King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1962, King Kong vs. Godzilla is an action, comedy, fantasy and adventure film directed by Ishirō Honda, running about 97 minutes. “Will you win, Godzilla? Will you win, Kong? The battle of the century!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. The advertising director of Pacific Pharmaceuticals, frustrated with the low ratings of their sponsored TV program, seeks a more sensationalist approach. He orders his staff to Faro Island to capture King Kong for exploitation. As Godzilla re-emerges, a media frenzy generates with Pacific looking to capitalize off of the ultimate battle.

Who’s in it. King Kong vs. Godzilla stars Tadao Takashima as Osamu Sakurai, Kenji Sahara as Kazuo Fujita, Yû Fujiki as Kinsaburo Furue and Ichirō Arishima as Tako, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.8/10, King Kong vs. Godzilla has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $12.6M at the box office.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch King Kong vs. Godzilla page.

If you liked it. Fans of King Kong vs. Godzilla tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.