Director, writer, and visual effects director of Academy Award-winning Godzilla Minus One returns for next step in Toho kaiju franchise.
The Godzilla movie franchise seems to have figured out an effective split between its two branches. On the one hand, the Hollywood-produced entries from Legendary Entertainment are unabashed bombastic action spectacles which have now fused with the King Kong series. Meanwhile, Toho’s Japanese-made Godzilla movies depict Godzilla as a terrifying force of destruction that presents humanity with painful decisions to make in order to survive.
Both have their not-necessarily mutually exclusive fans, but many cinephiles will argue that the Japanese entries are the more emotionally resonant, and also closer in spirit to the original 1954 Godzilla film that started the series. So for those who like their kaiju stories to be not only heart-pounding but thought-provoking too, there’s good news as the newest Japanese Godzilla movie has just been announced, and it looks to be a continuation of its critically acclaimed predecessor.
The teaser video doesn’t provide many details, but what it does give us is plenty to be excited about. Takashi Yamazaki, director, screenwriter, and visual effects director for 2023’s Godzilla Minus One, will be returning to those roles for the new movie. Then there’s the title, which the teaser video reveals by first showing the Godzilla Minus One logo…
…and then, accompanied by the sounds of some thundering kaiju footsteps, updates it to…
…Godzilla Minus Zero.
Between the next-step title and identical font, it seems clear that Godzilla Minus Zero is being positioned as a sequel to Godzilla Minus One. This is a big deal, since despite there being dozens of films in the franchise, it’s been a long time since there was a direct sequel for a live-action Japanese-made Godzilla movie. 2016’s Shin Godzilla was a stand-alone reboot, so for the last link of narrative continuity in the Japanese live-action movies you have to go all the way back to Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004, a follow-up to Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. from the year prior. Godzilla Minus Zero will also be the first time for the same director to helm back-to-back live-action Japanese Godzilla movies since Takao Okawara directed Godzilla vs. Destoroyah and Godzilla 2000: Millennium in 1995 and 1999.
The title of Godzilla Minus One was meant as a reference to its setting, with the story taking place soon after the end of World War II and Japan, already feeling like it had been reduced to nothing/zero, now had to face the devastation of attacks from Godzilla. Godzilla Minus Zero is a title that makes it clear that things still aren’t going to be in the plus category, so it’s probably going to have a similarly gritty tone.
No release date is mentioned in the trailer, but the gap between Godzilla Minus One’s announcement and theatrical release was short (only about three months). Toho and Legendary have also, so far, avoided releasing Godzilla films in the same year as each other, and with Legendary’s upcoming Godzilla Minus One slated for 2027, a 2026 release for Godzilla Minus Zero seems like the most likely bet, and would also coincide with the King of the Monster’s takeover of Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
Source: YouTube/東宝MOVIEチャンネル、Godzilla Channel ゴジラ（東宝特撮）チャンネル, Godzilla Minus Zero official website
Top image: Godzilla Minus Zero official website
Insert images: YouTube/東宝MOVIEチャンネル、Godzilla Channel ゴジラ（東宝特撮）チャンネル
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