Reviving the titular monster, a popular cultural phenomenon, was a decision for Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki to reimagine it with his nation’s history. The accolades the movie received have certainly surpassed expectations and it will be remembered as one of the greatest Godzilla movies ever made.
Revolving around almost the backdrop of World War II, another Godzilla movie previously hit the masses. Roland Emmerich’s 1998 flick based on the iconic cinematic monster rampaged the fandom with mostly negative reviews. Now, Yamazaki has reacted to the 1998 movie.
Godzilla Minus One Director Reacted To Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla
Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla was born out of French nuclear testing during the Second World War. Soon, the Lizard Monster went on the rampage to destroy what was left amid the devastating war. Fans and critics were not very sympathetic to Emmerich’s reimagining of the titular monster. The movie, however, started with a solid base at the box office and the movie went on to gross $379 million worldwide. However, it has remained a box-office disappointment as the cost of making the movie was huge. The 1998 monster movie spent around $130–150 million with an additional $80 million in marketing costs.
Takashi Yamazaki who recently directed Godzilla Minus One delved almost into the synonymous plot but the 2023 movie embedded more raw horror on the screen, especially, for the Japanese people who could relate to the essence of the story. In a recent interview with Hoichoi’s Movie Live, the director revealed the cause of the failure of Emmerich’s movie.
“Emmerich’s Godzilla did not have much impact on the Japanese market. Godzilla in Japan had already fallen into the sunset by that time. At one point, it was even shown alongside Hamtaro. It had been in decline for years.”
Yamazaki’s reasoning is fairly valid and he certainly has firsthand experience witnessing Emmerich’s film. Yamazaki was never keen on dwelling on the similar mistakes of Emmerich’s film but rather his own vision took the movie to the height of global success. However, Emmerich is not done with the monster as the director wants to revive the monster one more time.
Will Godzilla Minus One Success Open Doors For A Sequel?
Toho/Emick Media’s Godzilla Minus One has surpassed expectations as the movie went on to be a surprise hit. With the record-breaking success of the movie, fans immediately expected an update for a sequel. However, there is no report of Toho greenlighting another installment of Yamazaki’s movie. So, what future does Godzilla Minus One hold in the MonsterVerse? Despite the success of the movie, a disappointing update may upset the Lizard Monster fans. Speaking with the Japanese outlet HJ Web, Yamazaki revealed the future of a sequel of the movie. “No, no, there is no such talk at all,” the director said of the potential sequel.
“But I might be a little sad if someone else is chosen to direct the next Godzilla movie. When someone says, ‘This is the person who will direct the next Godzilla,’ I think, ‘Ah!’ And when someone says, ‘Please do it,’ I think, ‘Ah!’”
Of course, many fans will agree with the idea that Toho should not rush into bringing the Lizard Monster back on screen with immediate effect. With careful moves, the sequel could be another hit addition to the MonsterVerse but will Yamazaki helm the sequel? There is a high hope as the director will not be keen on seeing other directors doing his bid.
