1ToyPalaceSandHo Toy Palace]]". When Tommy and Chuckie get locked inside the titular toy store, Tommy at one point accidentally turns on a life-sized doll of Thorg the ape, which chases him and Chuckie throughout the store. Tommy later manages to turn on a life-sized doll of Reptar the dinosaur, which pushes the Thorg doll into a Time Machine, which takes it to the time period where Washington crossed the Delaware River.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': In the "Daffy Duck: The Wizard" Merrie Melodies music video, Daffy is seen watching a battle between a giant gorilla and a ''T. rex''.
* ''WesternAnimation/Primal2019'': "[[Recap/Primal2019E5RageOfTheApeMen Rage of the Ape-Men]]" has a fight between the [[FrazettaMan ape-man]] warrior Krog [[spoiler:who is under the effect of a strength-inducing serum that turns him into a KingKongCopy]] and the tyrannosaurus Fang. The roles are very much inverted, as Fang is sympathetic and one of the protagonists, whereas Krog is the cruel champion of the evil ape-men.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'': In the Merrie Melodies segment, "The Wizard", Daffy is seen watching a battle between a giant gorilla and a ''T. rex''.

* ''Fanfic/TheBridge'': The story sets this up but subverts it as far as the two Godzillas of the [=1990s=] and the ''Film/MonsterVerse'' King Kong.
** Godzilla Junior ends up on Skull Island for a year and meets Kong early on, but his docile nature and attempt to protect several Iwi from a skullcrawler means Kong doesn't register him as a threat. Junior actually takes a shine to Kong and begins copying him from a distance, and over time Kong warms up to him as a sort of pupil.
** Godzilla Senior comes to Skull Island to reclaim his lost son and is fully prepared to attack Kong when he sees the ape near his adoptive child. King Kong registers him as a threat and is prepared to attack to protect his island and pupil, but Junior manages to defuse the situation.

** ''Film/KingKong1933'': The titular ape fights a ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (called "the Meat-Eater" in the script), a serpent-like plesiosaur and a [[PteroSoarer giant pterosaur]].