The creative vision of Takashi Yamazaki’s second kaiju outing is starting to take shape. After making waves in the entertainment space with its box office juggernaut Godzilla Minus One, the Japanese filmmaker announced that he’s returning to direct a new Godzilla film — and it seems things are moving along nicely for now.
Speaking to Variety, Yamazaki confirmed screenplay and storyboarding work has begun for the project, which is also expected to have “more” of a budget than the Oscar-winning original. No exact figure was given, however, nor were there any updates on story specifics, so it remains unclear if the upcoming pic would be a direct continuation or tell a new narrative. In any case, he will serve as writer, director, and VFX supervisor.
Godzilla Minus One has left its mark on history in more ways than one. Apart from becoming the first non-English language film to win an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, it also scored the biggest IMAX opening in Japan and is the first entry in the long-running franchise to get an Oscar nod for the category. The feats are all the more impressive, considering the film’s estimated US$10 to US$15 million budget — a significantly lower spending than the Hollywood norm.
Released in 2023, the kaiju feature follows Koichi Shikishima as he navigates his guilt and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) in post-war Japan after deserting his mission during the Second World War, where he encountered the titular King of the Monsters. The film currently holds a near-flawless 99 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising its take on post-war horrors and in-depth characterisation.
Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki star in the film, which opened the doors for Yamazaki to land his first English-language movie, Grandyear.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
Natalie
