Legendary Entertainment opens its first theme park attraction this month with "Kong x Godzilla" at Seoul's Lotte World on July 24. The immersive ride represents the studio's long-awaited entry into location-based entertainment, a venture James Ngo, Legendary's executive VP of franchise management, prioritized since joining the company nine years ago.
The attraction capitalizes on the monster franchise's global momentum, particularly following the success of "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," which grossed over $196 million worldwide in 2024. Rather than simply licensing its IP to third parties, Legendary chose to develop and execute the experience directly, giving the studio creative control over how audiences interact with its crown jewels.
Theme park rides based on film franchises have become increasingly valuable revenue streams for studios. Universal's Harry Potter lands generate billions annually. Disney leverages its Marvel and Star Wars properties across multiple parks worldwide. Legendary's decision to build its own attraction signals confidence in the Kong and Godzilla properties while diversifying beyond traditional theatrical distribution.
The Seoul location at Lotte World, one of Asia's largest amusement parks, positions Legendary strategically in a market hungry for blockbuster IP experiences. South Korea's entertainment infrastructure and tourism draw made it an ideal launch pad. Success here could pave the way for additional "Kong x Godzilla" attractions globally or inspire Legendary to develop rides around other franchises like "Dune," "Pacific Rim," or "The Dark Universe" properties.
Ngo's emphasis on the experience being "extremely immersive" suggests Legendary invested in cutting-edge technology, likely blending practical effects, projection mapping, and motion simulation to recreate the cinematic spectacle fans expect from the monster films. The ride presumably puts guests in the middle of Kong and Godzilla's conflict, offering escap