Godzilla Minus Zero will do something no Godzilla movie has done in over 20 years

Although information has been difficult to come by, Toho has finally pulled back the curtain on the upcoming sequel to 2023’s groundbreaking “Godzilla Minus One.” As part of this year’s Godzilla Day festivities, the studio has officially confirmed the title of the sequel from writer/director Takashi Yamazaki. Get ready for “Godzilla Minus Zero.” Details remain largely elusive, but we do know the sequel will do something no “Godzilla” movie has done in nearly 20 years.

The Hollywood Reporter says “Godzilla Minus Zero” (or “Godzilla -0.0”) will be filmed in Norway and New Zealand later this year. Casting and plot details remain elusive, but those details themselves are important. Indeed, as Godzilla-Movies.com points out, this will be the first time that a Japanese-language “Godzilla” film produced by Toho will be shot outside of Japan since director Ryuhei Kitamura entered Millennium Era 2004’s “Godzilla: Final Wars.” U.S.-produced “Godzilla” films are an exception, but when it comes to local products, it’s rare for Toho to film outside of Japan.

That report also notes that Toho is positioning the sequel as a “centerpiece,” with a worldwide theatrical release planned for late 2026. “Godzilla Minus One” became the first film in the franchise to win an Academy Award, taking home the award for best visual effects. Produced on a budget of just $15 million, the film became a globally acclaimed sensation, earning $113 million at the worldwide box office.

“Minus One” became the highest-grossing Japanese “Godzilla” film of all time. For a 71-year-old franchise, this was all very impressive. As such, “Minus Zero” is a big deal. Toho revealed the title with a brief teaser, which you can check out below. It includes a new logo and, unfortunately, not much else. But it’s more than enough to stir things up.

We still don’t know if Yamazaki intends to focus the action on Japan, or if he will use the sequel to globalize everything. (“Minus One” took place in post-WWII Japan.) Whether or not the human characters will return, or whether we’ll get a new cast of characters, is also up in the air. It has also not been revealed whether Godzilla will be the only monster on deck this time around. The ending of “Godzilla Minus One” left the King of the Monsters seemingly dead, but there was just enough of a tease to ensure the franchise could continue.

All of this is happening while Warner Bros. and Legendary continue to partner with Toho on the MonsterVerse films. After the success of 2024’s “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” studios quickly got to work on another sequel in the form of “Godzilla x Kong: Supernova,” which is expected to arrive in 2027.

It’s all part of the larger moment that the “Godzilla” franchise has enjoyed in recent years. Over seven decades since the arrival of the original 1954 classic, the character has arguably never been more popular. The fact that Toho is filming outside of Japan speaks volumes about how seriously they are treating Yamazaki’s sequel. To that end, it was previously confirmed that the new film would have a larger budget. What exactly will filmmakers do with this extra money? We’ll see what’s in store next year, but the train has left the station and the wheels are in motion.

“Godzilla Minus Zero” doesn’t have a release date but stay tuned.