One of the biggest movies to ever film in rural Utah has just wrapped up production in Moab — the only U.S. city featured in the movie.
Production began July 21 across Grand and San Juan counties. Moab has hosted seven to eight production crews so far this year.
“It’s been a strong season for film in Moab,” said Bega Metzner, Moab to Monument Valley Film Commission director. “We’re really seeing some pretty amazing results.”
While the production team has tried to keep the title under wraps, Screenrant and other entertainment-based organizations have revealed the title and it has been confirmed.
The film, with the working title of “Zeus,” is actually “Godzilla x Kong: Supernova” with a release date in 2027. Producers chose Moab for its “beautiful landscapes [and] the look of the town,” according to Leann Emmert, supervising location manager.
Production filmed in downtown Moab on July 30. Metzner noted that the team didn’t replace any of the local signage.
The movie features actors who come from well-known shows and movies. Kaitlyn Dever, who starred in season two for “The Last of Us,” is starring in the movie. Jack O’Connell was the main antagonist in the critically acclaimed movie “Sinners.”
“They’re not changing the signage on Main Street,” Metzner said. “That’s very rare for a film to come into the town and not have it be another place. So if one of the businesses is going to be seen, then it will be seen for what it’s called.”
Local impact
Eric McLeod, a producer and former Moabite who graduated from Grand County High, advocated for production to hire locally. About 70 Moabites were cast as extras and 20 local crew members were hired — including two 2024 Grand County High school graduates.
During a July 22 Moab City Council meeting, Metzner said she was unsure if the movie would use Moab as the city’s name in its fictional universe. But Mayor Joette Langianese told The Times-Independent that on the day of filming, production specifically requested four city police cars.
“The producers really want Moab to be kind of seen in the movie,” Langianese said. “So, they actually requested police cars that [read] Moab Police Department on them.”
Moab Garage Co. is also featured in the film. Production filmed a scene inside the shop and according to Langianese, there are also scenes outside with the coffeeshop’s name shown.
Metzner noted that “whatever they were filming, whatever is caught on camera as a business … if it makes the movie cut, then it’ll be in the movie as those businesses.”
Moab Garage co-owner Ryan Bird said the professionalism shown and the positive interactions were great.
“The boost in the economy for those couple of days was really beneficial, especially in what is one of the slowest times of the season,” Bird said. “So that was very great.”
The local economic impact of the film is estimated to be $3.9 million in the 10 days production took place in Moab. The team stayed in six hotels, equating to 2,060 room stays. Of the six hotels, four reported generating about $534,000 in lodging revenue, collectively.
Langianese said this kind of filming helps diversify Moab’s economy.
“Having movies come to our community and our landscape, it’s just such a great diversification of our economy,” Langianese said. “… Tourism is our main economy and we try to diversify in every way that we can.”
All city councilors and Grand County commissioners were invited on set the day of filming. However, Langianese couldn’t make it because she was in Salt Lake City for business meetings.
Langianese, however, was on set for “Horizon: An American Saga” last year and reminisced how proud she felt not only then, but how proud she feels now.
“It’s a pretty cool feeling to be out there with these big producers and directors … and our city and our landscape in the back,” Langianese said. “It just makes you feel pretty proud and knowing that that’s going to be up on the big screen.”
A hurdle the city had to get over was waiting to see if the Utah Department of Transportation would allow the close down of Main Street for the movie. Moab has historically had parades on Main Street, such as the Electric Light Parade and Homecoming parade, but Langianese said UDOT is now “hesitant” to close down Main Street because commerce relies on transportation.
The last Red Devil Homecoming Parade on Main Street was in September 2021.
“We’ve got to make sure that the vehicles and the trucks can get through town as fast as possible because that’s part of their [UDOT’s] mission,” Langianese said. “So we were really anxious. We didn’t know if they were going to allow it or not.”
If UDOT turned down the request to close the highway, then the production would have filmed in Green River, according to Langianese.
“[We were like] ‘No, no, no, we want to do it at Moab, it’s got to be in Moab,’” Langianese said.
Local ends up being more than an extra
Sasha Scherzinger, executive administrative assistant to City Manager Michael Black, ended up with a bigger part than expected. She auditioned to be an extra, but was picked by production for a more substantial role. She can’t share details yet, but was on set for four days at Fossil Point, more famously known as Thelma and Louise Point at Dead Horse Point State Park.
“It was genuinely meaningful to me, even though it wasn’t like a lead role or anything like that; it was exciting to be part of the production and to contribute in any way,” Scherzinger told The Times-Independent. “It made me feel involved in something that’s pretty big [to] our small little town here.”
Scherzinger was not on set the day production filmed downtown. Production didn’t want “any confusion” if she, or others who had significant parts were seen on camera for the downtown scene, according to Scherzinger.
Langianese believes it makes everyone in town “feel a little bit more special” when locals are cast in these big blockbuster movies. Metzner called the experience “absolutely thrilling.”
“It felt like after so many months of preparing this with local involvement and with studio involvement … for me … nothing like this has ever happened,” said Metzner. “Moab Main Street and Highway 191 has never been shut down completely for filming.”
“Hundreds of movies have been filmed and commercials, reality shows, short films and documentaries,” Metzner continued. “I mean [it’s an] endless history of filmmaking.”
During filming, sidewalks stayed open to pedestrians, which Metzner said was exciting for tourists.
Utah State Rep. Logan Monson, whose District 69 includes Grand County, said this project was made possible by the Rural Utah Film Incentive Program. He added legislators aim to renew the program during the 2026 legislative session.
“This is a really big deal as far as what can be done and how to move forward on creating opportunities like this,” Monson said. “I think it’s a good opportunity for Moab. Specifically, they have a good setup as far as just the locals, the businesses [and] tourism.”
Note to readers • Lizzie Ramirez is a Report for America corps member covering local government and tourism in Grand County for The Times-Independent. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by clicking here.
