Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Godzilla characters have yet to return to the MonsterVerse, though there have been hints about their fates.

Neither Elizabeth Olsen nor Aaron Taylor-Johnson returned to the MonsterVerse following their appearance in Godzilla 2014, but what became of the Brodys? It’s hard to believe it took until 2014 for producers to crack an American Godzilla movie, but following the failure of Roland Emmerich’s ’90s adaptation, the King of the Monsters needed a time-out. It feels like the kaiju has never been more popular, with TV series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and Toho outing Godzilla Minus One keeping him busy in 2023.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire will also see him team up with his former foe in 2024. The cartoonish spectacle of the recent Godzilla/Kong movies feels far away from the almost mournful tone of Gareth Edward’s Godzilla, which kicked off the franchise. This treated the titular monster as a force of nature almost indifferent to the plight of mankind – and all the more terrifying for it. Godzilla 2014 cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson as soldier Ford Brody, who helped fight back against the MUTOs while trying to return to his wife and son.

Elizabeth Olsen’s Godzilla Character Never Appeared In Another MonsterVerse Movie

The Brodys have yet to return to the MonsterVerse

On the flipside, Ford’s wife Elle Brody (Elizabeth Olsen) was a nurse, so viewers got a ground-level view of the destruction being wrought by the titans. Sadly, Olsen didn’t get much to do in Godzilla, outside of awed reaction shots, with Elle, Ford and their son Sam (Carson Bolde) reuniting during Godzilla 2014’s ending. While the movie was often visually spectacular and laid the groundwork for future entries, the lack of character development in its leads was definitely an issue.

Ford was a bland protagonist, while the shock death of his father Joseph (Bryan Cranston) was cited as a big problem during Godzilla’s reviews. Joseph was practically the lead during the movie’s first act, with the actor himself having just wrapped up the acclaimed Breaking Bad.

Trailers for the movie made it appear Cranston had a much bigger role, with the acting bringing genuine emotion to the part. Once Joseph is 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed off, neither Ford nor Elle felt like engaging characters. This is partly why neither Taylor-Johnson nor Olsen returned for future Godzilla movies – at least, not yet.

Everything We Know About Ford & Elle Brody After Godzilla 2014

Ford Brody got a big namecheck in King of the Monsters

It almost felt like a given the Brodys wouldn’t return for 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters, with the sequel shifting focus to Monarch instead. During an interview with SlashFilm, director Michael Dougherty revealed there was never a plan to bring the Brodys back, as he felt their story had been told. It was more exciting to follow scientists instead of soldiers.

As much as I enjoyed the adventure that he had in the first film, to me the more interesting characters were Serizawa and Graham and the Monarch scientists working behind the curtain. I’d much rather be the scientists who get to study the creature versus the soldier who has to fight them. I thought it was more complicated and nuanced to explore scientists as heroes versus yet another blockbuster that focuses on soldiers or superheroes. So I really wanted to shift it to the eggheads going on this adventure together. I also feel like after the events of the first film, chances are Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen got off the grid and lived in a wilderness as far away from monsters as possible and there was no way you could convince them to come back for another adventure.

Dougherty makes a logical point about the Brody clan following Godzilla. Ford spent the entire movie desperately trying to get back to his family but getting sucked into the fight against the kaijus. In the finale, he blows up a MUTO nest and barely escapes with his life following the last showdown between Godzilla and the MUTOs.

Having lost both parents to the kaiju mess and barely making it back to his family in one piece, it makes sense Ford would take Elle and Sam and retreat into the “wilderness” to live a peaceful life. Plus, there’s little reason he would personally be called back to the fight.

While the Brodys aren’t mentioned directly in any MonsterVerse movie follow-ups, in King of the Monsters, there is a battleship named the USS Brody. This was an honor given to Ford following his actions in San Francisco (via X/Twitter) and this confirms Brody was viewed as a hero in the aftermath of the MUTO attack.

Will Elizabeth Olsen & Aaron Taylor-Johnson Ever Return To The MonsterVerse?

What does the future hold for the Brody family?

The MonsterVerse movies have moved on from the Brodys, and there’s little sign they will return; this might be mutual for the actors too. During a 2023 Variety chat with Taylor-Johnson, the star revealed that despite appearances in Godzilla and Avengers: Age of Ultron, he “… didn’t really care for them” and decided to focus on his family instead. Of course, he’s since returned to big budget projects like Bullet Train or 2024’s Kraven the Hunter, though it would probably take some convincing to get him back for a Godzilla sequel.

Elizabeth Olsen hasn’t commented negatively on her Godzilla appearance but noted in 2023 that after so many years in the MCU, she was ready to take a break and focus on smaller projects (via Variety). This could mean steering clear of blockbusters for a little while, which would rule out a Godzilla (or MonsterVerse) outing in the near future. Stranger things have happened, but it doesn’t look like the Brodys will make a triumphant MonsterVerse return anytime soon.