The last decade has been a good one for fans of Godzilla. The famous Japanese kaiju keeps coming back in his Hollywood MonsterVerse franchise but, sometimes, Japanese cinema also brings forward a story that shows the iconic Titan in a new light, such as 2016’s Shin Godzilla. The movie is considered one of the best ever made in the franchise, and U.S. audiences will finally get a chance to see it on the big screen in the best quality possible. As first reported by Variety, GKIDS has acquired North American distribution rights for the movie, and will release it on August 14 in a never-before-seen 4K remaster.
Shin Godzilla has all the elements of a high-stakes alien invasion movie. In the story, Japanese authorities struggle to find a way to deal with the fact that a huge monster simply appeared in Tokyo, destroying everything in its path. The movie’s approach to the Godzilla universe has made it a must-watch for fans, with a pretty high 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The action movie is directed by Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Shinji Higuchi (Bullet Train Explosion), and is part of a “shin” trilogy that re-imagines some of the most iconic characters from Japanese culture in new adventures. Higuchi also co-directed Shin Ultraman, and Anno directed Shin Kamen Rider. In an official statement, GKIDS President David Jesteadt celebrated the theatrical re-release and underscored why the production is a must-watch on the biggest screen possible:
“With an incredibly timely story of people struggling to work together to stop imminent destruction, backed by some of the most explosive action scenes the franchise has ever seen, ‘Shin Godzilla’ is a modern masterpiece. We are honored to play a part in bringing the film back for American fans, better than ever.”
Which Other ‘Godzilla’ Movies Are in the Works?
In 2027, fans will flock to theaters once again to check out the new installment of the blockbuster film series with Godzilla x Kong: Supernova. Currently in production, the movie is the fifth installment of the American Godzilla reboot – the sixth when you factor Kong: Skull Island into the MonsterVerse. The sequel is directed by Grant Sputore (I Am Mother) and features Kaitlyn Dever (The Last of Us), Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), Jack O’Connell (28 Years Later), Delroy Lindo (Sinners), and Sam Neill (Jurassic World Dominion).
Additionally, a follow-up to the surprise hit movie Godzilla Minus One is in the works. After it became the highest-grossing Japanese film of 2023 and landed a near-perfect 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the wheels started to turn to keep the franchise going. However, details are still blurry. Last year, director Takashi Yamazaki talked to Collider and revealed that “if there is a Godzilla sequel, then I would like to date it with how long it’s been in our timeline as to what the characters have gone through. So, if we film it three years from now, I would set it three years from Godzilla Minus One.”
The 4K remaster of Shin Godzilla hits theaters on August 14. You can check out the trailer above.
via Collider