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Godzilla Minus One is a recently released kaiju action adventure from the house of Toho. Takashi Yamazaki takes the helm of the project by writing the screenplay, directing the film, and overlooking the visual effects for the film.
The film premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival on October 18, 2023, before releasing in Japanese theaters on November 3, matching the date of release of the first film in the franchise in 1954. It came as the sequel to the 2014 live-action film from Toho, Shin Godzilla. The film was only just released in theaters across the United States on December 1, 2023.
The film starred Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki, and others. The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"In postwar Japan, a new terror rises; Godzilla. Will the devastated people be able to survive... let alone fight back?"
If you love monster-genre films, then you will definitely love Godzilla Minus One. And keeping that in mind, we have curated a list of films that will satisfy your kaiju genre hunger.
Godzilla, Shin Godzilla, Pacific Rim and more films that are very similar to Godzilla Minus One
1) Godzilla (1954)
Godzilla is a 1954 Japanese epic kaiju horror film from the house of Toho. Ishirō Honda directed the film with a screenplay that he co-wrote with Takeo Murata. The screenplay for the film was developed from a 50-page story written by Shigeru Kayama, which was later developed into the novel Monster Godzilla.
The cast for the film featured Takashi Shimura, Akihiko Hirata, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Fuyuki Murakami, and others in pivotal roles. The film was a box-office success and wowed people with its special effects. It even spawned a franchise that has been running for over half a century now.
The synopsis for the movie, as available on Apple TV+, reads as follows:
"When the ocean's surface begins to boil white-hot and a Japanese freighter vanishes into the Pacific, the superstitious villagers of Odo Island fear an ancient legend has come true-the legend of Godzilla! Awakened from an eons-long sleep by an H-bomb explosion, the behemoth seeks revenge on the civilized world, turning Tokyo into a wasteland of atomic fire and rubble. Young lovers, Emiko and Ogata, find themselves trapped in the monster's path of destruction-forced to choose between betraying a friend and saving the world!"
2) Godzilla (1998)
Godzilla is a 1998 American monster action thriller film from the house of TriStar Pictures. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich, with Dean Devlin working on the screenplay alongside Emmerich. This film brought the popular Japanese kaiju franchise from Toho of the same name to Hollywood.
The film starred Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Hank Azaria, Kevin Dunn, and others in pivotal roles. Although the film earned close to $380 million at the box office against a gross budget of nearly $230 million, it was a letdown. This led to a potential trilogy being dropped and instead being turned into an animated series.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"Following the French atomic bomb tests in the South Pacific, an unknown creature is spotted passing westward through the Panama Canal. Scientist Niko Tatopolous is called in to investigate the matter, and he quickly arrives at the conclusion that a giant, irradiated lizard has been created by the explosions. Godzilla then makes its way north, landing at Manhattan to begin wreaking havoc in the big city. Even with the combined forces of the U.S. military to fight the monster, will it be enough to save the people of New York?"
3) Godzilla (2014)
Godzilla is a 2014 American monster film from the house of Warner Bros. Pictures. Gareth Edwards directed the film, with Max Borenstein working on the screenplay and developing it from a story by David Callaham. This was the film that kicked off Warner Bros.' Monsterverse, their version of the kaiju universe.
The films featured a star-studded cast, including the likes of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Ken Watanabe, Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche, and others in pivotal roles. The box-office success of the film not only guaranteed a sequel but also a reboot of the Japanese franchise after a decade.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"In this gritty, realistic sci-fi action epic, Godzilla returns to its roots as one of the world's most recognized monsters. Directed by Gareth Edwards and featuring an all-star international cast, this spectacular adventure pits Godzilla against malevolent creatures that, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence."
4) Shin Godzilla (2016)
Shin Godzilla is a Japanese kaiju action horror film from the house of Toho. Hideaki Anno wrote the screenplay while also co-directing the film alongside Shinji Higuchi. The film was released in 2016, taking a cue from the 2014 American release and basing the story on the 2011 Tohoku disasters and their effects.
The film starred Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, and Satomi Ishihara in pivotal roles, with Mansai Nomura playing the part of the monster through motion capture. Not only was the film a huge success, it was Japan's highest grossing live-action movie of the year and won multiple accolades.
An official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"It's a peaceful day in Japan when a strange fountain of water erupts in the bay, causing panic to spread among government officials. At first, they suspect only volcanic activity, but one young executive dares to wonder if it may be something different - something alive. His worst nightmare comes to life when a massive, gilled monster emerges from the deep and begins tearing through the city, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake."
The synopsis continues:
"As the government scrambles to save the citizens, a rag-tag team of volunteers cuts through a web of red tape to uncover the monster's weakness and its mysterious ties to a foreign superpower. But time is not on their side, and the greatest catastrophe to ever befall the world is about to evolve right before their very eyes."
5) Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters is an American fantasy action adventure movie from Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is directed by Michael Dougherty, with the screenplay being written by Zach Shields alongside Dougherty from a story that was coined by Max Borenstein, the creator of Legendary's MonsterVerse.
The films starred Kyle Chandler, Vera Farminga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Ziyi Zhang, Bradley Whitford, Charles Dance, and others in pivotal roles. The film received widespread praise for its visuals, cinematography, and original soundtrack. Although profitable, it did not get the expected turnover at the box office.
The official synopsis for the movie reads as follows:
"The story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance."
6) Godzilla vs Kong (2021)
Godzilla vs Kong is the direct sequel to Warner Bros.' 2019 film, King of the Monsters. The film is directed by Adam Wingard with Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein writing the screenplay, basing it on a story by franchise veterans Michael Dougherty and Zach Shields alongside Terry Rossio.
The film starred Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Shun Oguri, Eiza González, Julian Dennison, Lance Reddick, Demián Bichir, and others in pivotal roles. The film was released in 2021 and became a commercial success, with praise going to its CGI and action sequences. It also became the most successful title to launch on HBO Max.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"Legends collide as Godzilla and Kong, the two most powerful forces of nature, clash in a spectacular battle for the ages. As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into fantastic uncharted terrain, unearthing clues to the Titans’ very origins, a human conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever."
7) Pacific Rim (2013)
Pacific Rim is a 2013 science fiction monster film from the house of Warner Bros. Pictures. Guillermo del Toro directed the film while co-writing the screenplay with Travis Beacham. Pacific Rim is the only film on this list that does not fall under the Godzilla franchise. However, it still holds on to the kaiju genre, adding the mecha factor to it.
The film starred Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman, and others in pivotal roles. Pacific Rim was a box-office success, grossing over $410 million worldwide. If you're in the mood for some kaiju action but are looking for something other than Godzilla, the Pacific Rim franchise is definitely a great choice.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"...about a ragtag band of humans that band together in the year 2025 to fight legions of monstrous creatures rising from the sea. Using massive piloted robots to combat the alien threat, earth's survivors take the fight to the invading alien force lurking in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless enemy, the forces of mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes - a washed up former pilot and an untested trainee - who now stand as earth's final hope against the mounting apocalypse."
These were some of our picks of films that we think are closest to Toho's latest film, Godzilla Minus One. If you liked the new film on the humongous mutated kaiju, then the titles on this list will be right up your alley.
