A sequel to the Oscar-winning “Godzilla Minus One” has been greenlit and is in the works at Toho International, the Japanese studio announced on Friday, November 1.
Takashi Yamazaki, the writer and director of 2023’s “Godzilla” film, will return to write and direct the follow-up. The “Emergency Announcement” that came through via X said only “further details to follow.”
“Godzilla Minus One,” the Japanese prequel twist on the classic “Godzilla” story, was one of the better “Godzilla” movies in years. The film was a surprise international hit, grossing $115.8 million worldwide and performing even better once it finally hit PVOD and later Netflix.
The film though dealt with some unfortunate timing that limited its box office run stateside, as it opened within several months of Warner Bros. Discovery and Legendary’s own Godzilla film, the “Godzilla vs. Kong” sequel. Toho has a contractual agreement to not open within the same year as a Legendary “Godzilla” production, so “Minus One” had to leave theaters just as it had received an Oscar nomination for visual effects.
Hopefully though more audiences will be able to see the sequel (“Godzilla Minus Two”?), as Toho recently acquired animation distributor GKIDS with the hopes of distributing more films in the U.S. (and greater North America).
“Godzilla Minus One” became the first Japanese film to win the Visual Effects Oscar, winning acclaim for its blend of digital and practical effects. “Minus One” was also the first “Godzilla” film to ever be nominated for an Oscar in the 70 years of the movie monster’s storied history. Yamazaki himself was specifically the one to win that visual effects Oscar, making him the only director since Stanley Kubrick to win the VFX Oscar for his own movie. Netflix also released a special “Godzilla Minus One – Minus Color” edition, which was a black and white re-edit of the film.
“Minus One” is set in post-war Japan and the after effects of the atomic bomb, specifically following a kamikaze pilot who deserted from his duties and ends up forming a family with a homeless woman and an abandoned baby. The pilot was one of the first to witness and survive an attack from the Godzilla monster, and in fighting it again he gets the chance to redeem himself and win back some of his honor.
