As we already knew, director Takashi Yamazaki has been tapped to helm a new Godzilla movie for Toho following the gargantuan success of 2023 Godzilla Minus One, but news from Bloomberg Japan earlier today confirms that the highly-anticipated new entry into the series will be a direct sequel to the Academy Award-winning kaiju epic.
The article from Bloomberg also confirms that Japan are making a hefty investment of 120 billion yen (about $800 million) over next three years to “accelerate globalization” of Japanese movies and anime, with 15 billion yen of that being put towards their “Godzilla Strategy”, which will expand on games, products, and attractions featuring the infamous giant reptilian.
Previously, Yamazaki confirmed that screenplay and storyboards are well under way for what we now know to be Godzilla Minus One 2 (Godzilla Zero?), as well as confirming that Toho has agreed to a higher budget this time around.
Starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, Sakura Ando, Minami Hamabe and Hidetaka Noshioda, Godzilla Minus One followed a failed kamikaze pilot and a group of civilians trying to defend a ravaged Japan from the radiation-breathing beast. The film racked up $116 million internationally via initial and theatrical re-releases, and took home the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Now that we know Godzilla Minus One‘s sequel will be direct, and will be dated in accordance to real time,it's pretty safe to assume we'll pick the story up not long after Shikishima and Noriko's emotional reunion, and find out just what exactly that ominous black infection spreading through the latter's neck is.
Aside from Godzilla Minus One‘s sequel, Yamazaki is also currently working on his English-language debut, Grandgear, with Sony Pictures and J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot.
Look out for more Godzilla news as we get it.
