‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Makes History as First Japanese Film Shot for IMAX
Toho’s upcoming film Godzilla Minus Zero was presented at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where new footage was shown to theater owners gathered at Caesars Palace, according to reports from the event.
The sequel continues the story from 2023’s Godzilla Minus One, a global box office success that also won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. The new film takes place two years after the events of that story and follows survivors still dealing with the destruction caused by Godzilla’s earlier attack.
Director Takashi Yamazaki, who returns for the sequel, introduced the trailer and shared new details about the film’s direction. The footage shown at CinemaCon reportedly included large-scale set pieces, military aircraft, ruined cities, and production models used during filming. These behind-the-scenes elements highlighted the scale of the project compared to the previous installment.
The trailer also suggests that the story expands beyond Japan. In its final moments, Godzilla is seen moving toward the Statue of Liberty, signaling that the conflict may reach New York.
Godzilla Minus One was a major milestone for Toho and the long-running franchise. It was the 37th film in the series and became one of the studio’s biggest international hits in years. Made on a relatively small budget, it earned more than 100 million dollars worldwide and became the highest-grossing Japanese Godzilla film ever released. It also ranked among Japan’s top box office successes in 2023.
The sequel continues under the same creative team, with Yamazaki returning as writer and director. The production has a larger budget this time, allowing for more ambitious visual effects while keeping the grounded tone that helped the previous film succeed.
The cast includes Ryunosuke Kamiki, who plays a former kamikaze pilot who survives the original disaster and later becomes part of the fight against Godzilla. Other returning and supporting cast members include Minami Hamabe, Munetaka Aoki, and Hidetaka Yoshioka.
The original film also made awards history when it became the first non-English language movie to win the Oscar for Best Visual Effects, beating several major Hollywood productions.
According to CinemaCon reports, Godzilla Minus Zero is also notable for being the first Japanese film shot specifically for IMAX, marking a new technical step for Toho’s production approach.
The film is scheduled to release in Japan on November 3, with a U.S. release following on November 6.
Meanwhile, Hollywood continues its own Monsterverse storyline with Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, the next entry in Warner Bros. and Legendary’s franchise following Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
This sequel already has a lot of expectations because the first film was such a surprise hit worldwide. The move to IMAX filming also shows Toho is aiming bigger and more global. Do you think Godzilla Minus Zero will manage to top the success of Minus One? Share your thoughts in the comments.
