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Last seen becoming friends with the Titan we know as Godzilla, Millie Bobby Brown’s Madison Russell is currently one of the leading human characters in the MonsterVerse. Through her role in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Madison became a central figure in understanding and advocating for the lizard god, and that role persists in Godzilla vs. Kong. However, in director/fan Adam Wingard’s entry in this struggle of Titans, there’s has been a bit of a change in Brown’s character and how she operates.
I was recently able to speak with Millie Bobby Brown, as well as several of her Godzilla vs. Kong co-stars, and chatting with a returning veteran of the MonsterVerse meant it was time for reflection. In this case, looking at how Madison Russell changed from first time marveling at the beauty of Titans beside her mother in Godzilla: King of the Monsters was a subject of interest. It’s not every day that a family like the Russells struggles with their home life against the backdrop of gigantic monsters wrecking Boston, and that experience has changed Millie Bobby Brown’s character in the following sense:
She’s changed quite a bit. Her mother passed away, so she’s just trying to kind of carry on her belief system, which is preserve nature, take care of your environment, take care of the animals in it. So she’s really taking that seriously, that role, and she’s almost trying to become her mother again.
You can see this change almost immediately in Godzilla vs. Kong’s narrative, as the film doesn’t waste time reintroducing us to the surviving Russell family. After an initial attack from Godzilla wrecks a facility belonging to the shadowy Apex Cybernetics, Madison clashes with her father Dr. Mark Russell (Kyle Chandler) over whether he’s really done a heel turn on humanity. Mark is naturally skeptical of the supposed scaly savior, because people and Titans can change.
However, much like her late mother, Madison Russell isn’t ready to write off her side of the Godzilla vs. Kong fight card. As such, Millie Bobby Brown gets to be a driving force behind that half of the story’s action, with her trust squarely set in would-be sidekicks Julian Dennison’s Josh Valentine and Brian Tyree Henry’s Bernie Hayes. What they discover throughout the duration of their Godzilla vs. Kong adventure is truly unbelievable, but also something that only Brown’s character could help uncover.
It’s at this point that I’d be remiss not to mention how Godzilla vs. Kong is a sort of junction point for the future of the MonsterVerse. No clear plan has been announced to the public as to where the potential franchise might head next, and in these sorts of movies, the human roster isn’t always guaranteed to return, even if they do survive. When’s the last time you heard the name Ford Brody?
While Madison Russell does get to progress through Godzilla vs. Kong, it may be the final time we’ve seen this character at work. At least, that’s how it sounded when speaking to Millie Bobby Brown about what was so interesting about returning to her Godzilla: King of the Monsters protagonist. In fact, her exact words were as follows:
It was really nice to come back to her, just being able to finish off that character feels right to me, to kind of continue to evolve Madison.
If Millie Bobby Brown has indeed concluded her time in the role of Madison Russell, Godzilla vs. Kong is certainly a fantastic button to put on such a tenure. Without spoiling anything, Madison goes on one hell of an adventure and proves herself to be as tenacious and capable as her parents before her. Should this be her swan song, you can be sure Brown’s character will be one that is definitely mentioned in the continuing history of the MonsterVerse.
Which just means that folks who want to see more of Millie Bobby Brown’s character, or even more MonsterVerse action, will need to get out there and support Godzilla vs Kong. The film is now running both in various theatrical formats, as well as on the HBO Max platform through April 28, so there’s plenty of ways to get this adventure into your life. However, if you’re not an HBO Max subscriber and would like to see the battle from the ringside seats in your living room, check out the six month prepaid discount being offered to newcomers to the platform! It’s what Godzilla and Kong would want you to do.
