Credit: Toho InternationalHas anyone ever heard the famous Western line: “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us.” Well, it appears that might be the case, as a brand-new Godzilla film will come crushing theaters in December, though it has nothing to do with the Warner Bros. MonsterVerse, and it could all but crush the upcoming Godzilla and Kong sequel.
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Though the most famous Kaiju in the world has been the subject of many films, the creature has also been part of two major companies in the world. The first is Toho Studios, which is the main proprietor of Godzilla films and is the company behind its creation. The other is Warner Bros., who struck a deal with Toho to license out the character for their own merchandise and films.
The two companies have lived in tandem for quite some time, offering up their own takes on giant monsters, either wrecking cities or sometimes saving the world. We think they go hand-in-hand. The MonsterVerse began back in 2014 when Godzilla was given a reboot under the direction of Gareth Edwards. Though it took some time, the universe began being built out by Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).
Warner Bros. is also preparing for its anticipated sequel, Godzilla and Kong: The New Empire. Though critics and audiences have been divided on these films, they have all made a lot of money. They often involve the family or human element much more than some people want, though that is not generally true for Toho-produced films.
Toho generally takes monster destruction far more seriously, and their new Godzilla entry will be incredibly destructive.
‘Godzilla Minus One’ Hits Theaters in December
A new terror rises. #GodzillaMinusOne
Only in theaters December 1, 2023 pic.twitter.com/2gM4JluQCU— GODZILLA.OFFICIAL (@Godzilla_Toho) July 11, 2023
The above trailer showcases the new Godzilla Minus One film, which showcases a monster hellbent on destruction. The creature alone looks far scarier than what Warner Bros. is going for, and the premise is far darker.
The premise is that Japan is already in a destroyed state after the war. Though we can imagine that war might be WWII, that has not been detailed. Still, the country has been ravaged by war, and they go from zero to minus one. That is horrifying to even think about in the general sense.
Imagine having to deal with warfare and your home being destroyed by bombs, and now you have this gigantic lizard also destroying what little you have. Toho surely knows how to drive home the pure chaos in its films. According to the President of Toho International, Koji Ueda, “ Set in a post-war Japan, Godzilla Minus One will once again show us a Godzilla that is a terrifying and overwhelming force.”
Though the Toho-produced films do contain the human element, it’s more about survival than anything else. This is the first domestically released film since Shin Godzilla was released in 2016, which was a hit amongst fans of the monster series.
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Though we have nothing against Warner Bros. and its MonsterVerse, the Toho films are more traditional, being talked about heavily amongst longtime fans of the Monster franchise. We imagine that WB’s upcoming sequel will make all kinds of money, but Minus One will be the film that showcases the true horror of the world’s most famous Kaiju.
Are you excited about Godzilla Minus One? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!