As it turns out, that does seem to be the case, as director Adam Wingard has posted an image on Instagram that seemingly confirms the leak to be true, embracing the unexpected reveal. While it’s unfortunate that the leak happened at all, it does seem that the team, or at least the director, is a good sport about the whole situation, and doesn’t mind that the surprise has been spoiled.

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Speaking of spoilers now would be the time to click away for those who want to go into the movie fresh, as an article about leaks must discuss the leaks themselves. So for those who missed it: a few weeks ago a leaked image was posted featuring a Godzilla vs. Kong toy of none other than Mechagodzilla, a powerful robotic nemesis to Godzilla and longstanding fan-favorite villain. The villain made his debut in 1974’s Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla as an alien invader before being reimagined as a man-made weapon for future appearances.

The packaging on the toy, as well as its very existence, seemed to hint strongly that Mechagodzilla would appear in Godzilla vs. Kong with the box reading, “Re-enact your favorite scene from the Godzilla Vs Kong movie!” From there, it isn’t much of a leap to suggest that Mechagodzilla will be a surprise villain that forces Godzilla and King Kong to work together, rather than have a definitive victor in the lizard vs. gorilla showdown.

If all that isn’t enough to convince people, look no further than the director’s own Instagram page, where Wingard posted a picture of himself with a Mechagodzilla toy, along with the caption, “The cat’s out of the bag!” It’s about as definitive of confirmation as one can expect, so Godzilla fans can look forward to the legacy character’s re-introduction when Godzilla vs. Kong finally debuts on HBO Max.

Of course, the exact details of his appearance and role in Godzilla vs. Kong are subject to speculation, so fans can still spend some time arguing over the precise mechanics of his role in the story. At least until the film finally makes its way to audiences everywhere.

Godzilla vs. Kong releases March 31st in theaters and on HBO Max.

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Source: Adam Wingard/Instagram