Posted in: Legendary, Movies | Tagged: film, godzilla, Godzilla Minus One, Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, kong, Toho
Godzilla Minus One Director Shares Thoughts on Hollywood's Version
Godzilla Minus One director believes tht Hollywood has found a way to explore humanity while keeping its focus on the all-important kaiju.
Article Summary
- Godzilla Minus One hailed as a cinematic masterpiece, nabs an Oscar nod.
- Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire set for a theatrical release on March 29, 2024.
- Hollywood embraces a 'fun' Godzilla while maintaining human-kaiju balance.
- Takashi Yamazaki praises Hollywood's unique take on the Godzilla franchise.
After nearly 70 years of cinematic excellence, it's pretty surreal to think about the fact that Godzilla might actually be in its prime! In 2023 alone, the world received the Japanese release titled Godzilla Minus One, acting as a period-piece film in a post-war era that's been widely perceived as the franchise's best, even earning the franchise its first big Oscar nomination, so there's very little room to argue about the impact this one left on Hollywood and global audiences. Plus, in just over a month, Hollywood is the next in line to contribute to even more epic kaiju battles by making a grand follow-up to Godzilla vs Kong titled Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.
By witnessing the trailer for the upcoming Hollywood film, it can (clearly) be determined that the next installment isn't looking to be the tense, dramatic story that Godzilla Minus One has become known for – choosing to lean into more large-scale showdowns and unrealistic movie magic that Western audiences typically gravitate to. And ahead of its release, the director of Godzilla Minus One is offering his take on what separates the various on-screen versions of the titular character.
Godzilla Minus One Director Says Hollywood Has Found a Strong Balance of Humans and Kaiju
While speaking to Empire Magazine about the current Hollywood version of the franchise, Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki notes, "The Hollywood interpretation is a very interesting use of the IP." He then elaborates, "It can endure and survive many different interpretations. To me, it's a more fun version of what Godzilla can be – the classic Toho version did explore something like that at one point in its history. Within that genre, I think they do a good job of [balancing] what the humans do versus what the kaiju are doing."
Considering that Hollywood has generated five films so far (including Kong: Skull Island) and a 2023 spin-off series, it's safe to assume that the franchise's formula is working out for the best.
Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire smashes into theaters on March 29, 2024.