History MythologyGag / GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019

If you read ahead, you are assumed to have already watched the movie. Beware of unmarked spoilers.

* In the novelization, the Sudan-based military forces try to halt Mokele-Mbembe by luring him into a makeshift electric fence made of high-tension wires, without much success. [[Film/Godzilla1954 This goes all the way back to the Godzilla franchise's beginning]].

* Ghidorah is found under Antarctica, similar to how his [[Film/GodzillaMothraKingGhidorahGiantMonstersAllOutAttack Millennium incarnation]] is found in an ice cave.
* In a FreezeFrameBonus, you can see that Castle Bravo's anti-Titan weapons are Masers, the go-to option in the Toho films. Colonel Foster's profile on the official Monarch site also name-drops them as one of her expertise areas.
* Rodan is found sleeping in a volcano. In ''Film/{{Rodan}}'', the two Rodans seemingly perish on the side of an erupting volcano, and one is revealed to have survived in ''Film/GhidorahTheThreeHeadedMonster''.
* In a similar vein, Rodan being [[ElementalPersonalities tied to fire]] basically makes him Fire Rodan from ''Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzillaII'' (minus the BreathWeapon).
* The [[Film/Godzilla1954 Oxygen]] [[Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah Destroyer]] returns as a military-developed weapon designed to kill Godzilla. However, it's delivered by missile here, while a schematic shows that, within the missile, the Oxygen Destroyer consists of that same capsule with a central-sphere design that it sported in its original incarnation. It also ''fails'' to kill Godzilla this time around.
* Dr. Emma Russell discovered a way to communicate with the Titans, which may be a reference to Miki Sagusa and the Psychic program in the Heisei series. She also mentioned that said communication involves a bioacoustic process, much like how the [[WesternAnimation/TheGodzillaPowerHour Hanna-Barbera cartoon]] had the crew of the Calico summon Godzilla using a sonar device.
** The Calico itself can be seen in a FreezeFrameBonus in the background right after the final battle, [[https://i.redd.it/kr8deynjqv041.jpg amongst the wreckage of Boston]].
** The concept of sound being used to MindControl the kaiju to the human-like and/or [[spoiler:extraterrestrial]] antagonists' desires harkens back to ''Film/InvasionOfAstroMonster'', as does the idea that [[spoiler:such sound can in turn be used by the heroes to disrupt the control]].
* The idea of having the human villains of the movie be terrorists isn’t too far off from the Red Bamboo in ''Film/EbirahHorrorOfTheDeep'', only here they’re shown to be eco-terrorists instead of being vague about their villainy.
* In the finale Ghidorah targets Madison after working out she's connected to the Orca device. This isn't the first time Ghidorah was a bit of a child hater. In ''Film/RebirthOfMothra3'', he specifically kidnapped many children with the intention of eventually eating them.
** Also like his ''Film/RebirthOfMothra3'' counterpart, this Ghidorah is an AncientEvil that can fire lightning bolts from his wings, and has a HealingFactor.
* In the novelization, Mothra is stated to be worshipped under the name "Mosura" on an Indonesian island, confirmed to be Infant Island in a FreezeFrameBonus of the movie, and that some myths about her depict similar but destructive moth deities, a reference to [[Film/GodzillaAndMothraTheBattleForEarth Battra]]. Dr. Ling Chen and her twin sister are a reference to the Shobijin -- being directly descended from a lineage of Mothra's priestesses, all of whom are twin sisters, and being revealed in the novelization to share an almost mystical connection to the moth goddess.

* ''Film/GodzillaVsDestoroyah'':
** After being supercharged by Serizawa's nuke, Godzilla starts undergoing a PhlebotinumOverdose with the main characters scrambling to evacuate before he self-destructs.
** Godzilla's SuperMode is him covered in flames and glowing red lines in his skin whilst radiating super-intense heat, akin to his Burning Godzilla meltdown form. Said SuperMode is also referred to as Godzilla entering "critical mass," a nod to the game ''[[VideoGame/PipeworksGodzillaTrilogy Godzilla: Unleashed]]'' where monsters could undergo a similar transformation of the same name.

** Monarch's official scientific designation for Godzilla is Titanus Gojira. Gojira is the official Japanese name for Godzilla.
** Mothra's scientific designation is Titanus Mosura, with Mosura being the official Japanese name for Mothra.
* The Titans Scylla and Methuselah are based on Toho kaiju Kumonga and Anguirus respectively. In the case of Scylla this is given an even bigger nod by having her emerge in Arizona, which is where Kumonga appeared in ''Film/GodzillaFinalWars''.

* Misanthropic humans (or at least humanoids) seeking to use the monsters icluding chiefly King Ghidorah to terraform Earth to their liking connects with the [[Film/InvasionOfAstroMonster Xiliens]]. However, in this film's case, Ghidorah having its own agenda and the misanthropes in question being unable to control it seems to be a TakeThat at the previous incarnations' [[DemotedToDragon Demotion to Dragon]] and VillainDecay.
* Similarly, a misanthropic researcher unleashing kaiju in revenge against humanity's destruction of the Earth mirrors Goro Maki's deliberate awakening of Godzilla in ''Film/ShinGodzilla''.

* The concept of eco-terrorists unleashing King Ghidorah (and the main female member of the team having a change of heart) calls back to ''Film/GodzillaVsKingGhidorah'', though with a more faithful-to-the-original version of Ghidorah (and without the time travel).

* [[Film/Godzilla1954 In order to save millions of lives, Serizawa must make a]] [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice]] [[Film/Godzilla1954 by locating Godzilla under the ocean, and detonate a man-made superweapon at his location]]. The difference is that in the original film, it was to ''defeat'' Godzilla with the Oxygen Destroyer. In the film, it's to ''save'' him from the Oxygen Destroyer with a nuclear warhead.

* During the final fight, King Ghidorah strangles Godzilla with one of its heads, causing Godzilla to foam at the mouth. This happened as well in ''Film/GodzillaVsKingGhidorah'' during their first encounter.

* [[Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters1956 Steven Martin]] is credited as the author of an article about a second Mothra egg discovered by Monarch.

* In the climax, Godzilla gets Mothra's blue-colored life force as a boost to finally take down Ghidorah. He's gotten a power boost in the form of blue energy before back from Ozaki to take down Keizer Ghidorah in ''Film/GodzillaFinalWars''.
* One of the Titans, Leviathan, is in Loch Ness, implying that it's the origin of the Loch Ness Monster legend. Toho actually nearly made a kaiju film staring Nessie in 1978 in co-production with Film/HammerHorror and got far enough into production for posters to be made. Nessie also appears in ''WesternAnimation/GodzillaTheSeries.''
* One of the unseen Titans is the Yamata no Orochi, which, aside from being a multi-headed mythological dragon, is indeed a real Toho kaiju (which has only faced Godzilla in manga/comics), partly the inspiration for King Ghidorah, and in at least [[Film/GodzillaMothrakingGhidorahGiantMonstersAllOutAttack one continuity]], the same species as King Ghidorah.
* The opening credits are literally a sound-for-sound remake of the opening credits for the original ''Film/{{Godzilla|1954}}'' film.
* The primary movie poster (seen on the main page) has Godzilla tangled up in Ghidorah's necks as they fight in a manner highly reminiscent of the iconic poster for ''Film/GodzillaVsKingGhidorah''.
* The Monarch outpost where Mothra's egg was kept is Outpost 61, a reference to the year of her debut, the 1961 film ''Film/{{Mothra}}''.
** Likewise, Rodan was supervised from Outpost 56. He debuted in the 1956 film ''Film/{{Rodan}}''.
** Outpost 54, [[UnderwaterBase aka Castle Bravo]], is the Monarch HQ and the place where we get our first look at Godzilla himself (not counting the prologue). Godzilla debuted in the 1954 film ''Film/{{Godzilla|1954}}''.
** Kong is monitored from Outpost 33. He debuted in the 1933 film ''Film/{{King Kong|1933}}''.
** Ghidorah was sealed in the ice at Outpost 32. However, he debuted in the 19'''64''' film ''Film/GhidorahTheThreeHeadedMonster''. That being said, it actually has ''two'' references: 32 is half of 64, and the titular alien in the horror film ''Film/{{The Thing|1982}}'' (another story about a world-threatening monster [[HumanPopsicle frozen in the ice]] of MysteriousAntarctica) terrorized a facility called Outpost '''31'''.
* Godzilla’s plates make a pounding sound when they light up, specifically a sound originally used for the final, weakening heartbeats of King Kong in ''Film/KingKong1976''.
* The Osprey which arrives at the Castle Bravo base is called "Raptor-One," which was the name of a gigantic modified Osprey in the Random House novel ''[[Literature/{{Godzilla}} Godzilla 2000]]'', and filled a similar role that the Argo does in this film.
* Several times throughout the film, Godzilla lets out his roar from the 1960s and 1970s, as opposed to his modernized roar.
** Mothra's roar is modified from her usual roar in the Toho films.
** Just before Ghidorah lands in Fenway Park, he lets out the infamous trill his Showa counterpart uses while flying. A few moments after he and Godzilla lock up in the ensuing battle in Fenway Park, Ghidorah briefly lets out part of [[Film/GodzillaVsKingGhidorah his Heisei counterpart]]'s roar.
** When Rodan briefly challenges Godzilla at the end of the film, he lets out a modified version of his classic Toho screech.
* The concept of a JerkWithAHeartOfGold protagonist who starts off wanting Godzilla dead for killing his family, and experiences CharacterDevelopment towards accepting Godzilla is the Earth's ally, calls to mind Haruo Sakaki in ''Anime/GodzillaPlanetOfTheMonsters'' and [[Anime/GodzillaCityOnTheEdgeOfBattle its]] [[Anime/GodzillaThePlanetEater sequels]]. Although viewers generally agree Mark is significantly less {{jerkass}} than [[BaseBreakingCharacter Haruo]].
* Ghidorah's ApocalypseHow turning Earth into a DeathWorld for humans and being compared by the humans to HostileTerraforming also seems like a reference to Godzilla Earth's Apocalypse How in ''Planet of the Monsters''. Ironically, Godzilla Earth's apocalypse was GaiasVengeance whereas Ghidorah's apocalypse in this film is anything but.

* After usurping Godzilla's position as Alpha, Ghidorah perches himself on a volcano while regenerating his lost head and calling to the other Titans, with a cross present in the wide-shot. This bears a resemblance to a shot from ''Film/GhidorahTheThreeHeadedMonster'' (which marked Ghidorah's first appearance) where he's rampaging across Japan, and is imposed over a ''Torii'' gate. It accomplishes the same thing as well, namely showing his alien, borderline demonic nature.

* In a FreezeFrameBonus, you can see that Castle Bravo's anti-Titan weapons are masers, the go-to option in the Toho films.

* The film's Stinger [[Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzillaII isn't the first time]] a Ghidorah incarnation's remains have been dredged up post-defeat from the sea floor by humans for further use, with the camera placing emphasis on the space hydra's head.

* In a similar vein, Rodan's being tied to fire basically makes him Fire Rodan from ''Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzillaII'' (minus the BreathWeapon).

* The film's Stinger [[Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzillaII isn't the first time]] a Ghidorah incarnation's remains have been dredged up post-defeat by humans for further use, with the camera placing emphasis on Ghidorah's head.

** When Rodan briefly challenges Godzilla at the end of the film, he lets out a modified version of his classic Toho screech.

* The Monarch outpost where Mothra was stationed in is Outpost 61, a reference to the year of her debut, the 1961 film ''Film/{{Mothra}}''.
** Likewise, Rodan was stationed in Outpost 56. He debuted in the 1956 film ''Film/{{Rodan}}''.
** Godzilla was stationed in Outpost 54. He debuted in the 1954 film ''Film/{{Godzilla|1954}}''.
** Kong is stationed in Outpost 33. He debuted in the 1933 film ''Film/{{King Kong|1933}}''.
** Ghidorah was stationed in Outpost 32. However, he debuted in the 19'''64''' film ''Film/GhidorahTheThreeHeadedMonster''. That being said, it actually has ''two'' references: 32 is half of 64, and the titular alien in the horror film ''Film/{{The Thing|1982}}'' was stationed in a facility called Outpost '''31'''.

** Just before Ghidorah lands in Fenway Park, he lets out the infamous trill his Showa counterpart uses while flying. A few moments after he and Godzilla lock up in the ensuing battle in Fenway Park, Ghidorah briefly lets out part of [[Film/GodzillaVsKingGhidorah his Heisei counterpart]]'s roar.

* Misanthropic humans (or at least humanoids) seeking to use the monsters to terraform Earth to their liking connects with the [[Film/InvasionOfAstroMonster Xiliens]], similarly misanthropic humanoids who use kaiju to wreak havoc on humanity in preparation for terraforming.

* Mothra (or another of her species) being revealed to be NotQuiteDead post-credits after her HeroicSacrifice against Ghidorah is similar to her doing the same in ''Film/GodzillaFinalWars''.

** Additionally, in the aftermath of the Oxygen Destroyer strike on Godzilla, dozens, if not hundreds of fish that had been boiled alive float to the ocean's surface, which could easily be an allusion to Nick's infamous line: "That's a lot of fish."

* The [[Film/Godzilla1954 Oxygen]] [[Film/GodzillaVSDestoroyah Destroyer]] returns as a military-developed weapon that [[spoiler:almost kills Godzilla]]. On top of that, though it's delivered by missile, a schematic shows that, within the missile, the Oxygen Destroyer consists of that same capsule with a central-sphere design that it sported in its original incarnation.
* According to actress Vera Farmiga, her character Dr. Emma Russell has discovered a way to communicate with the Titans, which may be a reference to Miki Sagusa and the Psychic program in the Heisei series. She also mentioned that said communication involves a bioacoustic process, much like how the [[WesternAnimation/TheGodzillaPowerHour Hanna-Barbera cartoon]] had the crew of the Calico summon Godzilla using a sonar device.
** The Calico itself can be seen in a FreezeFrameBonus in the background right after [[spoiler: the final battle, [[https://i.redd.it/kr8deynjqv041.jpg amongst the wreckage of Boston]]]].

** Also like his ''Film/RebirthOfMothra3'' counterpart, this Ghidorah is an AncientEvil that can fire lightning bolts from his wings, [[spoiler:and has a HealingFactor]].
* In the novelization, Mothra is stated to be worshiped under the name "Mosura" on an Indonesian island, confirmed to be Infant Island in a FreezeFrameBonus of the movie; and that some myths about her depict similar but destructive moth deities, a reference to Battra. [[spoiler:Dr. Ling Chen and her twin sister are a reference to the Shobijin -- being directly descended from a lineage of Mothra's priestesses, all of whom are twin sisters, and being revealed in the novelization to share an almost mystical connection to the moth goddess.]]

** After being [[spoiler:supercharged by Serizawa's nuke, Godzilla starts undergoing a PhlebotinumOverdose with the main characters scrambling to evacuate before he self-destructs]].
** Godzilla's SuperMode is him covered in flames and glowing red lines in his skin whilst radiating super-intense heat, akin to his Burning Godzilla meltdown form. Said SuperMode is also referred to as Godzilla entering "critical mass," a nod to the game ''Godzilla Unleashed'' where monsters could undergo a similar transformation of the same name.

* Misanthropic humans (or at least humanoids) seeking to use the monsters to terraform Earth to their liking connects with the Xiliens, similarly misanthropic humanoids who use kaiju to wreak havoc on humanity in preparation for terraforming.

* The idea of a scientist teaming up with an evil force out of vengeance against the world isn’t too far off from ''Film/TerrorOfMechagodzilla'', in which Dr. Mafune teams up with a powerful menace to destroy the world. The only difference is that it’s eco-terrorists instead of aliens and the Mafune character in question, [[spoiler:Emma Russell]], makes a HeroicSacrifice not too different from Mafune’s daughter, Katsura, as a way to help Godzilla defeat the monster. Bonus points to the fact that it was a life changing tragedy that lead to their team ups.[[note]] Mafune because of the death of his wife and daughter (the latter of whom was rebuilt as a robot), and [[spoiler:Emma with the death of her son Andrew and the implied broken relationship between herself, her daughter Maddie and ex-husband Mark]][[/note]]
* The concept of eco-terrorists unleashing King Ghidorah ([[spoiler:and the main female member of the team having a change of heart]]) calls back to ''Film/GodzillaVsKingGhidorah'', though with a more faithful-to-the-original version of Ghidorah (and without the time travel).

* When Ghidorah [[spoiler: regenerates his left head after it got ripped off, as it grows back there's a few seconds where his lower jaw is split before it fuses. In some concept art of Ghidorah for ''Film/RebirthOfMothra3'', he was portrayed with a split jaw]].
* [[spoiler:[[Film/Godzilla1954 In order to save millions of lives, Serizawa must make a]] [[HeroicSacrifice sacrifice]] [[Film/Godzilla1954 by locating Godzilla under the ocean, and detonate a man-made superweapon at his location]]. The difference is that in the original film, it was to ''defeat Godzilla'' with the Oxygen Destroyer. In the film, it's to ''save him'' from it with a nuclear warhead]].

* In the underwater city you can briefly see the skeleton of another Titan. These bones have been confirmed by WordOfGod to be those of Anguirus, or at least one of his species.
* A nuclear sub is sent to the bottom of the ocean to [[spoiler:nuke Godzilla to empower [[Film/GodzillaVsKingGhidorah him to defeat King Ghidorah]]. Of course this time it goes far better for the sub and the humans.]]

* In an odd sense, there's one to the ''[[Film/Godzilla1998 1998 movie]]'' when [[spoiler:Serizawa walks to Godzilla to touch his snout as the Kaiju King is lying down, similar to what Nick did to Zilla when he first appears.]]
** Additionally, in the aftermath of [[spoiler:the Oxygen Destroyer strike on Godzilla, dozens, if not hundreds of fish that had been boiled alive float to the ocean's surface, which could easily be an allusion to Nick's infamous line: "That's a lot of fish."]]

* When all seems lost for Godzilla in his final battle against King Ghidorah, [[spoiler:Mothra sacrifices herself so her atomized remains and life energy are absorbed into Godzilla's body, which revives him, grants him his "Burning" SuperMode, and provides him with the brand new Nuclear Pulse ability]]. In ''Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzillaII'', when Mechagodzilla has [[spoiler:destroyed Godzilla's hind brain and paralyzed him, a fatally-injured Rodan sacrifices ''himself'' so Godzilla absorbs ''his'' lifeforce, which regenerates him and provides the brand new, red-colored, Spiral Heat Ray]].
** [[spoiler:Her "death," TakingTheBullet from one kaiju for another, also evokes a similar scene in ''Film/GodzillaMothraKingGhidorahGiantMonstersAllOutAttack'', only with Mothra dying, and Godzilla and King Ghidorah's roles reversed.]]

* Another blink and you miss it moment, Monarch's official scientific designation for Godzilla is Titanus Gojira.
* Mothra (or another of her species) [[spoiler: being revealed to be NotQuiteDead post-credits after her HeroicSacrifice]] against Ghidorah is similar to her doing the same in ''Film/GodzillaFinalWars''.

* The opening credits are literally a sound-for-sound remake of the opening credits for the original ''[[Film/Godzilla1954 Godzilla]]'' film.

** Godzilla was stationed in Outpost 54. He debuted in the 1954 film ''[[Film/Godzilla1954 Godzilla]]''.
** Kong is stationed in Outpost 33. He debuted in the 1933 film ''[[Film/KingKong1933 King Kong]]''.
** Ghidorah was stationed in Outpost 32. However, he debuted in the 19'''64''' film ''Film/GhidorahTheThreeHeadedMonster''. That being said, it actually has ''two'' references: 32 is half of 64, and the titular alien in the horror film ''Film/TheThing1982'' was stationed in a facility called Outpost '''31'''.

* The Osprey which arrives at the Castle Bravo base is called "Raptor-One", which was the name of a gigantic modified Osprey in the Random House novel ''[[Literature/{{Godzilla}} Godzilla 2000]]'', and filled a similar role that the Argo does in this film.

* Godzilla’s plates make a pounding sound when they light up, specifically a sound originally used for the final, weakening heartbeats of King Kong in ''Film/KingKong1976''.

* In an odd sense, there’s one to the ''[[Film/Godzilla1998 1998 movie]]'' when [[spoiler:Serizawa walks to Godzilla to touch his snout as the Kaiju King is lying down, similar to what Nick did to Zilla when he first appears.]]

* Godzilla’s plates make a pounding sound when they light up, specifically a sound originally used for the final, weakening heartbeats of King Kong in Film/KingKong1976