Godzilla stomped its way to Las Vegas for CinemaCon, the annual convention for movie theater owners that’s underway at Caesars Palace. The first trailer for Toho’s upcoming sequel “Godzilla Minus Zero” was shown to attendees in the room, and the king of the monsters made sure everyone was watching.
“Minus Zero” is a direct sequel to the 2023 Japanese film “Godzilla Minus One,” which became a surprise international hit and took home the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. CinemaCon viewers saw a behind-the-scenes sizzle reel that showcased the elaborate sets and props created for the film, including bomber jets, destroyed cities, and a detailed mini Godzilla model. The trailer picks up two years after “Minus One” and continues the story of the survivors from the kaiju’s last attack, director Takashi Yamazaki revealed. In the closing moments, Godzilla stomps its way to the Statue of Liberty, setting its destructive sights on New York City.
“Minus One” marked the 37th film in the “Godzilla” franchise and the 33rd produced by Toho, the Japanese entertainment company that created the giant, lizard-like kaiju creature bent on destruction. Writer and director Yamazaki returns for “Minus Zero,” which has been given a larger budget than the already economical $15 million of “Godzilla Minus One.” The first movie went on to earn $116 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing Japanese “Godzilla” film of all time and the country’s third biggest release in 2023.
In a groundbreaking move, “Godzilla Minus Zero” was also filmed for Imax — the first time a Japanese film has received this treatment. This means audiences will experience the kaiju’s destruction in unprecedented scale and clarity, with the massive screen format amplifying every stomp, roar, and building collapse. The decision to shoot for Imax reflects Toho’s growing ambition and confidence in the franchise’s international appeal.
The cast includes returning stars Ryunosuke Kamiki as a former kamikaze pilot who survives and must later defeat Godzilla, Minami Hamabe, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, and more. Their characters, who bore witness to Godzilla’s devastation in the first film, will now find themselves facing an even greater threat as the monster crosses oceans to target America’s most iconic city.
At the 2023 Academy Awards, “Minus One” became the first non-English language film to win Best Visual Effects, beating out heavy hitters like “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Creator,” “Napoleon,” and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning.” The win was a landmark moment for Japanese cinema and proved that innovative storytelling and practical effects could compete with Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. Expectations are even higher for “Minus Zero,” with Yamazaki and his team promising to push the boundaries even further.
“Minus Zero” will release in the United States on November 6 and in Japan on November 3, giving Japanese audiences a three-day head start before the film arrives internationally. But Hollywood is also getting in on the Godzilla action with next year’s “Godzilla X Kong: Supernova.” It is the sixth film in Legendary and Warner Bros. Pictures’ Monsterverse franchise and the sequel to 2024’s team-up film “Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.” While Toho’s films exist separately from the Monsterverse, both franchises continue to expand, giving fans more giant monster mayhem than ever before. It
With “Godzilla Minus Zero” bringing the kaiju to New York City, fans can expect iconic landmarks to be reduced to rubble, emotional stakes for the returning human characters, and visual effects that build on the Oscar-winning work of its predecessor. Yamazaki has teased that the film will explore deeper themes of survival, trauma, and resilience — questions that linger long after the credits roll.
As one CinemaCon attendee described it: “Godzilla hasn’t looked this terrifying or this magnificent in years.”
“Godzilla Minus Zero” stomps into Japanese theaters on November 3 and U.S. theaters on November 6. For more updates, fans can follow Toho’s official channels and stay tuned for the full trailer release in the coming weeks.
The Pop Blog general news and updates, mostly from press releases and conferences.