The Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire teaser trailer reversed the biggest theory about the movie’s villain. Ever since Godzilla vs. Kong’s release, there’s been all sorts of ideas about the identity of the next MonsterVerse antagonist. Due to the size of Godzilla’s rogues’ gallery, there was no shortage of suitable candidates for the role.

Of course, some stood out more than others. The direction taken by the MonsterVerse, combined with hints from the sequel’s synopsis, helped narrow down the possibilities. It made sense that if the monster in question isn’t an original Titan, the creature would be one of the villains from Godzilla’s previous movies. Gigan, Biollante, SpaceGodzilla, and even Hedorah all felt like logical options at one point or another. Arguably the theory that picked up the most steam was the one pertaining to SpaceGodzilla – and for good reason. But the...