Toho To Make a New GODZILLA
“The time has come for Japan to make a film that will not lose to Hollywood,” said Toho producer Taichi Ueda. In the wake of the successful American reboot from Legendary Pictures, which took in $524 million, Toho will be making a new Godzilla movie to hit screens in 2016. According to another Toho staffer, “This is very good timing after the success of the American version this year: if not now, then when? The licensing contract we have with Legendary places no restrictions on us making domestic versions.”
This will be the 29th Godzilla film since the monster invaded Tokyo back in 1954, in what was an overt anti-nuclear film that launched the longest-running franchise in the history of teh medium. The last Godzilla movie from Toho was Godzilla: Final Wars, released in 2004 for the 50th anniversary.
No director or cast have been announced, and this will be separate from Legendary’s sequel project with director Gareth Edwards.
Toho has also formed Godzi-Con, a Godzilla Strategic Conference, which includes studio executives and directors in a think tank to develop new ways to expand the Godzilla brand beyond the films. As part of that effort, a Godzilla statue will be erected in Shinjuku.
Could an animated series be far behind?
