It is, indeed, a very good day to be a Godzilla fan because one of the best movies in the history of the franchise is getting a long-overdue, well-deserved upgrade. The Criterion Collection has announced its March 2025 additions and among them is 1989’s Godzilla vs. Biollante. Directed by Kazuki Omori, this is widely regarded as a high point in the seven-decade run of the series on screen. It will now be readily available on 4K and Blu-ray, with a release worthy of a king.
Criterion’s new release includes a new 4K digital restoration of the film. Similarly, Criterion gave the original 1954 Godzilla a 4K upgrade earlier this year. This is great news because Godzilla vs. Biollante has largely been unavailable on disc for years, with second-hand copies of the DVD or Blu-ray going for insane amounts of money on eBay. In this case, Criterion is charging $49.95 for the 4K (currently on sale for $34.96) or $39.95 (currently on sale for $27.96) for the Blu-ray. The cover art for the release was also reveales, which you can check out below. For those who may not be familiar, here is a description of the film:
“The second Godzilla film of the Heisei era following the success of The Return of Godzilla introduces one of the franchise’s most intriguing and unique monsters: Biollante, a genetically engineered mutant hybridized from the cells of a rose, a woman, and Godzilla himself. Can the King of Monsters defeat an evolved version of himself? Boasting some of the best special effects of the series and exploring provocative ideas surrounding biotechnology, Godzilla vs. Biollante stands as a highlight of the Heisei-era films.
The Showa-era is the first era of Godzilla, which ran from the ‘54 original through 1975’s Terror of Mechagodzilla. The Heisei-era picked up nearly a decade later and included some major highlights, including Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah. But this is the highlight of all highlights, with Biollante ranking as one of the coolest monsters in the history of the franchise. The special effects on display here are truly special. Luckily, Criterion loaded the release down with bonus features as well. Check ‘em out.
Godzilla vs. Biollante Criterion Collection special features
- New 4K digital restoration, with 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- New audio commentary featuring film historian Samm Deighan, host of the podcast Eros + Massacre and co-editor of the book Revolution in 35mm
- Making-of program from 1993 featuring director Kazuki Omori and special-effects director Koichi Kawakita, among others
- Short documentary from 1993 about the Biollante and Super X2 vehicle concepts
- Deleted special effects
- TV spots and trailers
- New English subtitle translation
- Plus: An essay by science-fiction and horror film expert Jim Cirronella
The big question right now is whether or not this is just the beginning of something bigger, or a one off. Criterion famously released a Show-era Godzilla box set several years back. As a proud owner of that set, it is a treasure. One can’t help but wonder if they are going to try and do something similar with the Heisei-era. For now, we’ll have to wait and see but, if nothing else, this treasure is finally getting the modern release it deserves.
Godzilla vs. Biollante joins the Criterion Collection on March 18, 2025. You can pre-order a copy right now at Criterion.com. For more, get the lowdown on the upcoming Godzilla Minus One sequel from director Takashi Yamazaki.
