GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 1 “GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE” By PALAEONTOLOGICA The character "Godzilla" owned and created by Toho Co., LTD. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 2 “Men may sail the seas for a lifetime and seldom, if ever, come in contact with the nightmare monsters that inhabit the caves and cliffs of the ocean floor.” William Outerson EXT SAN FRANCISCO – DUSK It’s night. The city is on fire , disrupting the inky blackness of the cloudy night and replacing it with an eerie, orange glow. The few buildings left standing are badly damaged, and in the background , we hear the eerie WAIL S and CLICKS of the giant, multi - limbed beasts that caused most of this. MARK RUSSELL ( 54) looks around, his expression one of horror. MARK (shouting) ANDREW! There’s no reply. Nearby, Mark’s wife EMMA (46) stands, watching the scene in horror, tightly clutching her daughter MADISON (8). MARK (again) ANDREW ! VOICE ( weakly ) Dad ... Mark turns to the left, only to see ANDREW ( 10 ) , covered in debris from a building which collapsed nearby. He runs over and begins desperately trying to dig Andrew out of the rubble. MARK (frantic) Andrew ... don’t move a muscle, I’m gonna get you out, okay? Emma covers Madison’s eyes as she watches -- she knows what’s happened. Andrew isn’t moving any more. She turns and looks in another direction, and squints as she sees what looks like a series of red trails coming from the clouds above. Her eyes shift so she’s looking below them, and we see the huge form of a giant reptile, clashing with one of the insectoid beasts — the smaller one, with wings. We hear a deafening ROAR, and we FADE IN: GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 3 I NT. RUSSELL LIVING ROOM – DAY We see a shot of an older Emma Russell drinking a coffee, and it becomes clear that what we just saw was a flashback. As she flicks through the channels, we hear and see fragments of news reports. REPORT ER Thousands gathered in the Bay area last night to honour the victims of the 2014 attacks. Part of a wave of memorials and protests, demanding that the secretive cryptozoological organization Monarch be held accountable. REPORTER 2 The recent spike in mass die - offs in the world ’ s oceans could be caused by efforts to locate and track the creature known as Godzilla, which hasn’t been sighted in over five years. REPORTER 3 The mysterious organization dubbed Monarch will face another intense grilling as the government continues to push for the extermination of all of the creatures informally known as hyperfauna. Rumours persist that Monarch may be hiding even more creatures discovered since the attacks of 2014, a historic tragedy that changed the world as we know it forever — the day the world discovered that monsters are real. We see Emma turning off the television, and reaching across the table to look at a plastic case with a Monarch logo on it. She smiles, an almost proud expression overtaking her face. INT. RUSSELL DINING ROOM – DAY We see a shot of a teenage Madison pushing some schoolbooks aside and placing her laptop on the table. She puts in her earphones and starts scrolling through her emails. Besides countless emails from media outlets such as The New Scientist , Scientific American and National Geographic , we see a single email that stands out — it’s from her father, Mark. It says something along the lines of: GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 4 “Hey Madison, haven’t heard from you guys in a few months. Hope you’re having fun. Here’s a few pics of the wolves I’ve been studying lately. Aren’t they cute?” She smiles as she reads the short message and scrolls th rough the images. Among the m is a selfie Mark took — he seems to have aged worse than the rest of them. Maddie starts typing a basic response: “Sorry I haven’t written back. I miss you. But there’s something I want to talk to you about.” She glances into the living room, and then she continues: “I’m getting worried about Mom." While she’s thinking, we hear a shrill RINGING noise — it’s the smoke detector Maddie turns around, and then she sees smoke rising from above the oven. MADDIE Oh shit, shit, shit ... She copies what she’s written so far, closes the email, and gets up. Grabbing some tongs, she p ulls a burnt bacon rasher off t he stove, then another. They’re just strips of charcoal now. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Emma walking i nto the room. EMMA Maddie? Maddie reaches over and tentatively places the burnt bacon rasher on the plate, then she reaches up to turn the fire alarm off. MADDIE Good morning! (sheepishly) I ... I made us breakfast! EMMA Oh, God. MADDIE It’s toast and eggs. The black bits ... were bacon. Emma glances offhandedly at the laptop, but she doesn’t realize what Maddie was doing. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 5 EMMA What were you working on? MADDIE (quickly) Nothing. I was just scrolling through my emails. Emma’s expression indicates that she doesn’t buy it at all. Realizing she’s been beaten, Maddie sighs. MADDIE I got an email. From Dad. At first, Emma’s expression is one of alarm, but then she seems to relax She pulls out one of the tables and sits down. EMMA Have you responded? MADDIE (sighing) Not yet. There's a certain stillness in the air for a while, a fleeting moment of total silence which seems to make both of them uncomfortable. EMMA Honey ... I just don’t want to see you get hurt. MADDIE I know. EMMA Especially with everything that’s going on right now. MADDIE Mom, I know. Really. The uncomfortable silence returns , and now Emma tries a different approach. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 6 EMMA (softly) Listen. I know things haven’t been easy for you, but we’re gonna get through this. Together. MADDIE (beat) Are you sure he’s gonna be all right? EMMA He’s in the safest place he can be right now. There’s a nother pause , and Emma looks as if she’s trying to remember something. She remembers , and looks back up at Maddie. EMMA Wanna hear some good news? I finished it. Maddie looks confused for a second, but then she looks down at the case her mother’s set on the table , and realizes. MADDIE Really ? Emma nods, a proud expression overtaking her face yet again, as Maddie looks expectantly. MADDIE You think it’s gonna work? Emma gets back up, lifting up the case as her self - satisfaction grows. EMMA It will The building begins to shake, the lamps clattering , the windows rattling, and a small photo frame falling over on the table. It seems like a regular earthquake at firs t , but then we hear a faint SCREECHING sound. Emma seems to immediately understand what’s happening , and she stays calm. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 7 EMMA It’s gonna be okay. Emma’s two - way radio suddenly comes to life in a burst of STATIC, and we hear a man’s voice on the other side. MAN Dr. Russell, we need you in containment. Emma seems a little disoriented at first, but then she regains her composure and looks at Madison. She picks up the radio. EMMA (into radio) On my way. She puts on her jacket and wa l ks out of the room, shooting Madison a questioning glance. MADDIE (smirking) Of course I’m coming. Emma gives her daughter a proud smile as the grabs the suitcase , its contents still unknown, and they begin to walk out. EXT. YUNNAN PROVINCE – DAY We see a shot of an immense temple, superficially resembling the Mexican Temple of Kukulcán , looming in the rainf orest. SUPERIMPOSE: MONARCH OUTPOST 61 Yunnan Rainforest, China There are small buildings surrounding the temple, and we see vehicles driving up to it. INT. ANCIENT CORRIDOR - DAY We see a shot of the inside of the temple. Emma and Maddie are walking along — the latter’s looking absolutely spellbound in the background, while Emma’s walking with the resident entomologist, TIM MANCINI (42 ) EMMA What the hell happened? GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 8 MANCINI No idea. She was sleeping like a baby until an hour ago, then her radiation levels went through the roof. Almost like something triggered it. EMMA Thanks, Tim. I’ll take it from here. Why don’t you get some rest? MANCINI No way. Sleep or no sleep, I’m not missing this. While they’re talking, Maddie takes the opportunity to have a quick look at some parts of the hallway. She notices a pair of scientists in protective gear, analy s ing an engraving which seems to depict a gia nt insect. She turns around, realizes that Emma and Mancini are still walking, and runs to catch up. INT. OBSERVATION CENTRE – CONTINOUS They walk into a new room, with scientists frantically running around, gathering equipment and reading data. Maddie’s eyes are drawn immediately to a large, glowing SHAPE in the very centre. It’s GLOWING, and there are scientists surrounding it. MAN (O.S.) (over intercom) Containment team, move into primary p osition. As Maddie stares, her mother continues to speak to Mancini. EMMA Did you try sedatives? MANCINI No effect. It’s almost as if ... this thing wants to be born. We CUT TO a shot of one of the hazmat suit - wearing scientists by the giant egg. The egg begins pulsating, and the guy looks on in obvious awe. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 9 MAN (O.S.) (over intercom) Emergency protocol is in effect. Ten seconds to final hatching. EMMA (walking up to Maddie) The time has come The top of the egg begins to deform, the thin layer of chorion which covers it stretching as whatever’s inside slowly begins to HATCH. With a final JERK, the largest insect pupa on Earth bursts out of the sac. T hose around her collectively gasp as the glowing entity slowly turns around, her blue compound eyes staring at whatever she can see, all at once MANCINI Meet Lumin opter yx pulchra , or as we like to call her ... Mothra. We hear a faint CLICKING noise as Mothra looks around, regarding the humans with wide, curious eyes. EMMA Incredible ... We hear a button clicking in the background, followed by a short announcement over the intercom. WOMAN (O.S.) (over intercom) Activating containment grid Mothra lets out a low CHITTER, and then the containment field forms around her, forming an electromagnetic cage of sorts. The giant pupa looks around, first in confusion, and as she realizes what the lights are, the room is bathed in an ominous red, but as she contemplates her next move, the lights flicker off with a low WHIRR. Emma Russell turns around, looking simultaneously confused and horrified. EMMA What’s happening? GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 10 MANCINI Something’s really wrong here. The containment systems are failing, perimeter alarms are going off - - the whole network’s going insane. EMMA How is that possible ? MANCINI Emma, I think someone else is doing this. Mothra lets out a deafening SCREECH, and all eyes turn to her once again. Emma realizes what’s about to happen, and she pulls her radio out of her pocket. EMMA (into radio) Containment teams, stand down. I repeat, stand down. L. pulchra is agita t -- But the warning comes too late, and Mothra began frantically whirling around, smashing equipment, trying to figure out a way out -- any way out. Someone fired a shock rifle, and Mothra just froze, staring with a blank expression at them. She cocked her head to the side, a gesture which universally conveys a single message: “You shouldn’t have done that.” Anchored to the spot by her prolegs, Mothra’s true legs -- shaped like blades -- come down mere inches from the man Her initial attempt at repulsion only manages to terrify the soldiers, who are now firing more shock rifle upon shock rifle at her. Her mandibl es part in a display of aggression, and her spinnerets unleash a cloud of SILK, slamming into men at high speeds and pinning them to whatever surface they’re against. Some of the soldiers start running, but Mothra catches up within seconds, and as one of them falls over, she GRABS him by the leg and tosses him into the wall of the temple , pinning him to the wall with more silk. Emma watches the scene in horror, but then she sees Mancini reaching for a red button -- t he one to terminate Mothra -- and she rushes forwards to stop him. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 11 EMMA NO! MANCINI Dr. Russell, I’m sorry, but you know the protocols , we have to terminat — EMMA I’ll handle this. Emma grabs the suitcase and begins walking purposefully towards Mothra, but she’s stopped by Maddie. MADDIE Mom, do -- EMMA Madison, stay here. It’s going to work. Emma pulls out a keycard, puts it in the card reader, pulls the door open and shuts it after her, and as the second door opens -- INT. CONTAINMENT – CONTINUOUS -- she finds herself face - to - face with Mothra, who by this point is both pissed - off, confused and afraid. Emma looks at the giant pupa with horror, an d she starts to slowly walk closer. EMMA (softly) It’s okay ... Mothra sinks down, her body SLAMMING into the catwalk ahead, her gaze fixed on Emma. The entire temple SHAKES as she does so, but Emma manages to regain her balance. Mothra rears up, emitting a low CLICKING sound. Emma slowly bends over until she’s on her hands and knees, pulling the briefcase open and revealing a complex device, with buttons and panels lining it. She turns on the device while Mothra watches, her curiosity s lowly returning, her anger still raging , as -- -- the device turns on with a loud PINGING noise. Emma looks up hopefully, but now Mothra seems even more pissed - off, firing GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 12 another volley of silk right at Emma, though she misses. Emma tries another frequency, with the same result. INT. OBSERVATION CENTRE – CONTINOUS Maddie watches the scene in horror as Mothra fires silk at her mother once again. MADDIE MOM! Instinctively, she snatches Mancini’s key card from around his neck and begins running towards the door MANCINI Maddie, wait! Maddie pushes the key card against the keypad, the door opens, she flings it open and shuts it behind her, with Mancini banging on the door and trying to get her to open it again. INT. CONTAINMENT – CONTINOUS Emma tu rns around as she hears the door open, and sees Maddie rushing out , while Mothra CLICKS in the background. EMMA MADDIE, GO BACK! Maddie doesn’t listen, and she keeps running as Mothra’s head snaps up to face her, mandibles splaying open again. Maddie tries to grab hold of her mother and pull her back, but Emma’s determined, and she keeps scrolling through different frequencies even as Mothra rears up yet again. She slowly advances forwar ds, emitting a deafening BELLOW, and by the time the words “ALPHA FREQUENCY FOUND” appear on the device, she’s only a few dozen metres away. As Emma presses the button , her eyes screwed shut as Maddie clings on for dear life -- -- the giant pupa stops, and the room is slowly bathed in the same blue glow as before. Mothra begins to pull back again, cocking her head with the same curiosity as before. Her prior aggression is now nonexistent. Mothr a lets out a low CHITTER as Emma and Maddie look up, astounded by how quickly the giant bug’s mood has changed. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 13 INT. OBSERVATION CENTRE – CONTINOUS By now, a sizeable crowd has gathered by the viewing area, watching the scene. Mancini stares ahead, his exp ression a mixture of relief and sheer excitement. MANCINI It worked ... Through the window, we see Mothra slowly leaning down to look at Emma and Maddie. INT. CONTAINMENT – CONTINOUS Mothra bends over, her sharp legs tucked safely away, and exhales right in Maddie’s face. The giant pupa’s breath obviously stinks, but it seems as if Maddie doesn’t mind as she tentatively reaches out and actually touches Mothra. It almost seems as if she hadn’t almost killed someon e two minutes ago INT. OBSERVATION CENTRE – CONTINOUS Mancini and the other scientists watch the scene, apparently entranced by the surreal sight confronting them -- then, there’s a huge EXPLOSION , knocking them over. A group of people with GUNS walk in, SHOOTING at everything and everyone they see. INT. CONTAINMENT – CONTINOUS Emma and Maddie duck down , and Mothra seems immediately agitated again, and begins SCREECHING. INT. OBSERVATION CENTRE – CONTINOUS Out from the dust cloud walks one MAN (73) in particular , flanked by four mercenaries. Mancini raises his hand in horror, hoping beyond hope that he won’t get shot -- and the man simply raises his gun and SHOOTS Mancini in the head at leas three times , SHATTERING the glass separating the observation centre and the containment facility. INT. CONTAINMENT – CONTINOUS Emma and Mad die begin freaking out as the glass shatters, and the man simply stares at them from the observation deck. His gaze is cold, empty -- like that of a shark. He looks down at the device, now laying at Emma and Maddie’s feet, and as he looks back up at them, he smiles. INT. SENATE HEARING CHAMBER, WASHINGTON – DAY The room is full of politicians and scientists, gathered around a large space with tables and chairs. Sitting on one GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 14 side are ISHIRO SERIZAWA (60) and VIVIENNE GRAHAM (43) -- sitting on the other side are three people that are very obviously S enators. Standing by a projection screen is SAM COLEMAN (37). COLEMAN What we are witnessing here, Senators, is the return of an ancient and forgotten super - ecosystem Godzilla, the Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms, the giant fauna of Skull Island. We believe that these “ hyperfauna” and others like them provide an essential balance to our world , and that they have the potential to maintain certain ecosystems And while some may pose a threat, Monarch is uniquely prepared to determine which of these hyperfauna are here to threaten us, and which of the m are here to protect us. SENATOR WILLIAMS Thank you for the history lesson, Mr. Coleman. But we still haven’t heard one good reason why Monarch shouldn’t fall under military jurisdiction or why these creatures shouldn’t be exterminated. Coleman walks back to his seat. Serizawa glances at one man in particular, WILLIAM STEN Z (70). SENATOR WILLIAMS (CONT’D) Monarch was tasked with finding and destroying these radioactive monsters But you either can’t or won’t tell us how many there are, or why they’re showing up. So, maybe it’s time for the military to put them down. SERIZAWA To kill them would be a grave mistake They returned because of us. It was our atomic testing that awoke Godzilla. Other creatures like the MUTOs and Cranium reptant emerged because of from strip mining and seismic surveys. But these are not mons ters T hey are animals, rising to reclaim a world that was once theirs. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 15 SENATOR WILLIAMS It almost sounds as if you’re protecting them, Dr. Serizawa. As if you admire them. SERIZAWA I admire all forms of life. He stands up. SERIZAWA Senators, if the human race is to survive, we must find ways to coexist with hyperfaunal species. Such as Godzilla VIVIENNE (speaking up) A sort of commensalism -- or maybe even a symbiotic relationship. SENATOR WILLIAMS So, you want to make Godzilla our pet ? SERIZAWA (scoffing) No. We would be far more likely to be his. Everyone in the entire room seems to laugh at this, whether out of genuine amusement or because they think Serizawa has lost the plot. SAM (stuttering) Uh, no -- no , actually. That’s not what Dr. Serizawa meant. Nobody’s implying that we would be Godzilla’s -- or anyone’s ... Suddenly, Vivienne gets up, followed by Serizawa. They begin walking to the door, as Vivienne gives Senator Williams a n off - hand glance. VIVIENNE Sorry, we need to go. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 16 SENATOR WILLIAMS Dr. Graham, Dr. Serizawa, this hearing is not adjourned. (pause) Dr. Serizawa! I hope you understand the consequences of walking out of that door. Serizawa and Vivienne walk out of the door. Sam watches, astounded, but he quickly turns towards the large presentation screen and presses a button. SAM Uh, you know what, Senators? While I confer with my colleagues here, I’m gonna set you up with a very brief and pretty fun documentary on hyperfaunal evolution I think this is the one without the technical jargon but if not, you can leave a comment with m y assistant. SENATOR WILLIAMS Hold on a minute, Mr. Coleman. If your operations at Monarch fail, and for whatever reason you cannot kill or control the hyperfauna ... we have our own means of dealing with them. Now slightly unnerved, Sam awkwardly runs out of the room, following Serizawa and Vivienne. The Senators, especially Williams , don’t know exactly what to say. EXT. COLORADO FOREST – DAY The scene was a blood y one. The wolves tore the bloodied carcass to pieces, their snouts encrusted with gore, both fresh and dried. We CUT TO a shot of a man photographing them with a large camera , with a large microphone and speaker, with headphones, lying next to him. As he lowers the camera , we see that it’s MARK RUSSELL (59). He looks just like he did in the photographs The wolves suddenly scatter, followed by an almost imperceptible sound. Looking to the left, Mark sees a V - 22 Osprey approaching. He’s obviously hoping it’s just passing over, but instead of doing that, it actually lands just twenty metres away from him. As the camera FOCUSES on the logo on the Osprey -- that of Monarch -- Mark looks both confused and disgruntled. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 17 As the Osprey lands, Sam, Serizawa and Vivie nne walk out of the back. Mark looks even more confused than he did before. INT. LAKESIDE CABIN – DAY We see a photograph of Emma and Maddie being forced along a corridor by at least two men with guns , shown on a monitor held by Vivienne Graham. VIVIENNE The feed cuts out there. The survivors haven’t been able to give us much more than what the footage allows -- only that Emma and Madison were the only ones taken. SERIZAWA (softly) I’m sorry. MARK (confused) Survivors? I’m sorry, how ... how the hell are there any survivors after that? Vivienne presses another part of the screen, and an image taken on a CCTV camera shows up. It depicts Mothra. VIVIENNE Luminopteryx pulchr a -- we call her Mothra , because, well, she’s a giant lepidopteran Or, at least, her pupa. She’s part of an unknown species of insect found in the Yunnan Province -- extremely large , and fully capable of defending herself. She pinned a few soldiers to the walls, and the attackers couldn’t get past her. There’s a pause, as Mark lets everything sink in. MARK I should’ve been there for them. (beat) Who are they? VIVIENNE We don’t know yet. We believe ... (gesturing at the CCTV image) ... they were after this. GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 18 Mark stares intensely at the device on the image -- it’s the one that Emma had in her suitcase. MARK (angrily) You didn’t ... SAM It’s the ORCA We think it’s why they need Emma. She believed if we could somehow replicate the low - frequency waves which the hyperfauna use to communicate -- MARK (angrily) I know what the hell it is. I helped build the prototype -- (looking at Sam ) Who the hell even is this guy? SA M Uh, Sam Coleman. Head of Technology. I joined Monarch shortly after you left. I always admired Emma Russell’s work. Mark looks to the side, fuming and confused, but then he realizes something. MARK Hang on. Emma and I destroyed the prototype VIVIENNE And then Emma decided to rebuild it after San Francisco. She went home to Boston, spent years developing it. She thought it could help -- MARK Help what? Play God? VIVIEN NE No, help prevent another attack. MARK The ORCA was a grad - school science project It was meant to keep whales away from the shoreline, not so GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 19 you could talk to your little creatures out there. Listen to me -- t hey’ll think it’s one of them. You use the wrong frequency on any one of ’em, and you’re gonna be responsible for a thousand San Franciscos. SERIZAWA Which is why we need to get it back. Emma always said no one knew the ORCA better than you. MARK It shouldn’t even exist SAM That may be so, Mark, but it’s fallen into the wrong hands. And right now the ORCA is the only thing keeping Emma and Madison alive Mark turns around and walks over to the window, trying to figure out exactly what to make of all of this. SERIZAWA Which i s why we need to get it back. Emma always said no one knew the ORCA better than you. VIVIENNE I know you’re hurting, Mark. If we find the ORCA, we’ll find your family. I promise. Mark turns around again, contemplating all of his options, and after a few seconds, he nods. We FADE IN to: AERIAL SHOT: EXT. OSPREY – LATER The imposing form of the Osprey bursts through the cloud layer, its twin rotors rapidly beating to keep the tiltrotor aloft. INT. OSPREY – CONTINOUS Mark sits quietly in the Osprey, thinking. Vivienne nods to Serizawa, then she shifts along a couple of scenes and sits down next to Mark. VIVIENNE How are you holding up? GODZILLA: MONSTER APOCALYPSE 20 Mark doesn’t reply, he just stares, trying to figure out whether to speak up or say absolute ly nothing. VIVIENNE You could always yell at us more if it will make you feel any better. Mark smiles a little. MARK It’s ... it’s good to see you again, Vivienne. VIVIENNE (smiling) I know you were a good friend to Emma after the divorce. (beat) When’s the last time you actually spoke to her? MARK About three years ago. After San Francisco, we went back home to Boston ... tried to put the pieces back together. Emma dealt with it by doubling down on saving the world, and I ... I started drinking. ( sighing) I can’t tell you how much I hate myself for letting Maddie see me that way. Vivienne doesn’t say anything. She just smiles, sympathetically. SAM Uh ... do you mind if we cut in here? Mark just shrugs. SAM (CONT’D) It’s just ... you’re gonna wanna see this. Sam sits down in the chair opposite Mark and hands him a tablet. On it is a complex diagram -- of the ORCA. Blueprints, detailed 3D models -- or x - rays? -- of hyperfaunal vocal apparatus, audio graphs ...