Netflix, HBO Max fighting bigger battle then Godzilla and Kong

Forget Godzilla vs. Kong, there's an even bigger battle said to be going on between the streaming services for the fourth movie in Legendary's MonsterVerse.

Legendary's upcoming monster film, "Godzilla vs. Kong," is the latest high-profile Hollywood movie that is likely heading to a streaming service.

According to a new report from The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix has submitted a bid of $200 million USD for the streaming rights to the upcoming Legendary Pictures film, although WarnerMedia is trying to hold off and block the deal so it can instead debut the movie on its own streaming platform, HBO Max.

WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar and Warner Bros. chairman Ann Sarnoff are directly involved in plans to bring "Godzilla vs. Kong" to HBO Max while also bringing the film to theaters.

As the fourth film in the franchise, which currently includes 2014's Godzilla, 2017's Kong: Skull Island and 2019's Godzilla: King of Monsters, the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong will pit the two beasts head on against each other for the very first time in the joined monster universe. The upcoming sequel, directed by Adam Wingard, promises to take the film series to the "next-level" with an all-star cast made up of Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, and Rebecca Hall.

Despite Netflix funding 75 percent of its budget and Warner Bros. only having 25 percent stake, the release rights of the movie are still controlled by the latter. It's currently slated for a theatrical release on May 21, 2021, although the situation regarding the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and cinema closures remain uncertain.

Regardless of whether the film ends up on Netflix, HBO Max, or elsewhere, the reported negotiations indicate that streamers consider high-profile film acquisitions to be of key importance during the coronavirus pandemic.