Big is back! From Pacific Rim to Kong: Skull Island, giant monsters have returned to wreak havoc in American cinemas. Giant monsters have always thrilled American audiences. From King Kong to Godzilla, the giant beast, whether menacing New York, or destroying Tokyo, has become an oddly beloved mainstay of movies. Over time however, the giant monster movie, with its man-in-suit rubber monsters and questionable story elements were relegated to B-movie and kids' fare. Undeterred and quite obviously in-love with icons like Mighty Joe Young, Mothra, Jet Jaguar, Megalon, the Ymir, and The Gwangi, modern directors like Guerillmo Del Toro, J.J. Abrams, and Peter Jackson have all taken their unconventional shots at the conventional giant monster movie, all with arguably improved production values. Independent films like Monsters and Colossal have used giant monsters to tell more thoughtful, human stories. Our panel will discuss the big and little budget returns of the giant monsters into American film making, highlight the best of the genre, and discuss the significance of the genre to the current culture.