Adam Wingard on Leaving ‘Godzilla x Kong’ Sequel: “The Best Decision I've Ever Made"

Adam Wingard tells TheWrap that after the last "Godzilla" movie, he and Legendary were deep into a third one — he'd already started filling the script with Easter eggs teasing another return.

And then he bailed.

Wingard got cold feet, despite his last Godzilla, "The New Empire," being the highest-grossing Godzilla film in the franchise's 70-plus years ($564M), and that’s despite mixed reviews. Wingard is the guy who delivered that. He was coming back. He walked anyway — because he wanted to make the R-rated "Onslaught," and he no longer wanted to commit to IP filmmaking.

He calls the decision — which surely came with saying no to a massive paycheck — a "Sophie's Choice" moment.

His verdict now that "Onslaught" is in theaters? "The best decision I've ever made."

And the reasoning is the most interesting thing in the interview. Wingard says that since "The Guest" — 2014, for those keeping score — he's been "working under other people's stylistic rules." "Blair Witch." "Death Note." Two monster movies. He thinks audiences lost track of who he actually was as a filmmaker.

Two other things happened along the way: he became a father, and he got hit by a car while crossing the street during work on "Face/Off 2." Which is a hell of a way for the universe to make a point. The takeaway he landed on: "Every project for me now has to be a legacy movie."

So "Onslaught" is the corrective. "I wanted to do a film that really solidified what an Adam Wingard movie is." Not a #1 opening. His words, not mine. And #1 he surely did not get as “Onslaught” has been mightily struggling at the box office, and with critics, having only grossed $2M in 10 days.