MoreGodzillais on the way. The Japanesekaijufranchise, which follows the titular giant irradiated lizard either wreaking havoc or defending humanity from other giant monsters, kicked off in 1954. It has since expanded to include 33 Japanese-languageGodzillamoviesand five English-language installments (the majority of which are part of Legendary’s Monsterverse, which also includesKong: Skull Island). Toho has produced and distributed every Japanese installment, most recently the 2023 smash critical and commercial hitGodzilla Minus One.
Via theGodzilla OfficialX account, Toho has now announced thata newGodzillamovie has been greenlit. The movie will once again be spearheaded byGodzilla Minus Onewriter, director, and VFX supervisor Takashi Yamazaki. The announcement was made via a short video posing as an emergency SOS message, underscored by an urgent snippet of one of the iconic musical themes for the franchise composed by Akira Ifukube. See their post below:
What This Means For Godzilla
Godzilla Minus One Could Be Getting A Direct Sequel
It is perhaps only natural that a new JapaneseGodzillamovie would come after the success of theGodzilla Minus Onebox office. In addition to earning a Certified Fresh, near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 99% and becomingthe first movie in the franchise to win an Academy Awardwhen it took home the Best Visual Effects Oscar, it was a smash hit, grossing $116 million against its roughly $15 million budget. It is also the highest-grossing Japanese movie of all time at the domestic box office at the time of writing.
Godzilla Minus Oneis the third highest-grossing foreign language movie overall in North America, behindLife is BeautifulandCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
However, it is unclear if the new movie will take place immediately afterMinus Oneon theGodzillatimeline. While the return of Yamazaki makes it likely that it will be a direct sequel, following up on the promise of the titularkaiju’s return from the end of the 2023 movie,Toho has not made a direct sequel to any live-action movie in the franchise since 2003, when director Masaaki Tezuka followed 2002’sGodzilla Against MechagodzillawithTokyo S.O.S.
Our Take On The New Godzilla Movie
The Seed For The Story Has Already Been Planted
Should the newGodzillamovie indeed be a directMinus Onesequel, that would be a very welcome prospect. The 2023 movie, which was already unusually character-focused for the franchise,laid the foundation for a devastating and dramatic continuing storyafter the miraculous survival of Noriko Ōishi (Minami Hamabe) was undercut by the reveal of a black mark on her skin that could be interpreted as radiation poisoning or the character being infected with G-cells, either of which could have huge implications on the sequel.
Source:Godzilla Official/X
Godzilla
The Godzilla franchise, spanning over six decades, follows the adventures of the titular kaiju, a colossal, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. Originating in Japan, Godzilla has evolved from a destructive force of nature to a protector of humanity, battling various other giant monsters, including iconic foes like King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla. The series explores themes of environmental destruction, nuclear anxiety, and human resilience. With numerous films, TV series, and an expanding universe, Godzilla remains a cultural icon, captivating audiences worldwide with its epic battles and compelling narratives.
