The King of the Monsters has had an enduring 72-year legacy, with various eras marking pivotal changes.

“Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is finally here. And with it the sound and fury of a bunch of giant monsters, led (of course) by Godzilla and Kong, muscling for dominance over the human world.

Godzilla has been a mainstay in cinema ever since the irradiated monster’s debut in 1954. Forty years later, the Japanese film icon is arguably more popular than ever thanks to Universal’s ...