Not much information is out yet, but what has been released has fans tempering their expectations. 

It’s been six years since Shin Godzilla came out, and frankly, that’s too long to wait for a new Japanese Godzilla movie. We did get Hollywood’s Godzilla vs. Kong last year, and that was amazing, but we need a new Japanese film, too. The stunning visuals from an Evangelion vs. Godzilla crossover that ended up being footage for a pachinko machine was not quite enough.

But worry no more, kaiju fans! Toho, the makers of Godzilla, have just announced that a new Godzilla movie is in the works! At Godzilla Fest, held on November 3 at the Tokyo International Forum, officials declared that they’ve decided to produce a new Godzilla movie, which, as yet, does not have a title–or, at least, they haven’t disclosed it yet. The film will be directed by Takashi Yamazaki, who’s also worked on the 2019 film Dragon Quest: Your Story, the Stand By Me Doraemon films, and the 2010 Space Battleship Yamato film. The untitled Godzilla movie is expected to release on November 3, 2023. 

But while the prospect of a new Godzilla movie is always exciting, many were disappointed by the invovlement of of Yamazaki  who, in some fans’ eyes, doesn’t have a strong track record. While Stand By Me Doraemon was generally well-received, the Dragon Quest live-action movie received mixed reviews praising its beautiful visuals and sound but criticizing the storytelling, and just about nobody remembers that Space Battleship Yamato happened. Yamazaki also has a reputation for making feel-good, family-friendly movies, so many might wonder if he has the edge needed to do the Godzilla franchise right.

Yamazaki’s resume isn’t all bad, though. Three of his films have won awards at the Japan Academy Prize ceremony, so fans shouldn’t write the newest Godzilla movie off just yet. Additionally, he has publicly stated that he is a fan of the Godzilla franchise, as has worked on some auxiliary Godzilla productions, including directing the videos for the Godzilla the Ride theme park attraction in Tokyo, so he has enough experience with the franchise to hopefully know what to do with it.

▼ The official Twitter announcement for the new project revealed a single visual: a slightly stylized G, accompanied with the message “The Newest Godzilla Movie, Production Decided. Director: Takashi Yamazaki. To be released Friday, November 3, 2023”.

Still, Japanese Godzilla fans’ responses have been a mixed bag of moderate enthusiasm.

“You had me at the first line and then the second line had me shrieking ‘Oh my god'”
“It better not be Space Battleship Yamato all over again. Frankly I don’t have high expectations.”
“I can’t calm down.”
“I still haven’t forgiven Your Story. It’s a problem that children think that is Dragon Quest.”
“Now now, let’s let Dragon Quest Your Story be water under the bridge.”
“Instead of judging, we should just be excited we’re getting a new Godzilla movie. We can judge the movie after we’ve seen it.”
“I’m so freaking happy!!!!!! But…Takashi Yamazaki directing gives me mixed feelings.”
“Honestly, he’s had some successful films like Always: Sunset on Third Street and The Great War of Archimedes, so I have mixed feelings. I’m praying it will be successful.”
“They’ve got big shoes to fill after Shin Godzilla…but can they get it all done in a year?”

The last comment is what should be most concerning. If they’re only announcing the production of the film now, does that mean they haven’t started it? How do they expect to finish it in one year? This information is all they’ve announced to the public; no cast, no plot, and no visuals have been released except for the “G”. The film doesn’t even have a title yet! We can only hope they’ve already begun production and have kept it tightly under wraps, otherwise they’ll have some angry fans to contend with.

The new film will be the 30th Japanese Godzilla film and the 36th Godzilla film in the world, including the four Hollywood films, so it’s no wonder expectations are high. We’ll just have to have faith that Yamazaki can pull it off.

Source: Twitter/@godzilla_jp via Otacom, Oricon News, Famitsu.com
Top image © SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!