Godzilla Minus Zero Will Do Something No Godzilla Movie Has Done In Over 20 Years
by Ryan Scott · /FilmThough information has been hard to come by, Toho finally pulled back the curtain on the forthcoming sequel to 2023's groundbreaking "Godzilla Minus One." As part of this year's Godzilla Day festivities, the studio officially confirmed the title for writer/director Takashi Yamazaki's follow-up. Get ready for "Godzilla Minus Zero." The specifics largely remain elusive but we do know that the sequel will be doing something no "Godzilla" movie has done in nearly 20 years.
The Hollywood Reporter brings word that "Godzilla Minus Zero" (or "Godzilla -0.0") will be filming in both Norway and New Zealand later this year. Cast and plot details remain elusive but that detail itself is of importance. That's because, as Godzilla-Movies.com points out, this will mark the first time that a Toho-produced, Japanese-language "Godzilla" movie has shot anywhere outside of Japan since director Ryuhei Kitamura's Millennium Era 2004 entry "Godzilla: Final Wars." The American-produced "Godzilla" movies are an exception, but as far as homegrown products go, it's rare for Toho to film outside of Japan.
This report also notes that Toho is positioning the sequel as a "statement piece," with a late 2026 global theatrical release expected. "Godzilla Minus One" became the first movie in the franchise to win an Oscar, taking home the prize for Best Visual Effects. Produced on a budget of just $15 million, it became an acclaimed worldwide sensation, earning $113 million at the global box office.
"Minus One" became the highest-grossing Japanese "Godzilla" movie ever. For a 71-year-old franchise, it was all very impressive. As such, "Minus Zero" is a big deal. Toho revealed the title with a brief teaser, which you can check out below. It includes a new logo and, unfortunately, not much else. But it's more than enough to stir the pot.
Godzilla Minus Zero is shaping up to be a major cinematic event
It remains unclear if Yamazaki intends to keep the action focused on Japan, or if he is going to use the sequel to take the whole thing global. ("Minus One" took place in post-WWII Japan.) Whether or not any of the human characters return, or if we'll get a new cast of characters, is also up in the air. It's additionally not been revealed if Godzilla will be the only monster on deck this time around. The ending of "Godzilla Minus One" left the King of the Monsters seemingly dead, but there was just enough of a tease to ensure the franchise could continue.
This is all unfolding as Warner Bros. and Legendary continue to partner with Toho on the MonsterVerse movies. Following the success of 2024's "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," the studios quickly got to work on another sequel in the form of "Godzilla x Kong: Supernova," due to arrive in 2027.
It's all part of the larger moment that the "Godzilla" franchise has been enjoying in recent years. More than seven decades since the original 1954 classic arrived, the character has arguably never been more popular. The fact that Toho is filming outside of Japan speaks volumes about how seriously they're treating Yamazaki's sequel. To that end, it had previously been confirmed the new film will have a larger budget. What exactly will the filmmakers do with that extra money? We'll see what comes our way next year, but the train has left the station and the wheels are in motion.
"Godzilla Minus Zero" doesn't have a release date but stay tuned.