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Godzilla vs. Kong – News Roundup
As Legendary Pictures moves past Kong: Skull Island (2017) and looks toward the future of the MonsterVerse, naturally news is starting to build for the next appearance of Kong, as the character is set to tangle with Godzilla in 2020.
November 25th update
It was hinted at way back in June, but it's finally official: Godzilla vs. Kong has been delayed. The new date, as reported by Variety and others, is now November 20th, 2020.
The delay probably shouldn't come as a huge shock, given that news hasn't picked up as one would expect this close to the original date, although it still marks a substantial delay.
June 12th update
In an article published by Deadline, Warner Bros. executives Toby Emmerich and Peter Roth brought up the possibility of Godzilla vs. Kong being delayed: "[Godzilla vs. Kong] might come out later in the year, so we can deliver an A+ movie," Emmerich commented, noting that they "will deliver for fans in the way they were looking for."
June 1st update
An early advertisement for Godzilla vs. Kong has appeared at Licensing Expo, paired with another of Legendary's movie projects, Dune (2020). The image shows Godzilla and Kong locked in combat, with a tagline that reads "ONE WILL FALL".
This is how Legendary are advertising Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong at Licensing Expo. pic.twitter.com/BzFQIgwT03
— Film Stories (@filmstoriespod) May 30, 2019
March 15th, 2019 update
Alexander Skarsgård was recently video interviewed by Collider, with the actor expressing his enjoyment working on Godzilla vs. Kong and how it will be "tonally quite different" from other films he's been apart of in the last 2 years. Discussion of the movie starts around the 2 minute 53 second mark in the link provided.
As reported by Deadline, Lance Reddick is the latest addition to the Godzilla vs. Kong cast. Some of Reddick's more well known portrayals include Charon from the John Wick movie series, Cedric Daniels from HBO's The Wire, and Matthew Abaddon from the television series Lost. Reddick is also no stranger to giant monsters, having appeared in an uncredited role as a soldier in 1998's GODZILLA.
With principal photography finally underway, an official press release for Godzilla vs. Kong has been made available, courtesy of Warner Brothers. The notes also include a long-awaited plot synopsis.
WARNER BROS. PICTURES' AND LEGENDARY ENTERTAINMENT'S MONSTERVERSE SHIFTS INTO OVERDRIVE AS CAMERAS ROLL ON THE NEXT BIG-SCREEN ADVENTURE
Director Adam Wingard takes the helm to bring the long-awaited face-off between these two iconic titans to the big screen.
BURBANK, CA, November 12, 2018 – Following the global success of 2014's "Godzilla" and 2017's "Kong: Skull Island," and in the lead-up to the 2019 release of the highly anticipated "Godzilla: King of the Monsters," comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Entertainment's cinematic Monsterverse: "Godzilla vs. Kong." Beginning production today, the epic action adventure will pit two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against one another – the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong – with humanity caught in the balance.
"Godzilla vs. Kong" is being directed by Adam Wingard ("The Guest," "You're Next"). The film stars Alexander Skarsgård ("Big Little Lies," The Little Drummer Girl"), Millie Bobby Brown ("Stranger Things"), Rebecca Hall ("Christine," "Professor Marston and the Wonder Women"), Brian Tyree Henry ("Atlanta," "Widows"), Shun Oguri ("Gintama"), Eiza González ("Baby Driver"), Jessica Henwick ("Iron Fist"), Julian Dennison ("Deadpool 2"), with Kyle Chandler ("The Wolf of Wall Street," "Manchester by the Sea") and Demián Bichir ("The Nun," "The Hateful Eight").
In a time when monsters walk the Earth, humanity's fight for its future sets Godzilla and Kong on a collision course that will see the two most powerful forces of nature on the planet collide in a spectacular battle for the ages. As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into uncharted terrain and unearths clues to the Titans' origins, a human conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever.
Wingard directs from a script written by Terry Rossio ("Pirates of the Caribbean"). The film is being produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric McLeod, and Brian Rogers, with Kenji Okuhira, Yoshimitsu Banno, Jon Jashni and Thomas Tull serving as executive producers. Jay Ashenfelter, Jen Conroy and Tamara Kent are co-producers.
Behind the scenes, Wingard's creative team includes director of photography Ben Seresin ("World War Z," "Unstoppable"), production designers Owen Patterson ("Godzilla," "The Matrix" Trilogy and "Captain America: Civil War") and Tom Hammock ("The Guest," "Blindspotting"), editor Josh Schaeffer ("Molly's Game," "Kong: Skull Island"), costume designer Ann Foley ("Altered Carbon"), and VFX supervisor John "DJ" DesJardin ("Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," "Watchmen").
Filming is taking place in Hawaii and Australia. A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment, "Godzilla vs. Kong" is currently scheduled for release on May 22, 2020. The film will be distributed in 3D and 2D and in select IMAX theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures, except in Japan, where it will be distributed by Toho Co., Ltd.
Cast additions for Godzilla vs. Kongcontinue to roll in. As reported by Variety and Deadline respectively, actress Jessica Henwick – known for her role as Nymeria Sand who first appeared in Season 5 of the popular fantasy/drama television series Game of Thrones – and Japanese actor Shun Oguri in his Hollywood debut will be starring in the 2020 sequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019). Like most of the cast before them, their roles are currently not known.
Meanwhile, director Adam Wingard recently posted on his Instagram account a storyboard teaser for Godzilla vs. Kong. The picture shows only a fraction of a storyboard sketch accompanied by text briefly describing Godzilla's reaction to something presumably just out of frame in the photo.
No specifics regarding the picture were shared, though the enthusiastic Wingard did note how shooting for the movie was to begin soon: "This is the only part of the Godzilla Vs Kong storyboards that I can share. We start shooting this week after more than a year of preproduction. It's finally happening!"
November 3rd update
The cast for Godzilla vs. Kong continues to grow as Rebecca Hall of The Prestige (2006) and Marvel's Iron Man 3 (2013) fame, alongside Baby Driver (2017)'s Eiza González, have joined the movie according to exclusive reports published by Variety and Deadline respectively.
October 26th update
In an exclusive announcement from Deadline Hollywood, Emmy Award-winning actor Alexander Skarsgård will be starring in the 2020 movie. Like the previously-reported Demián Bichir, Skarsgård's role is currently unknown.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, actor Demián Bichir of The Hateful Eight (2015) and The Nun (2018) fame is slated to appear in Godzilla vs. Kong. Bichir will be joining Millie Bobbie Brown and Brian Tyree Henry as one of the leads, though his role is currently unknown.
As shared in a video via Gormaru Island, the production of Godzilla vs. Kong in Australia was announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Village Roadshow Studios. Filming is expected to start before the end of the year, with the movie employing 500 full-time staff and 600 casuals.
11:05 PM – Actor Brian Tyree Henry of Atlanta fame will be joining the cast of Godzilla vs. Kong, as exclusively reported by Variety. While his character's role is unknown, he is said to play "a significant role" in the plot. Henry will be starring alongside other confirmed actors including Millie Bobby Brown, Julian Dennison, and Kyle Chandler.
September 14th update
In the latest issue of Production Weekly courtesy of Gormaru Island, principal photography for Godzilla vs. Kong is slated to begin next month on October 1st. Currently, the only confirmed film locations are in Atlanta, Hawaii, and Australia.
June 3rd, 2018 update
As the project continues to develop, casting news is starting to come in. First off, Van Marten, who will appear in the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Ziyi Zhang, Memoirs of a Geisha, are set to appear in the film. Ziyi will also appear in Legendary Pictures' Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and will reprise her role from that movie. It's also been announced that young actor Julian Dennison, from Deadpool 2, will appear in the movie as well in a yet to be revealed role.
August 27th update
Casting is still not revealed for the project, although director Adam Wingard noted that characters seen in the 2019 Godzilla film will also appear in the 2020 battle royale flick between the two titular monsters.
June 2nd, 2017 update
After moving Kong: Skull Island (2017) from Universal to Warner Bros. in 2015, Legendary Pictures announced the natural conclusion to that news in October of 2015. The company stated that a Godzilla vs. Kong movie was in the works.
Since then, the company has focused most of their efforts on the 2017 King Kong film and the upcoming Godzilla: King of the Monsters. However, with Skull Island released, eyes are now focused on the next movie to feature the character, which is coming on May 22nd, 2020.
Naturally, some of the first news on the production is related to the staff who will bring it to life. The first major announcement came with the confirmation of the director. For this responsibility, Legendary Pictures tapped Adam Wingard, who has previously directed You're Next and The Guest.
Writing duties are being split amongst a writers room, which is being led by Terry Rossio, the scribe behind the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. He is joined by a huge group of writers, which include former comic author J. Michael Straczynski, who also worked on the Thor movie and World War Z. Lindsey Beer, who is an up and coming writer attached to assignments like Barbie, Patrick McKay, Star Trek Beyond, T.S. Nowlin, Maze Runner, Cat Vasko, Grrl Scouts, J.D. Payne, Star Trek Beyond, and Jack Paglen, Transcendence, are also in the writers room.
BY: Chris Mirjahangir
News // November 25, 2019
Cinema-kan Toho Soundtracks – News Roundup
Shortly after the turn of the century, Toho Music was on and off releasing CD soundtracks. From scores around director Akira Kurosawa to the expansive Godzilla Soundtrack Perfect line, a plethora of titles were issued. That is until 2013, when news and future releases stopped. A two disc set for The Last War (1961) would mark one of their final releases… but the torch would be passed.
In 2014, a label called Cinema-kan burst onto the scene. Their initial offering for Toho was small, with a trilogy of "Science Fiction Movie World" compilations. These were faithful releases to CD of older LP compilations. The company wasn't done, though, and branched out in 2015 to the more obscure with their next Toho release: one for the Bloodthirsty trilogy. The CD compilation collected music from Toho's three 1970's vampire films, but was only a hint of what was to come. In 2016 the company released six full soundtracks for Toho films, moving away from compilations. These ranged from previously released scores like Half Human (1955) to unreleased material like Kill! (1968). As of the start of 2019, the company has issued 19 separate releases related to Toho. As a result, the company has thrust themselves on the radar of Japanese soundtrack collectors, proving to release from a variety of genres along with several titles that have never seen full releases before.
This article is a news roundup tracking these releases as they are announced, or as major details are made available. Much of this is announced over the company's Twitter handle, which is frequently updated.
Cinema-kan continues to release science fiction films related to Toho. First up is a heavy weight in the form of the popular Gamera films from the 1990's. This includes Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995), Gamera 2: Advent of Legion (1996) and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999), which were all composed by Kow Otani.
Heisei Gamera Trilogy Original Soundtracks
Being released as the "Heisei Gamera Trilogy Original Soundtracks" (平成ガメラ三部作 オリジナル・サウンドトラック), details are scarce except that it's a three disc set. Hopefully it matches or surpasses what was available in the long out of print Gamera: 1995-1999 Ultimate Sound Tracks set by Tokuma. The upcoming Cinema-kan set will be released on November 20th, 2019.
The next bit of news is another title, although further out, as Cinema-kan announced it will be releasing the soundtrack to The Legend of the White Serpent (1956). No additional information has been noted at this time, except that it will be released on December 18th, 2019.
April 17th update
We are days away from the release of the scores for Gorath (1962) and Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974), each of which will be a two disc set. Cover artwork has also been released for the two titles, seen below.
Cover art for Gorath (left) and Prophecies of Nostradamus (right)
Although both have been issued on CD before, this will mark the first time the complete mono score will be made available for the 1962 disaster movie. Previously the stereo version was released in 1995 by SLC, and has been out of print for over two decades. The two disc set will also contain "trailer music", which was absent on the SLC release, and other outtakes, which were previously available.
For the 1974 disaster movie, this two disc set will combine the complete mono score alongside the commercial stereo record that was created for the movie. This record version, created at a time when people were still adopting stereo over mono equipment at home, was sold on providing a stereo experience of the themes created by composer Isao Tomita. The Cinema-kan release looks to over both, covering material that was previously released by VAP alongside the stereo content found inside the Toho SFX Champion Festival box set.
In addition to these two impending sets, Cinema-kan has announced two more Toho releases. The first is for the movie Mount Hakkoda (1977), directed by Shiro Moritani. This release is a two disc set, featuring the lengthy score composed by Yasushi Akutagawa for the almost three hour movie. The other announcement was for an LP record release of The War of the Gargantuas (1966). This takes some of the material from Cinema-kan's CD Frankenstein's Monsters: Sanda vs. Gaira – Original Soundtrack set and presents it on a double sided LP.
February 20th update
Today marks the day Cinema-kan issues their 20th release around Toho. That score is for the The Imperial Navy (1981). Created by composer Katsuhisa Hattori, father of Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) composer Takayuki Hattori, themes from the score were most recently available in Toho Music's ambitious Toho War Movies Soundtrack Collection. That, however, only included five tracks from the movie, leaving much of the score unreleased.
Cinema-kan, though, is issuing a two disc set for the early 1980's film. Touting it as including 94 tracks, with everything from unused material to stereo sources, the set appears to include a wealth of material around the production.
The good news for Toho fans, though, is not just what's coming out today but also what is on the horizon. To that point, Cinema-kan has also announced their next two Toho releases, both of which arrive on April 24th, 2019. One is for Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974), which promises to include not just the original mono score but also stereo material that was created for commercial releases.
The other announced soundtrack is for Gorath (1962). This is of particular note as Toho Music once hinted at releasing this themselves before they stopped doing soundtracks. Cinema-kan is carrying that torch, though. Similar to how Toho Music did earlier releases, this will be a two disc set for the 1962 movie. Included will be both the original stereo and mono scores, along with touted bonus material as well.
BY: Anthony Romero
News // October 24, 2019
Godzilla: King of the Monsters – News Roundup
Not long after the release of Godzilla (2014), news started to come of another entry in the new series by Legendary Pictures. This time an entry that reunited the character with Mothra, King Ghidorah and Rodan in the next film in the MonsterVerse. It was also noted that, despite Legendary Pictures' agreement at the time with Universal, that the movie would be distributed by Warner Bros. in the same way the 2014 movie was.
September 4th update
In what likely might be one of the last new updates on the title, Godzilla: King of the Monsters has been nominated for E! People's Choice Awards in two categories. These are "Best Action Movie of 2019" and "Female Movie Star of 2019" for Millie Bobby Brown's performance in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The winners will be announced during the E! People's Choice Awards, which will be broadcast live from Barker Hanger in Santa Monica on Sunday, November 10th at 9pm ET/PT.
An exclusive "final look" at the upcoming movie has been released. This 60 second compilation includes spoilers, so watch at your own risk!
Also, a press release for the tie-in graphic novel Godzilla: Aftershock has been made available. Information, pictures, and the official trailer can be viewed below, courtesy of Warner Bros.
Legendary Comics' New Graphic Novel Godzilla: Aftershock Now on Sale in Comic Stores and Online
Thrilling companion prequel to upcoming summer blockbuster Godzilla: King of the Monsters pits the iconic Titan against a mythic new adversary
LOS ANGELES, May 21, 2019 – Fans eagerly awaiting Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures' summer's big-screen blockbuster Godzilla: King of the Monsters, set to hit theaters worldwide on May 31, can get a sneak peek at the monstrous action with Legendary Comics' thrilling companion graphic novel GODZILLA: AFTERSHOCK, now on sale in comic stores and online. Continuing the story of 2014's Godzilla after the catastrophic events in San Francisco, the King of the Monsters finds himself once again threatened as a terrifying new foe rises from the depths of the earth, unleashing a series of devastating earthquakes and driven by an unstoppable primal instinct that will test the King of Monsters like never before. Follow Facebook.com/LegendaryComics for the latest news and updates.
"Part of the fun of working on a Godzilla project is that its massive scale demands that it be a collaboration with talented artists and AFTERSHOCK is no exception," said Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Michael Dougherty. "Arvid Nelson and Drew Edward Johnson have created a story that is just as epic and compelling as Godzilla's big screen adventures. So much so that it sometimes feels like you're flipping through the storyboards of a movie just waiting to be shot."
"Arvid and Drew have created a riveting prequel that adds to the Monsterverse while acting as a story bridge between the two Godzilla films," said Robert Napton, Senior Vice President of Legendary Comics.
Written by Arvid Nelson, with art by Drew Edward Johnson, Godzilla: Aftershockintroduces characters from the upcoming movie and invites readers to delve further into the activities of cryptozoological agency Monarch. The brilliant and driven Monarch operative Dr. Emma Russell races to stop the threat as clues emerge to reveal a terrible secret—a tragedy, of apocalyptic proportions from the distant past that changed the course of human history, is returning to threaten it once more. A shadowy figure stalks Emma's every move as she travels the globe to uncover secrets, while Godzilla clashes in an ancient rivalry as old as the Earth itself.
The Monarch Sciences website has updated with bios for the human characters from the movie, located under "Operatives" in the top-left drop down menu. As an added bonus, once all the bios have been read, a new bio is unlocked for the film's antagonist.
In other news, a giant Godzilla head has been constructed atop the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood to promote the upcoming movie. At night, Godzilla's mouth emits an eye-catching light blue glow. Mike Dougherty shared a picture of the Godzilla head on his Twitter page.
I'm keeping him. #GODZILLAMOVIE pic.twitter.com/BML65IRi56
— Mike Dougherty (@Mike_Dougherty) May 10, 2019
May 4th update
Collider has released a 30-minute recording of a press conference featuring director Mike Dougherty and actor Ken Watanabe. As the article points out, there are some spoilers discussed in the video, so anyone wanting to refrain from certain story details may want to return to this article after the movie's theatrical release.
Meanwhile, the official Xbox Twitter page is holding a sweepstakes, where the grand prize winners will receive a customized Xbox One X with either a 2019 Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, or Rodan skin. Rules and other information can be found in their tweet below.
RT for a chance to be the King of Consoles with a custom Xbox One X and see #GodzillaMovie in theaters May 31! #GodzillaXboxSweepstakes
NoPurchNec. Ends June 7. Rules: https://t.co/2mFrwIFxKW pic.twitter.com/jrB6khA3hi
— Xbox (@Xbox) May 2, 2019
The Hollywood Reporter recently released an interview with Legendary CEO Joshua Grode, who described the company's current ambitions and projects. When questioned regarding the future of the MonsterVerse and how much "fuel" there is in the franchise, Grode remarked: "I hope a lot. I hope the gas tank is full."
Meanwhile, WaterTower Music has uploaded two tracks from the movie's upcoming soundtrack. The first is Track #9: Old Rivals, which gives just a taste of Akira Ifukube in the composition. The second is a cover of Blue Oyster Cult's single Godzilla, composed by Bear McCreary and featuring Dethklok and System of a Down's Serj Tankian.
Warner Bros has released what's being dubbed as the final trailer for the upcoming movie. Watch it below.
April 22nd update
HBO has uploaded an extended video of the movie to its streaming platform, HBO NOW. This 5 minute "sizzle reel" is the same one that aired before IMAX screenings of Shazam! (2019), showing a lengthy scene centered around King Ghidorah before playing a clip montage. This video is only available to those with a membership, and will only be on the site till May 1st.
Courtesy of Warner Brothers, a new poster for the movie has been released. Click the image below to see the full resolution version.
Warner Bros. has released another press release. While much of the information has been made available previously, it goes into greater detail regarding some of the staff attached to the movie.
Following the global success of "Godzilla" and "Kong: Skull Island" comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' cinematic Monsterverse: "Godzilla: King of the Monsters," an epic action adventure that pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history.
The film was directed by Michael Dougherty ("Krampus"), and stars Kyle Chandler ("The Wolf of Wall Street," "Argo") as well as Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga ("Up in the Air," "The Conjuring" films) and Millie Bobby Brown (TV's "Stranger Things") in her feature film debut. The acclaimed ensemble cast also includes Bradley Whitford ("Get Out," "The Post"); Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins ("The Shape of Water," "Blue Jasmine"); Charles Dance (HBO's "Game of Thrones," "The Imitation Game"); Thomas Middleditch (HBO's "Silicon Valley"); Aisha Hinds ("Star Trek Into Darkness"); O'Shea Jackson Jr. ("Straight Outta Compton"); Oscar nominee David Strathairn ("Good Night, and Good Luck," "Godzilla"), with Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe ("The Last Samurai," "Inception," "Godzilla") and Golden Globe nominee Ziyi Zhang ("Memoirs of a Geisha," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon").
The new 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 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.
Dougherty directed from a script he wrote with Zach Shields, story by Max Borenstein and Michael Dougherty & Zach Shields, based on the characters "Godzilla," "King Ghidorah," "Mothra" and "Rodan" owned and created by Toho Co., Ltd. The film was produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Brian Rogers, with Zach Shields, Barry Waldman, Hiro Matsuoka, Keiji Ota, Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Yoshimitsu Banno and Kenji Okuhira serving as executive producers, and Ali Mendes and Jay Ashenfelter co-producing for Legendary.
Behind the scenes, Dougherty's creative team included director of photography Lawrence Sher, whose credits include the "Hangover" films and "Godzilla," for which he handled additional photography; production designer Scott Chambliss ("Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," "Star Trek Into Darkness"); editors Roger Barton ("Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," the "Transformers" films), Oscar nominee Richard Pearson ("United 93," "Kong: Skull Island") and Bob Ducsay ("Godzilla," "Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi"); costume designer Louise Mingenbach (the "X-Men" and "Hangover" films), and Oscar-winning VFX supervisor Guillaume Rocheron ("Life of Pi," "Godzilla"). Music is by Bear McCreary (TV's "The Walking Dead," "10 Cloverfield Lane").
A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, in association with Toho Co., Ltd., a film by Michael Dougherty, "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" hits theaters May 31, 2019. It will be distributed in 3D and 2D and IMAX by Warner Bros. Pictures, except in Japan, where it will be distributed by Toho; and in China, where it will be distributed by Legendary East.
The film has been rated PG-13 for sequences of monster action, violence and destruction, and for some language.
GodzillaMovie.com
An additional set of TV spots – "Balance", "Monster", and "Ghidorah" – have been released. As per tradition, Toho Kingdom has been given access to higher quality versions of these teasers, the highest quality that can be found online. All three run for 30 seconds, with the "Ghidorah" teaser in particular showing even more new footage.
April 3rd update
Two more TV spots, "Beautiful" (NCAA) and "Run", have been released. As per tradition, Toho Kingdom has been given access to higher quality versions of these teasers, the highest quality that can be found online. Both run for 30 seconds, but are packed with plenty of new monster footage and action.
March 29th update
Another new TV spot titled "Beautiful" has been released. As per tradition, Toho Kingdom has been given access to a higher quality version of the teaser, the highest quality that can be found online. It runs for 60 seconds, and features even more new footage of the monsters and Monarch.
Meanwhile, the Monarch Sciences Twitter account has uploaded a short video showing various murals of Godzilla, and bringing up the possibility that he could be the "key to coexistence."
Lastly, two wall-breakers have been officially revealed by Rubies Costumes, one featuring 2019 Godzilla and the other 2019 King Ghidorah. These are expected to be released later this year.
A new TV spot titled "Intimidation" has been released. As per tradition, Toho Kingdom has been given access to a higher quality version of the teaser, the highest quality that can be found online. It runs for 30 seconds, and briefly features even more new footage of Godzilla, King Ghidorah, and Rodan in action.
March 6th update
Director Mike Dougherty shared on his Twitter page a new screenshot of King Ghidorah. This same image was also shared in even higher quality in the latest issue of Total Film magazine, which provided an assortment of new images featuring both monsters and Monarch members, as well as additional information about the upcoming movie.
A new TV spot titled "Time Has Come" has been released. As per tradition, Toho Kingdom has been given access to a higher quality version of the teaser, the highest quality that can be found online. The TV spot runs for 30 seconds and features some brief new footage of Rodan, King Ghidorah, and two mysterious Titans.
January 27th update
Toho has released a Japanese trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which can be viewed below. It is a modified version of the second official trailer, opting to use the "Clair de Lune" mix heard in the first trailer, and runs for 1 minute 32 seconds.
 January 21st update
A new TV spot titled "Supremacy" has been released, which focuses heavily on Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown), Godzilla, and Rodan. Toho Kingdom has been given access to a higher quality version of the teaser, the highest quality that can be found online. The TV spot runs for 30 seconds.
January 8th, 2019 update
A movie still featuring King Ghidorah has been released, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. The image originally appeared in an online article by USA Today. Click the image below to see the full resolution version.
On a side note, Tamashii Nations has released an interview with director Mike Dougherty. The article also shows some pictures of the director next to the upcoming S.H.MonsterArts figures Godzilla (2019), Rodan (2019), and King Ghidorah (2019).
December 13th update
Courtesy of Warner Brothers, three new posters featuring the Titans Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah have been released, as well as some brief press notes. Click the images below to see their full resolution versions.
Press note information:
In 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX on May 31
(Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures)
Director: Michael Dougherty
Writers: Michael Dougherty, Zach Shields
Producers: Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Brian Rogers, Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni
Executive Producers: Zach Shields, Barry H. Waldman, Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Thomas Middleditch, Charles Dance, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Aisha Hinds, Zhang Ziyi
Action Adventure.
The new 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.
This film has been rated PG-13 for sequences of monster action violence and destruction, and for some language.
The second official trailer for 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters has appeared online. The trailer runs for around 2 minutes 30 seconds and presents plenty of clips with Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah, as well as some teaser glimpses at what may be other Titans. As per tradition, Toho Kingdom has been given a higher quality version of the latest trailer, the highest quality that can be found online, which can be seen below.
In addition, a new poster has been revealed. Click the image below to see the full resolution version. High-resolution image courtesy of Warner Brothers.
December 2nd update
IGN Japan has released a 30-minute recording of the Tokyo Comic Con 2018 stage event with host Shinsuke Kasai and director Mike Dougherty, where Dougherty recalls his childhood memories of Godzilla before revealing more background information regarding the movie's monstrous cast. While the questions are in Japanese, Dougherty answers in English. Concept artwork for the monsters can be seen at around the 17 minute 40 second mark.
 December 1st update
Earlier this morning, Tokyo Comic Con 2018 unveiled the official designs for Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah in the form of S.H.MonsterArts figures, with 2019 King Ghidorah and Godzilla being made available for pre-order on January 9th of next year. A 2-meter-tall 2019 Godzilla statue was also present at the event. Concept artwork of the monsters and some battle scenarios were shown to attendees, as well as a brand-new teaser trailer, with director Mike Dougherty confirming that a 2nd official trailer for the movie would be released sometime next week.
The figures of the 4 monsters can be viewed by clicking the image on the right. With a new trailer just on the horizon, the reveals for Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah have been omitted from the thumbnail so to avoid spoiling anyone wishing to wait for their full reveals likely coming in the next trailer.
Twitter user @pacific_boy525 managed to capture the booming audio playing during the Comic Con event, featuring a modernized take of Akira Ifukube's classic Godzilla composition.
Director Mike Dougherty has announced the end of post-production for Godzillla: King of the Monsters on his Twitter, with a behind-the-scenes image accompanying the following message: "It is done. With love and gratitude to the thousands of talented people all around the world who helped make this lifelong dream a reality. In Godzilla we trust."
October 21st update
A page from the November 2018 issue of Total Film Magazine has shared both an exclusive image from Godzilla: King of the Monsters, as well as a few words from Michael Dougherty regarding the upcoming movie. In the article, Dougherty describes how Godzilla has been with him since his youth, and how he wanted to create "a film that could stand on its own" while remaining faithful to Toho's own movies and monsters – in particular paying homage to the "morality play" and Mothra's role as a deity.
Fortunately for the director, while he required approval for the monsters, Toho "signed off on everything without hesitation" after a somewhat nerve-wracking presentation in Japan. Dougherty also goes on to praise Godzilla (2014) and the movie's director Gareth Edwards for the love given to the title monster, while maintaining his stance on Rodan as one of his favorites due to the flying monster being "a bit of an underdog". On the other hand, Millie Bobby Brown chips in with a tease of a certain goddess she has come to adore: "Madison has a really, like, interesting connection to Mothra."
The page closes with some words from Dougherty: "I have such a deep-rooted love for these creatures. […] These aren't just giant monsters, they're ancient gods."
The contents of the article can be read in full in image format. Click the image below to see the larger version. Very special thanks to Gormaru Island for the scan provided!
In a more lighthearted update, 10-year-old Godzilla fan Nigel Ayala caught the attention of Legendary after his story made waves. Nigel was recorded back in August by FOX6 News bestowing "Godzilla power" upon the Milwaukee Brewers in the form of small Godzilla figures. As the Brewers were headed to Hollywood for the National League Championship Series, Legendary flew Nigel and his family out to their studio in Los Angeles, where the young fan was treated to a private tour of Legendary Entertainment, as well as a closed-door screening of a few scenes of 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters, courtesy of director Michael Dougherty. The story can be viewed in full in the video below.
Catching up on some overlooked news, an interview with O'Shea Jackson Jr. was shared on GameSpot back in January, where the actor shared his enthusiasm on working with the Godzilla series, as well as detailing some of the physical labors he endured during filming – including the gunning down of several characters in the 2019 movie.
More recently, a recording from San Diego Comic-Con was uploaded through Mulderville's YouTube channel back in August. Due to video and photo restrictions at the event, the press conference upload is audio only and runs for around 25 minutes. Michael Dougherty, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, and O'Shea Jackson Jr. cover their inspirations and experiences while working on Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Dougherty's relationship with Toho, character origins, and some of the main monster locations are also touched upon.
 September 26th update
An article from Newsweek has confirmed the names of several motion-capture actors for the movie. Portraying the three-headed monster King Ghidorah will be Alan Maxson as the right head, Richard Dorton as the left head, and the previously-reported Jason Liles as the middle head. Liles will also be working as the mocap actor for Rodan, while T.J. Storm portrays Godzilla.
According to a bulletin released by the Motion Picture Association of America, Godzilla: King of the Monsters has been rated PG-13 "for sequences of monster action violence and destruction, and for some language."
July 29th update
As per tradition, Toho Kingdom has been given a higher quality version of the latest Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) trailer. Below is the higher quality version of the trailer, the highest quality that can be found online.
July 23rd update
For the San Diego Comic Con's panel in Hall H on the movie, cast members Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, O'Shea Jackson, Thomas Middleditch and director Michael Dougherty went on stage for a little Q&A. Below is this session, recorded and enhanced by Chris Mirjahangir and Michal Shipman.
July 21st update
Just minutes before the Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, some cast and staff of Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) were interviewed live by Entertainment Weekly. While no major spoilers are spilled, each shares what brought them on board for the movie, among other details. The archived livestream can be viewed below.
2:24 PM – The official trailer has dropped! It runs for 2 minutes 25 seconds:
 4:07 PM – It has been confirmed through the Hall H presentation that Bear McCreary will be composing for the movie. McCreary is best known for his work on television shows such as The Walking Dead and 2004's Battlestar Galactica, as well as movies such as 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) and Colossal (2017). Likewise, Akira Ifukube's classic music will be present in some form in the movie.
Meanwhile, on Twitter, director Mike Dougherty shared an image of the Comic-Con 2018 exclusive illustrated poster, with artwork by Christopher Shy. The poster features Godzilla entangled in battle with the monstrous King Ghidorah.
11:22 PM – IGN has uploaded an interview featuring director Mike Dougherty, Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, Thomas Middleditch, and O'Shea Jackson Jr., where the director describes how Godzilla: King of the Monsters(2019) takes place five years after the events of Godzilla (2014), the motion-capture effects of King Ghidorah, and how the monster roster consists of "more than four [monsters]".
 July 19th update
The website Monarch Sciences has gone live with an interactive database, which supplies many new details regarding Godzilla's kaiju co-stars while keeping track of the titular monster himself. Users can uncover historic accounts of Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah, and are treated with new pictures and information the higher their clearance level. Such bonus content includes Monarch classifications, natures, behavior, and body height and wingspan statistics.
A teaser trailer for the movie has also dropped, which focuses on Madison Russell (Millie Bobby Brown) attempting to make contact with Monarch. The teaser runs for about 41 seconds, and originally surfaced on Twitter.
 Finally, the logo and tagline for the movie have been unveiled, which can be viewed below. The official Godzilla: King of the Monsters website has also been updated to accompany this reveal, with an additional image in the "Gallery" featuring Millie Bobby Brown and the looming figure of Godzilla in the background. Click the image below to see the full resolution version. High-resolution image courtesy of Warner Brothers.
Following up on the previous update, here are clean versions of the two promotional stills from the upcoming film. Click to see the full resolution versions.
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Godzilla rises from the depths and unleashes his atomic breath to claim his crown as King of the Monsters in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' action adventure "GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
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(L-R) MILLIE BOBBY BROWN as Madison Russell and VERA FARMIGA as Dr. Emma Russell in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' action adventure "GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
With San Diego Comic-Con just a week away, Entertainment Weekly has dropped some early details for the movie, as well as revealed two exclusive pictures: The first image features the titular Godzilla, now sporting a somewhat retooled look with larger spines, firing his signature atomic breath towards the sky. The second introduces the characters Madison Russell and Dr. Emma Russell (Millie Bobby Brown and Vera Farmiga respectively) overlooking something in an icy chamber.
According to director Mike Dougherty in the article: "The world is reacting to Godzilla in the same way we would react to any other terrifying incident, in that we are overreacting. […] There's paranoia and endless speculation about whether he is the only one out there or whether we're threatened by others like his kind." Godzilla is said to have disappeared following the events of the previous movie, but will be making his presence known once more alongside other monsters such as Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah. Dougherty also mentions how he has a soft spot for Rodan in particular, and believes they've done the monster "justice."
Regarding Godzilla's use of his atomic breath, Dougherty describes: "Not without giving away too much […] But it takes place at a very key moment and it's sort of a call to arms." Also, Millie Bobby Brown and Vera Farmiga's characters are said to have been kidnapped by "a mysterious organization, with their own plans for the creatures", with ex-husband and father Mark Russell (played by Kyle Chandler) out to rescue the pair alongside Godzilla (2014) Monarch members Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) and Dr. Vivienne Graham (Sally Hawkins). While no thorough details were shared about the follow-up movie, 2020's Godzilla vs. Kong, Dougherty did tease how there would be "bread crumbs" leading to the inevitable confrontation between the two monsters.
In an interview with Metro US, actress Vera Farmiga has shared several new and surprising details about her character, Dr. Emma Russell. In the movie, she plays a paleobiologist, who has "figured out a way to communicate with the creatures and potentially control them using their bioacoustics on a sonar level," in what she amusingly describes as being like a "DJ for the monsters." She also views the film as being more about the environment than about the monsters themselves: "When it comes down to it that's what emerged to me off the written page, and so I find that there has to be a little parable in it that makes me interested." Vera Farmiga's character of Dr. Emma Russell will be married to Mark Russell, played by Kyle Chandler, and be the mother of Madison Russell, played by Millie Bobby Brown.
July 7th update
Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Mike Dougherty confirmed on Twitter that Godzilla will be present in some fashion at San Diego Comic-Con this year. The director's brief confirmation was in response to another Twitter user asking whether or not Godzilla would be appearing at the upcoming event's Hall H panel. San Diego Comic-Con will be running from July 19th to the 22nd later this month.
12:17 PM – The Comic-Con website has included the date and time of the Warner Bros. Hall H presentation: it will be held on Saturday July 21st at 10:30am – 12:30pm PDT (1:30pm – 3:30pm EDT). As of now, no films or panelists have been announced, though with the aforementioned confirmation of Godzilla, information regarding the 2019 sequel will more than likely be presented in this time frame.
May 23rd update
Warner Bros. has announced that Godzilla: King of the Monsters has had its release date moved from March 22nd, 2019 to May 31st, 2019.
May 22nd update
Ever since the sequel to Godzilla 2014's film was announced, it has had multiple names ever since. When it was formally announced, it was "Godzilla King of Monsters". The "the" was left out, from what I'm told, due to a typo. It was later corrected but it was still just a working title. Fans and media outlets did pick up on the name though and the "Godzilla King of the Monsters" name stuck. However, internally there still was no cemented official title. For example, on Warner Brothers' own media pass page (press only), it was only listed as "Godzilla Sequel".
So, today, as an exclusive reveal via Warner Brothers, Toho Kingdom is happy to announce the official title is: Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Sometimes the working title is just something so cool sounding that it sticks around. Stay tuned for more on Godzilla: King of the Monsters on the road to release.
Actor O'Shea Jackson Jr. once again shares some more information regarding Godzilla 2 in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, where he stresses the powerful presence of King Ghidorah within the movie. Talk surrounding the sequel starts at around the 5:50 mark in the video.
Also, Rampage (2018) motion-capture actor Jason Liles joins in on the action for Godzilla 2, as shared in an exclusive article by TheWrap. Liles will be just one of several mocap actors hired to portray the three-headed antagonist, King Ghidorah.
January 18th, 2018 update
While on the press tour for his new film Den of Thieves, actor O'Shea Jackson Jr. gives a few tidbits about Godzilla 2 in an interview with Collider.com. The conversation about the next Godzilla movie starts about 10:30 into the video. During the video, the actor stresses his fandom for the franchise, while doing some very brief teasing for the upcoming movie.
Although promoted on their Twitter account for Kong: Skull Island (2017), some additional hints are coming in related to the greater MonsterVerse and the cast of the second Godzilla film. In particular, Rodan, Mothra and King Ghidorah…
2016: An extraordinary superspecies is discovered beneath the Antarctic ice. #KongSkullIsland pic.twitter.com/4puTeUSH2n
— Kong: Skull Island (@kongskullisland) July 12, 2017
The video covers a time line of the MonsterVerse from 1991 to present. It references events from Godzilla (2014) and the comic Skull Island: The Birth of Kong. The entries for 2009 and 2016, whose title for the creature as "Monster Zero" is a clear nod to Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), are references to Mothra and King Ghidorah respectively. It's assumed that the 1991 listing that starts the video is referencing Rodan, and his habit of living near volcanoes.
Full text during the video, which uses music from the Kong: Skull Island (2017) score, is found below. Please note some of the text is cut off in the video, and filled in with a best guess in brackets:
1991 Isle de Mona: A covert Monarch team established a quarantine zone around a dormant volcano in Isle de Mona, under the guise of "environmental research". Over the coming years, what began as a small scientific outpost will expand to become a full containment facility around the mouth of the volcano.
1995 Return to Skull Island: Monarch security officer Aaron Brooks defies his father Houston Brooks and leads an off-the-books mission to Skull Island, to determine what has become of Kong since the 1973 expedition.
1999 Janjira Meltdown: Following an explosive disaster [at the Janjira] power planet, Monarch establishes [a quarantine] zone outside of Tokyo. What the [Monarch team discovers is] that Janjira Q-Zone is in reality containment facility established around a dormant M.U.T.O.
2005 A Mysterious Mercenary: Former British Army Colonel and MI-6 agent Jonah Alan is locked up in Pakistani prison after an encounter with MONARCH agents. Alan and his band of mercenary accomplices were caught trying to breach the walls of a subterranean M.U.T.O. dig-site.
2009 Temple of the Moth: Mythographic studies of Chinese temples leads Monarch to the high-altitude jungles of the Yunnan province. Dr. Emma Russel and her team follow a mysterious bio-acoustic signature to a previously undiscovered megalithic temple, within which lies a gigantic cocoon. A quickening heartbeat is detected inside.
2012 Message in a Bottle: Days before retirement, Monarch veteran Houston Brooks receives a coded message from his son. The mission to Skull Island has revealed dramatic new information about Kong's origins, and his role on the island.
2014 The Battle of San Francisco: The existence of giant superspecies is revealed to the world as Godzilla clashes with two M.U.T.O.s in the center of San Francisco, unleashing devastation upon the urban center. The world watches as Godzilla defends our world and restores balance to the natural order. The time has come for Monarch to step out of the shadows.
2016 Monster Zero: When Monarch discovers an extraordinary superspecies sealed beneath the Antarctic ice sheet, Dr. Vivienne Graham leads the effort to build a covert containment and research facility around the dormant creature. Her classified field notes contain a mysterious footnote: "The devil has three heads."
Warner Bros. has begun to distribute a press release for the movie to celebrate filming commencing. With a brief story synopsis, the release mentions the four monsters to be included in the movie: Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and King Ghidorah. The release also still references the late Yoshimitsu Banno, director of Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971), as an executive producer. The release is found below:
WARNER BROS. PICTURES' AND LEGENDARY PICTURES' MONSTERVERSE KICKS INTO GEAR AS THE NEXT GODZILLA FEATURE GETS UNDERWAY
Director Michael Dougherty helms the film in which stars Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe and Zhang Ziyi take on the King of the Monsters… and more!
BURBANK, CA, June 19, 2017 – Following the global success of 2014's "Godzilla" and this year's "Kong: Skull Island," comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Legendary Pictures' cinematic MonsterVerse: an epic action adventure that pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. The film, which begins principal photography today, is being directed by Michael Dougherty ("Krampus"), and stars Oscar nominees Vera Farmiga ("Up in the Air," "The Conjuring" films), and Ken Watanabe ("The Last Samurai") and Sally Hawkins ("Blue Jasmine"), both reprising their "Godzilla" roles; Kyle Chandler ("The Wolf of Wall Street," "Manchester by the Sea"); Millie Bobby Brown ("Stranger Things") in her feature film debut; Bradley Whitford ("Get Out"); Thomas Middleditch (HBO's "Silicon Valley"); Charles Dance (HBO's "Game of Thrones"); O'Shea Jackson Jr. ("Straight Outta Compton"); Aisha Hinds ("Star Trek Into Darkness"); and Golden Globe nominee Zhang Ziyi ("Memoirs of a Geisha," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon").
Dougherty directs from a script he wrote with Zach Shields. The film is being produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Brian Rogers and Thomas Tull, with Barry H. Waldman, Zach Shields, Yoshimitsu Banno and Kenji Okuhira serving as executive producers and Alexandra Mendes co-producing for Legendary.
Behind the scenes, Dougherty's creative team includes director of photography Lawrence Sher, whose past credits include "War Dogs" and "Godzilla," for which he handled additional photography; production designer Scott Chambliss ("Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," "Star Trek Into Darkness"); editor Roger Barton ("Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," the "Transformers" films); costume designer Louise Migenbach (the "X-Men" and "Hangover" films); and Oscar-winning VFX supervisor Guillaume Rocheron ("Godzilla," "Ghost in the Shell," and part of the Oscar-winning team behind "Life of Pi ").
Filming is taking place mainly in Atlanta, Georgia. A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, the film is currently scheduled for release in March 2019, and will be distributed in 3D and 2D and in select IMAX theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, except in Japan, where it will be distributed by Toho Co., Ltd.
June 9th update
Actress Zhang Ziyi, best known for her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Memoirs of a Geisha, has been added to the movie's cast. Acting as part of the MONARCH organization, Ziyi has signed a multi-picture deal that will see her as a reoccuring character in the MonsterVerse, as she is also set to appear in the upcoming Godzilla vs. Kong movie as well.
June 2nd update
The cast for the movie continues to expand, as actor Bradley Whitford has been added to the movie. Whitford, who has acted in movies such as The Cabin in the Woods and Scent of a Woman, is also joined by another actor announcement. Thomas Middleditch, star of the TV show Silicon Valley, has also been added to the movie's cast.
Casting news continues to pour in. This time, the director, Mike Dougherty, has tweeted that actor Randy Havens, who played Mr. Clarke on Stranger Things, has also joined the cast in an unnamed role.
Sally Hawkins, who appeared in Godzilla (2014) as Doctor Vivienne Graham, will reprise her role in the movie's sequel. In addition, it has been announced that Charles Dance, who played Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones, will be appearing in the movie as well.
Actress Aisha Hinds, who has been making positive rounds due to her performance as Harriet Tubman on WGN America's Underground, will be appearing in the film in a currently unspecified role.
Casting news continues to flow in as O'Shea Jackson Jr., best known for his work in Straight Outta Compton, is now in negotiations to join the latest Godzilla film. If he signs on, he will join his Straight Outta Compton costars in the MonsterVerse, as both Corey Hawkins and Jason Mitchell already starred in Kong: Skull Island (2017).
Actress Vera Farmiga, best known for her work on The Conjuring and Up in the Air, will appear in the film as the mother of Millie Bobby Brown's character.
February 21st update
Actor Kyle Chandler, best known for his work on The Wolf of Wall Street and Zero Dark Thirty, is set to star in the movie as the father of Millie Bobby Brown's character. In addition, the article mentions that actor Ken Watanabe is likely to reprise his role in the upcoming movie.
January 31st update
Legendary Pictures has clarified to us that the title for the upcoming Godzilla movie is in fact Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The earlier press release in December was in fact with a typo that became widespread.
Jaunary 28th update
With the director of the latest Godzilla film locked down, it was only a matter of time before more cast and crew started to be announced.
This includes the revelation that Millie Bobby Brown, star of Stranger Things, will have a starring role in Godzilla: King of Monsters. Details on the character she will play is being kept under wraps, but expect more cast announcements to start happening around the upcoming film.
The director for Godzilla: King of Monsters is official. Michael Dougherty, who was already tapped as co-writer with Zach Shields, will oversee the movie. Godzilla will mark the third major directorial effort from Dougherty, his others being Trick 'r Treat and Krampus.
Legendary Pictures issued a release announcing that Herbert W. Gains as their new executive vice president (EVP) of Physical Production, Valerie Flueger Veras as their new senior vice president (SVP) of Post- Production and Sara Flamm as their new SVP of Physical Production. Buried in the release was a glimpse of the title for the upcoming Godzilla film from Legendary, now called Godzilla: King of Monsters. The name harks back to the American title for Godzilla (1954) and the ongoing alias moniker of Godzilla himself, used briefly by the press at the end of Godzilla (2014).
December 7th update
As part of the press junket for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, IGN asked Gareth Edwards, director of Godzilla (2014), why he's not directing the sequel. That response is found below:
 October 23rd update
It was probably only a matter of time, but word has spread that after hiring the writers of Krampus the studio is now eyeing the director of that film as well: Michael Dougherty. While some sources fumbled stating it's a sure thing, others have noted that this is still in talks pending approval of the screenplay and no official deal has been set in stone. Waiting for sreenplay approval is a natural step as Dougherty is already attached as a writer to the project. Dougherty has been directing since 2007's Trick 'r Treat, but whose career is primarly as a writer rather than director. If choosen, Godzilla 2 would be his most high profile directing gig.
After a five month news hiatus, Legendary has announced that two new writers have been attached to Godzilla 2. These writers are Michael Dougherty and Zach Shields. The pair most recently collaborated on the horror movie Krampus for Legendary; however, while Shields is relatively new to the blockbuster field, Dougherty has a long track record, having written on films like X-Men: Apocalypse and X2: X-Men United.
Following on the heels of the movie's delay, it has been announced that Gareth Edwards has left Godzilla 2. Reportedly the split is amicable and based largely on Edwards' desire to work on smaller scale productions after Godzilla (2014) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Legendary Pictures is now on a hunt to find a director to replace Edwards on the film.
May 13th, 2016 update
Over half a year has passed and things have been quiet on the news front. Sadly, things haven't changed much, as the only piece of news related to the awaited Godzilla sequel from Legendary Pictures is a delay to the production.
The movie, which was originally slated for a June 8, 2018 release date, is now aiming for a March 22, 2019. As a spot of good news, Legendary and Warner Bros. did date the fourth film in the new cinematic universe, as Godzilla vs. Kong will be arriving on May 29, 2020.
August 12th, 2015 update
Been a long silence on the news front for the follow-up entry in the new series by Legendary Pictures. Collider got a chance, though, to sit down with writer Max Borenstein for an interview. The basis of the interview was the upcoming TV show Minority Report. However, that didn't stop them from briefly talking about the future of the King of the Monsters.
When asked if Borenstein was writing it now, he responded:
"I'm writing it now, and it's really going to be great. I don't want to go off book and tell you anything that I'm not allowed to tell you. The response to the first film was really exciting, but now that that world is established, we can do bigger and even better things. We're really stoked."
As for if director Gareth Edwards would be involved in the scripting process:
"Yeah, I hope. He's making Star Wars right now, so he's a little preoccupied, but yeah. Gareth is amazing. It's exciting to get to work with him again. One of the fun things about that experience is the same fun that it's been on Minority Report, where you really get to have your fingers in the pie."
Nothing really new from the interview, although the news circuits have picked up the "bigger and even better things" quote and ran with it for news stories.
September 22nd update
Deadline has announced that Max Borenstein, who wrote Godzilla (2014) and will write the screenplay for the upcoming Skull Island film, has been tapped to create the screenplay for the second Godzilla film from Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros.
News has begun to build for the tentatively titled Godzilla 2. Among those is a release date for the next adventure to star the King of the Monsters. This news story will act as a roundup to details as they emerge on the sequel to Godzilla (2014) from Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros… and what a long road it will be.
Comic Con 2014 teased the line up of the next film, name dropping Rodan, Mothra and Ghidorah. We also knew that Gareth Edwards would return to direct and chances are good that, due to announcing the news himself, that Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull will produce.
The latest news gives us a date for the film:
That will be over four years since the last movie, which is long for a sequel although was expected since Edwards is directing the Star Wars spin off to be released in 2016.
July 27th, 2014 update
Details have begun for "Godzilla 2", the follow up to this year's Godzilla movie. Rodan, Mothra and the three-headed monster Ghidorah are joining the Legendary Pictures Godzilla franchise.
Legendary Pictures had a big Comic Con this year. While the announcement of a new King Kong project, titled Skull Island, took a lot of thunder, the King of the Monsters had an announcement of his own.
Legendary Pictures CEO Thomas Tull presented a video message from Godzilla (2014) director Gareth Edwards at the Hall H event. Edwards mentioned that he was busy on the Star Wars spin-off film he was directing, but thanked everyone for their support of Godzilla and making the film a success.
This lead into a teaser for the sequel. The segment was "classified Monarch footage", the organization that Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) belonged to in the 2014 film. The sequence appeared to be retro, with John F. Kennedy talking about threats which would place it in the 1960's. Text on the screen then mentions "there were others", possibly talking about the alpha predators that Godzilla belongs to, followed by a shadow and the text "CODENAME: RODAN".
Next is a furry closeup of an insect with the text "CODENAME: MOTHRA".
Finally, there is a large shadow that it splices around before saying "CODENAME: GHIDORAH".
The video ends with the text "THREAT ASSESSMENT: CONFLICT INEVITABLE." – "LET THEM FIGHT."
CEO Thomas Tull then announced that Edwards would be returning to direct the sequel after finishing Star Wars.
As a side remark, the video used the name "Ghidorah", which might be an allusion to the monster's first, flightless appearance in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001). More likely, though, it's just coincidence.
NOTE: The above image was created by Toho Kingdom. It was not taken from the video shown at Comic Con.
News // September 4, 2019
Blu-ray set: Godzilla – The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975
Since the dawn of DVDs, Criterion has been issuing films to disc with a number on the spine. Seven Samurai (1954), for example, was their second release and is #2. With the advent of Blu-rays, this tradition continued, with House (1977) being an example of around this time and carrying spine #539. The company is now about to break past #999 and is ready to celebrate the shift to four digits. To commemerate this, and in an unprecedented turn of events, Criterion has announced that a slew of Godzilla movies will be joining The Criterion Collection for a Blu-ray boxset. This is not just a few titles, but is in fact the entire Showa series: from Godzilla (1954) to Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975). This will be a landmark release, the first time the entire original series has been available from one set in the United States.
Fans and casual collectors have for years lamented over the clustered approach to releases. Classic Media, Sony, Media Blasters, Universal… at any one given time, collecting the entire Showa series involved going across releases from a number of companies. That is if one was lucky, as there have been huge spans of time where certain titles have been out of print altogether. This 15 film set is historic for many reasons, involving working not just with Toho but also Universal as well, who owns the US rights to King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). Having navigated that, Criterion will also make history for being able to release in the US, for the first time, the original Japanese version of that 1962 film.
The movies featured in the set are:
Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
Son of Godzilla (1967)
Destroy All Monsters (1968)
All Monsters Attack (1969)
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
In total, the 8 disc set which is found in a 14 in x 10 in case includes (information taken from the press release):
Blu-ray set and contents
High-definition digital transfers of all fifteen Godzilla films made between 1954 and 1975, released together for the first time, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
High-definition digital transfers of Godzilla, King of the Monsters, the 1956 U.S.-release version of Godzilla; and the 1962 Japanese-release version of King Kong vs. Godzilla
Audio commentaries from 2011 on Godzilla and Godzilla, King of the Monsters featuring film historian David Kalat
International English-language dub tracks for Invasion of Astro-Monster, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla
Directors Guild of Japan interview with director Ishiro Honda, conducted by director Yoshimitsu Banno in 1990
Programs detailing the creation of Godzilla's special effects and unused effects sequences from Toho releases including Destroy All Monsters
Godzilla vs. Manda from a Destroy All Monsters Outtake – Image from Criterion
New interview with filmmaker Alex Cox about his admiration for the Showa-era Godzilla films
New and archival interviews with cast and crew members, including actors Bin Furuya, Tsugutoshi Komada, Haruo Nakajima, and Akira Takarada; composer Akira Ifukube; and effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
Interview with critic Tadao Sato from 2011
Illustrated audio essay from 2011 about the real-life tragedy that inspired Godzilla
New English subtitle translations
PLUS: A lavishly illustrated deluxe hardcover book featuring an essay by cinema historian Steve Ryfle, notes on the films by cinema historian Ed Godziszewski, and new illustrations by Arthur Adams, Sophie Campbell, Becky Cloonan, Jorge Coelho, Geof Darrow, Simon Gane, Robert Goodin, Benjamin Marra, Monarobot, Takashi Okazaki, Angela Rizza, Yuko Shimizu, Bill Sienkiewicz, Katsuya Terada, Ronald Wimberly, and Chris Wisnia
Despite all the positives, there are a few negative points from the information seen. First, the set will consist of 8 Blu-ray discs. This means movies will be sharing disc space with each other, reducing available space that could have been used for a higher bitrate video track. Second, the set is light on dubbed tracks. In fact, only 7 or 8, depending on how King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) is handled, dubbed versions are included in the set out of a total of 15 films. It's also missing the, arguably, important Godzilla vs. the Thing version of Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), which contained additional footage for the frontier missile scene.
Regardless, this will be a historic home video release for the US market. One that will mark the first time many of these movies will arrive on the Blu-ray format in the United Sates. In addition, the initial reaction has been very positive as well, with the title (at the time of writing this on July 26th) currently ranking #3 on Amazon'd best sellers list for Movies & TV.
All Monsters Attack / Godzilla vs. Hedorah / Godzilla vs. Gigan
Godzilla vs. Megalon / Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla / Terror of Mechagodzilla
Excited about the release or have thoughts on what has been announced? Sound off in the comments.
BY: Toho Kingdom Staff
News // July 26, 2019
Godzilla.com Returns
After remaining dormant for 10 years, godzilla.com has been revived as an official hub for general Godzilla-centric information. The site currently has 7 categories to browse:
News – covers news in regards to the site and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
About Godzilla – a basic introduction to Godzilla
Filmography – spans the entire Godzilla filmography, with some covering monster and weapon appearances, and condensed staff credits
Monsterpedia – biographies of Godzilla and his many foes
Videos – currently only hosting two trailers for Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Products & Event – features some Godzilla merchandise by JAKKS Pacific
Fun Stuff – includes wallpapers for computers, tablets, and mobile devices
According to Toho's Chief Godzilla Officer (CGO) Keiji Ota in an exclusive article published on ComicBook, the site "will be continuously updated as a source of news for upcoming Godzilla films including movie trailers and key art, events, fan content, new product news, and all future announcements. […] We're thrilled to unleash a world of content around our most beloved Godzilla."
News // May 17, 2019
Toho's Vision 2021 Plan
As reported by Variety, Toho will be expanding a subsidiary in the U.S. to more closely work with Hollywood. While Toho has been keeping details under wraps, this move is part of the company's "Toho Vision 2021 Medium-term Management Strategy," a plan that is described as being a content, platform, and real estate strategy with a goal of beating 50 billion yen in profits.
The "Vision 2021 Plan" will see an increased business focus on Godzilla, Toho's most famous monster, as well as "full implementation of JAPAN IP on a global scale." Toho's General Manager and President of Sales Division Hiroyasu Matsuoka will be the subsidiary's representative director.
News // April 19, 2019
Godzilla: King of the Monsters Monsterpalooza Panel Recording
The panel for Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) at 2019 Monsterpalooza in Pasadena, California on 4/13/2019. The video runs for a little under 40 minutes.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu – News Roundup
The first live-action movie based on the highly popular Pokemon series, 2019's Pokémon: Detective Pikachu features the voice talent of Ryan Reynolds in a mystery-comedy being produced by Legendary, Warner Bros., and Toho.
Limited edition cards will be given out to those who attend screenings of the movie, with a press release regarding this event being available below. Click the image for the full resolution version. Image courtesy of Warner Brothers.
SEE "POKÉMON DETECTIVE PIKACHU" OPENING WEEKEND FOR A CHANCE TO CAPTURE EXCLUSIVE NEW POKÉMON TCG: DETECTIVE PIKACHU TRADING CARD
Advance Tickets on Sale Now for May 10th Nationwide Release
Burbank, CA – April 10, 2019 – Moviegoers eager to see "POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" on its North American opening weekend beginning with early shows on Thursday, May 9, will be the only fans who can get a special limited edition Detective Pikachu trading card.
Through this first weekend and while supplies last, each guest will receive an exciting two-card pack from the new Pokémon TCG: Detective Pikachu series of collectible trading cards from The Pokémon Company International. One card will be randomly selected from the series currently available at retail locations and featuring select Pokémon in their CGI likeness as seen in the movie. The second is guaranteed to be a limited-edition Detective Pikachu card available to those early-bird fans who are among the very first to catch this first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure on the big screen.
Tickets for the highly anticipated "POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" go on sale nationwide today, April 10, at 9:00 AM PDT, although advance purchase does not guarantee the Pikachu card bonus, which is based on theatre attendance and supply.
To view the entire Detective Pikachu card collection and for all things Pokémon, go to www.pokemontcg.com/detectivepikachu/
Also, a special "Casting Sneak Peek" video has made its way online:
 Lastly, a graphic novel adaptation of the movie is in the works by Legendary Comics, with details below. Click the image for the full resolution version. Image courtesy of Warner Brothers.
Legendary Comics Announces Official Movie
Graphic Novel Adaptation for POKÉMON Detective Pikachu
The companion graphic novel based on the highly anticipated live-action
feature film to hit stores and online in Summer 2019
LOS ANGELES, March 14, 2019 – In anticipation of this summer's big-screen adventure POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, the first-ever live-action Pokémon movie with a cast led by Ryan Reynolds opening May 10, Legendary Comics announced at Emerald City Comic Con today the official movie graphic novel POKÉMON Detective Pikachu. Written by Brian Buccellato, with art by Nelson Dániel, it is set to debut online and in stores in Summer 2019, following the film's release. The graphic novel draws inspiration from the upcoming film that is based on the beloved Pokémon brand—one of the world's most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and one of the most successful media franchises of all time. Readers are invited to follow along as lead character Tim Goodman, played in the movie by Justice Smith, journeys through Ryme City searching for his missing father. With twists and turns around every corner, nothing is more twist-y than Tim's unexpected partner: a Pikachu with a penchant for coffee and danger, and the amazing ability to speak human language. In a city where humans and Pokémon live together in harmony, unexpected dangers surround them as they try to solve a mystery. Follow Facebook.com/LegendaryComics for the latest news and updates.
"We are thrilled for the opportunity to work with The Pokémon Company International," said Robert Napton, Senior Vice President of Legendary Comics. "Pokémon is a globally-adored brand, and we absolutely loved expanding the story of POKÉMON Detective Pikachu onto the page with the help of Brian's words and Nelson's art."
"Legendary Comics has done an outstanding job of bringing the world of POKÉMON Detective Pikachu to life in the form of this graphic novel," said Heather Dalgleish, Director of Publishing at The Pokémon Company International. "We're excited to be working with the Legendary Comics team on this initiative and can't wait for readers to dive in to this Pokémon story."
From Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures, POKÉMON Detective Pikachu will be released in theaters nationwide on May 10, 2019.
A new trailer for the movie has been released. Running for 2 minutes 30 seconds, footage reveals several more Pokemon in the movie's highly-detailed style, and dives even deeper into the mystery surrounding Tim's missing father. Toho Kingdom has been given access to a higher quality version of the trailer, the highest quality that can be found online, which can be viewed below.
Also coinciding with the trailer's release is a new poster. Click the image for the full resolution version. High-quality image courtesy of Warner Brothers.
And lastly, some press notes have been released:
The world of Pokémon comes to life!
The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure, "POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" stars Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu, the iconic face of the global Pokémon phenomenon—one of the world's most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and the most successful media franchise
of all time.
Fans everywhere can now experience Pikachu on the big screen as never before, as Detective Pikachu, a Pokémon like no other. The film also showcases a wide array of beloved Pokémon characters, each with its own unique abilities and personality.
The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry's former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to work together, as Tim is the only human who can talk with Pikachu, they join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.
"POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" also stars Justice Smith ("Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom") as Tim, and Kathryn Newton ("Lady Bird," TV's "Big Little Lies") as Lucy, a junior reporter following her first big story; as well as Suki Waterhouse ("Insurgent"), Omar Chaparro ("Overboard"), Chris Geere (TV's "Modern Family"), with Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe ("Godzilla," "The Last Samurai") and Bill Nighy ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1").
The film was directed by Rob Letterman ("Goosebumps," "Monsters Vs. Aliens"), from a screenplay by Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit and Rob Letterman and Derek Connolly, story by Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit and Nicole Perlman, based on "The Great Detective Pikachu" video game developed by The Pokémon Company and Creatures Inc. It was produced by Mary Parent and Cale Boyter for Legendary Pictures, and Hidenaga Katakami and Don McGowan for The Pokémon Company. Serving as executive producers were Joe Caracciolo, Jr., Ali Mendes, Tsunekazu Ishihara, Kenji Okubo, Toshio Miyahara, Hiro Matsuoka, and Keiji Ota.
Letterman's creative filmmaking team includes two-time Oscar nominated director of photography John Mathieson ("The Phantom of the Opera," "Gladiator"); production designer Nigel Phelps ("Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Lies"); editors James Thomas ("Muppets Most Wanted") and Oscar winner Mark Sanger ("Gravity"); and costume designer Suzie Hartman ("RocknRolla"). The music is composed by Henry Jackman ("Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle"). Visual effects are by Moving Picture Company ("Wonder Woman") and Framestore ("Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2").
Launched in 1996 to overwhelming response, the Pokémon brand is a global sensation that now encompasses a robust video gaming fandom with over 300 million units sold worldwide; trading card games available in 11 languages with more than 23.6 billion cards purchased; an
anime television series in its 21st season that is available more than 160 countries; and over 20 animated films; as well as books, manga comics, music, toys, merchandise, and apps, including the wildly popular Pokémon GO, that has been downloaded over 850 million times and is enjoyed
across the globe by fans of all ages.
"POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" opens in theaters on Friday, May 10, 2019.
Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures present a Legendary Pictures Production, in association with Toho Co., Ltd, a Rob Letterman Film, "POKÉMON Detective Pikachu." It will be distributed outside of Japan and China by Warner Bros. Pictures, in Japan by Toho Company, Ltd. and by Legendary East in China.
As an added bonus, Ryan Reynolds uploaded a video, "Becoming Pikachu", on his YouTube channel.
 January 21st, 2019 update
A new TV spot titled "Understand" has been released. While largely comprised of footage from the first trailer, it does feature some new clips with Pikachu and the human cast. Toho Kingdom has been given access to a higher quality version of the teaser, the highest quality that can be found online. The TV spot runs for 30 seconds.
The first trailer for Pokémon: Detective Pikachu has dropped. As per tradition, Toho Kingdom has been given access to a higher quality version of the trailer, the highest quality that can be found online. It runs for 2 minutes 28 seconds, and features Pokemon both new and old in a completely new style.
To coincide with the trailer's release, an updated poster has been revealed. Two versions of the poster are available below. Click the images for their full resolution versions.
Finally, the movie's official press release can be found below.
The first-ever live-action Pokémon adventure, "POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" stars Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu, the iconic face of the global Pokémon phenomenon—one of the world's most popular, multi-generation entertainment properties and the most successful media franchise of all time.
The story begins when ace detective Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing, prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened. Aiding in the investigation is Harry's former Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super-sleuth who is a puzzlement even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with one another, Tim and Pikachu join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery. Chasing clues together through the neon-lit streets of Ryme City—a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world—they encounter a diverse cast of Pokémon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokémon universe.
"POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" also stars Justice Smith ("Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom") as Tim; Kathryn Newton ("Lady Bird," TV's "Big Little Lies") as Lucy, a junior reporter following her first big story; and Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe ("Godzilla," "The Last Samurai") as Lt. Yoshida.
Directed by Rob Letterman ("Goosebumps," "Monsters Vs. Aliens"), the "POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" creative filmmaking team includes two-time Oscar nominated director of photography John Mathieson ("The Phantom of the Opera," "Gladiator"), production designer Nigel Phelps ("Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales") and Oscar-winning editor Mark Sanger ("Gravity"). Visual effects are by Moving Picture Company ("Wonder Woman") and Framestore ("Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2").
Launched in 1996 to overwhelming response, the Pokémon brand is a global sensation that now encompasses a robust video gaming fandom with over 300 million units sold worldwide; trading card games available in 11 languages with more than 23.6 billion cards purchased; an anime television series in its 20th season that is available in 98 countries; and animated films that have grossed more than $700 million at the box office; as well as books, manga comics, music, toys, merchandise, and apps, including the wildly popular Pokémon GO, that has been downloaded over 650 million times and is enjoyed across the globe by fans of all ages.
"POKÉMON Detective Pikachu" is set for release on Friday, May 10, 2019.
The film will be distributed outside of Japan and China by Warner Bros. Pictures, in Japan by Toho Company, Ltd. and by Legendary East in China.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/detectivepikachumovie | @detectivepikachumovie
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/detectivepikachumovie/ | @detectivepikachumovie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/detpikachumovie | @detpikachumovie
Tenor: https://tenor.com/official/detectivepikachumovie
Official Hashtag: #DetectivePikachu
DetectivePikachuMovie.com
October 3rd update
Courtesy of Warner Brothers, another variation of the Pokémon: Detective Pikachu title is now available with a white background. Click the image below for the full resolution version.
Warner Bros. has released the official title treatment for their 2019 live-action movie, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. Click the image below for the full resolution version.
The movie's social media links and official site have also been updated, and can be found at the following web addresses:
#DetectivePikachuMovie
Facebook: /DetectivePikachuMovie
Twitter: @DetPikachuMovie
Instagram: @DetectivePikachuMovie
Regarding why the movie went with Detective Pikachu as the lead character as opposed to the protagonist of the ongoing Pokemon anime, Ash Ketchum, IGN was able to sit down with the movie's director, Rob Letterman, to learn just that: "The Pokemon Company, they've already made many, many movies of Ash, and they came to Legendary with this idea of using a new character. So when I came onboard, I was pitched this character of Detective Pikachu […] And because there's already been so much work done with Ash, for the first live-action movie I thought it was a really good idea to try something new with a new character, but bake it into the universe of Pokemon."
Letterman goes on to say how the movie is being developed closely in conjunction with The Pokemon Company, Game Freak, The Pokemon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara, long-time Pokemon illustrator Ken Sugimori, and others. He also goes on to say that, while he has an affinity for Pokemon from "Generation I" (the first 151 Pokemon), audiences can expect to see a "good spread" of Pokemon from old and new generations to appear in the film.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu will star Justice Smith as Tim Goodman, a character searching for his missing father while being aided by the titular star; Kathryn Newton as Lucy Stevens, a reporter working alongside her partner Pokemon, Psyduck; and Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Detective Pikachu, whom Letterman praised: "There was something delightful about that big personality and voice that he has in this small package. There's something really fun about that idea. It sounds like a mismatch, but it's really organic. It's really hilarious, they're hilarious together." The movie is expected to hit theaters on May 10, 2019.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters WonderCon Panel Recording
The panel for Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) at WonderCon in Anaheim, California on 3/30/2019. The video runs for a little under 19 minutes.
*Notes: At approx 16:48 in, the audio briefly drops.
News // April 3, 2019
Visiting the Set of Godzilla: King of the Monsters
On September 6th, 2017 I was lucky enough to be invited onto the set of "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" in Atlanta, Georgia. (See right – Photo taken on the set of the Monarch Arctic Base.) Unlike the set visit for Kong: Skull Island, this was a solo trip. Included in this piece are audio interviews with O'Shea Jackson Jr., who plays Chief Warrant Officer Barnes, along with Producer Alex Garcia and Executive Producer/co-writer Zach Shields.
I do want to stress that there ARE plot points and spoilers in this piece and I would suggest that if you are wanting to go into the movie with the freshest mind possible, turn back now. Wait until the movie comes out on the 31st of May and then come back and check out this piece.
**Both audio interviews have edits (some obvious and some not) for the sake of flow.**
The set visit began with watching O'Shea Jackson Jr. and the rest of G-Team aboard the mock Osprey aircraft. Giant screens on either side had a cloud effect on both sides as hydraulics moved the Osprey (really just a tube set with windows meant to look like the Osprey). If you've seen that shot online from Mike Dougherty's Twitter account (see below), that is the Osprey from the set. Below are my notes from watching filming.
Shake test wth O'shea jr. Big blue screen. Orange x's. Set on hydraulics. Part of airplane. Looks like set from Rodan scene in Mexico. Soldiers flying away in storm caused by Rodan bursting out of volcano. Large led screens have cloud effect on them on loop. They are mounted high up and surround the set.
Osprey crashes into water. Prior to this, Oshea radios for mid air evac. Flying away from Isla de Mona.
INTERVIEW: O'Shea Jackson Jr. (Chief Warrant Officer Barnes)
This interview took place between setups during filming on the Osprey. Topics covered are his character, getting the part, his history of being a Godzilla fan, and his influences.
*correction: I state in the interview that Zone Fighter is considered to be canon. This is more of a grey area because Zone Fighter's canonicity is still up in the air, though Japanese publications still like to include the show when mentioning the later Showa era movies and monsters.*
Click the image below to download the audio file.
Total Runtime 21:04
Set Notes
I'm going to preface this section by saying that right now, these notes will make NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. They're recorded as I saw them and I was trying to get as much information as I could without being able to take photos. These are aimed squarely at those who are fans of set design and/or curious about every single possible detail in the film. Until you have seen the movie, ignore these and come back to them later if you so desire.
Click the images to download the audio files.
Argo Set Note Runtime: 8:28
King Ghidorah Prop Tooth Runtime 1:08
Underwater Set Note Runtime: 6:05
Underwater Set Note 2 Runtime: 0:51
Total Runtime: 16:35
INTERVIEW: Producer Alex Garcia and co-writer and Executive Producer Zach Shields
In the last interview of the day, I was driven by van into an offsite "art room"-for lack of a better term-with Alex and Zach. It was a big room with concept art hung around the room-a lot of it really awesome looking! A couple of maquettes were in the room as well. A sort of Smaug-styled early King Ghidorah and on the other side of the room, a sort of feathered, eagle-faced version of Rodan. Topics include a quick rundown of the film, changes in the design and the Monsterverse after Godzilla vs. Kong.
*correction: When discussing the Godzilla Marvel comic series, I mistakenly state that Godzilla battled the Helicarrier when I meant the Behemoth airship.*
INTERVIEW: Mike Dougherty
This interview took place in Mike's trailer during a quick break from filming. Due to audio issues, it had to be transcribed. Topics covered are how he got the job, Easter eggs, and his love for the franchise.
Interview transcribed by Jeremy Williams with editing by Chris Mirjahangir.
Chris Mirjahangir: Alright, so first question is, how did you get the call? Because you were doing writing first, but how did you get the call to even be a writer?
Mike Dougherty: No, they asked me to direct it first.
Mirjahangir: Oh ok, that was announced later then.
Dougherty: Yeah, it was just announced later.
Mirjahangir: Ok.
Dougherty: Yeah I had finished Krampus, it was I think March 2016, somewhere in there, Spring. Gareth had just departed the project and Legendary had asked if I would be interested in taking over, and I very quickly said yes.
Mirjahangir: So, you're a fan straight from the get-go.
Dougherty: From the beginning, I mean I have been watching Godzilla since I was born, that was mid 70's, and so he was really just coming into his own in America, so I grew up on a very steady diet of the original movies coupled with the Hanna-Barbera cartoon. So every Saturday morning I started with the Godzilla cartoon. And then my local station piggybacked the old movies after the cartoon. And then that was followed by old black and white monster movies, followed by kung fu movies. So Saturday was a very potent education as far as Godzilla goes.
Mirjahangir: So basically the whole Showa era.
Dougherty: Yeah completely, and then I just grew up with him from there, and continued watching them into the Millennium (Series), you know.
Mirjahangir: Was it one of those things like you're a fan of and then your friends are like what the hell are you watching that for?
Dougherty: No, my friends, I mean I would get my friends into it. I mean the entertainment options were way more limited back then than they are now. So watching Godzilla movies on a Saturday afternoon was a great way to spend the day and so I just sort of preached the gospel of Godzilla and brought my friends into it. And I also I grew up with one of my first toys was the old Shogun Warriors Godzilla.
Mirjahangir: I have one of those.
Dougherty: Which is why I have the Rodan behind you.
(Mike points to the Shogun Warriors Rodan toy on his desk)
But, so he was just everything.
Mirjahangir: Yeah I remember the Shogun (Godzilla) one and how the fist would fly off.
Dougherty: Yeah.
Mirjahangir: While you're playing with it and it would punch you in the face.
Dougherty: Yeah exactly, yeah it was one of my favorites.
Mirjahangir: Were there other Toho monsters that you wanted to bring in, or was it always these Godzilla, then Rodan, Mothra, and King Ghidorah?
Dougherty: Well, they're the kind of the crown jewels.
Mirjahangir: Yeah the big five (MechaGodzilla included but not in the film).
Dougherty: Yeah, you know it's like, it's the Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman of the Godzilla universe. And I have a love for many of the other creatures too. I love Mechagodzilla, for example. But these are the ones that just make sense; these are the ones that everybody wants to see on the big screen. They're the icons of that universe.
Mirjahangir: Were there other ones that you were kind of trying to eek in a little bit?
Dougherty: I wanted to sneak in some Easter egg references to others, but even that is a complicated rights issue.
Mirjahangir: Yeah Toho can kind of be very…
Dougherty: They're just, just very… they're rightfully very protective of their characters.
Mirjahangir: So for this film, are you going to include any of the cues? Not like a full suite.
Dougherty: I would like to, that's also under discussion and consideration. I would love to, I think the music and the character go hand in hand. It's like, you don't make a Jaws movie without the Jaws theme, you don't make a Star Wars or Bond film without those themes. So fingers crossed we can at the very least have a tip of the hat.
Mirjahangir: Do you own the soundtracks?
Dougherty: No, well I own some of them, but yeah it's still always going to be a complicated rights issue.
Mirjahangir: Yeah, but it's one that when it comes in at the right time, that's where you have the audience.
Dougherty: Ok.
Mirjahangir: That's fanboy tears, that's everything.
Dougherty: Yeah, there will be plenty of fanboy tears, I promise you.
Mirjahangir: When you were picking them (the monsters to be in the film), you have Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah. Were you deciding like this one is gonna be an ally with Godzilla, or are they all gonna be enemies?
Dougherty: I mean, I think the lines are all pretty clearly drawn, the only rogue… the wildcard is Rodan. He's the one that I think his loyalties can sometimes falter. Um, but I think we even acknowledge that fact. You know Mothra for the most part is an ally, King Ghidorah for the most part is always the antagonist. So we pretty much stick to what I think is expected of them.
Mirjahangir: So you did tweet out a picture of the Oxygen Destroyer.
Dougherty: Mhm.
Mirjahangir: Does that come to play in the film, or is that just like…
Dougherty: Yes.
Dougherty: *laughs*
Mirjahangir: Alright I was like alright, cuz I thought you were just like paying homage to it or something.
Dougherty: It, it plays a role.
Mirjahangir: Ok, yeah.
Dougherty: Definitively… yes.
Mirjahangir: So now practical effects.
Mirjahangir: I saw you had Tom Woodruff, who I've seen around Monsterpalooza and everything. He's part of it. Did you reach out to other people at Toho like Shinichi Wakasa to bring in?
Dougherty: It was, it's not just Tom, it was a team effort. We had Tom Woodruff, we also had his former colleagues at Legacy Effects. Which was previously Stan Winston's company. We also had two of my creature designers from Krampus onboard, Miguel Ortega and Tran Ma. It was, I pretty much grabbed the most talented creature designers I knew and sort of assembled a new team and everyone sort of had a crack at a different creature. So Tom and A.D.I., they cracked Rodan… for the most part. Legacy took on Ghidorah and Mothra.
Mirjahangir: What guidelines did you give them?
Dougherty: To look at the original creatures and distill those silhouettes and those key traits into something more modern, but while still also turning to… The two biggest influences were the original designs and nature. So if you're taking a crack at Rodan, you don't want to just look at dinosaurs and Pteradons, you want to look at vultures and eagles and the hawks and other birds of prey. Because what we know about flying dinosaurs now is different than we knew back in the 60's. We now know that dinosaurs and birds are very closely related. So it only makes sense that Rodan might have certain bird-like traits, or body language, for example. Ghidorah, you know we want to create an iconic Asian style dragon, but the scales of that creature can't look like Godzilla's; they can't just be the scales from the old movies. So I had them look at scales from every different kind of reptile imaginable. You know, alligators and cobras and monitor lizards, Komodo dragons, so it was really fun. That was like one of my favorite parts of the process, trying to distill the look of these iconic creatures that we know and love into something that we would believe now. Mothra being the biggest challenge, because you can't just take a moth and blow it up and call it Mothra. It's like there are distinct traits that she has, but there are also so many different varieties of moths out there. It was a matter of looking at all of them across the board and trying to figure out, ok, what bits and pieces can we take from all these different kinds of moths to create something that is beautiful and elegant and feminine, but also intimidating and powerful.
Mirjahangir: Did you keep their sounds and roars?
Mirjahangir: Did you bring Eric Aadahl back from the first one?
Dougherty: Yeah, but Eric and his partner Ethan actually. E squared is their company.
Mirjahangir: Yeah.
Dougherty: So they worked on the first film and same rules applied, I sent them every variation of King Ghidorah's roar, every variation of Rodan.
Dougherty: Same thing with Mothra and said, ok this is where you start, so then I want the same musicality, the same melody, and essence of these roars translated and updated to something more contemporary. There are so many variations.
Dougherty: And emotional states, so yeah it will be an ongoing process. But I had them even for our previz animation, they layered in certain sounds, and then on set at the soundboard where I was playing different roars depending on the creature that was.
Mirjahangir: So you have Godzilla fighting Kong in the next one.
Dougherty: I don't. *laughs*
Mirjahangir: No well I'm just saying in the Monsterverse you know, generally.
Mirjahangir: Is it fair to say that one of the enemies or at least a few of them may perish in this film?
Dougherty: Maybe. *laughs*
Mirjahangir: Good enough, that's fine.
Dougherty: No spoilers. *laughing*
Mirjahangir: Yeah alright, so with Thomas Tull being a massive Godzilla fan… how active was he with helping shape the story and picking the monsters and everything?
Dougherty: I've known Thomas for a very long time now, we've done three movies going on four movies together now. So he's a very close collaborator and every chance we had, we would get together and pow wow and kick ideas around. But he was also really respectful in letting me go off and have my time to shape the story and the characters. And then do a proper presentation, a pitch presentation with the artwork and everything else. But yeah, I mean we still text back and forth.
Mirjahangir: Does he um… I mean how big of a fan would you say he is, does he have a big collection?
Dougherty: Yeah, he's a very big fan, I mean he dreamt of doing a Godzilla film and a Kong film probably as long as I have.
Dougherty: And so fate happened to bring us together, and here we are.
Mirjahangir: So you have Haruo Nakajima and Yoshimitsu Banno who passed away this year.
Mirjahangir: Will you have any sort of homages or anything in like the end credits or…
Dougherty: We'll see. I'd like to. I think it's appropriate.
Mirjahangir: How long did it take you to kind of compose the story, crack the story, whatever it is?
Dougherty: It was a process. I mean, I started with like a one-two page treatment. It was very rough, just the basic beats and a very rough sketch of the characters. And then from there we did a writer's room. My writing partner Zack Shields and I ran a writer's room. We brought in a group of other writers and then continued to build on that treatment. And then it took about a full year to really to get the script in place and into a proper shape. And then um, you know it's an ongoing process, we're still, we're everyday adding lines. Even in the scene we're shooting today. Always looking for any opportunity to just make it a little bit better if possible. So the writing process never ends, it's, you know, you write it once on the page, you write it again when you shoot it, and the again in post. So it's an ongoing process. But it took about a year to get just the script together.
Mirjahangir: And then you had Max Borenstein working on it for a little bit, is he still active?
Dougherty: He was working on an old draft of the script. And then we pretty much started over from scratch.
Mirjahangir: So what year did you begin everything? You said 2015?
Dougherty: Spring 2016.
Mirjahangir: So the monsters, you know, Rodan, Mothra, they all kind of had their own sort of personalities.
Mirjahangir: You know Rodan, if you look at Ghidorah (1964 film) he's kind of a prankster and stuff. Will those kind of continue on? Not from those original personalities, but they'll be individual, they're not just monsters smashing stuff?
Dougherty: Yeah, no it's very important to me. I always refer to them as characters, you know. So whether it's the previz animators or even how the actors think of them. They are characters, that is why they're on the call sheet. You know, so they have to have distinct personalities and traits and quirks. You know, I think Ghidorah is gonna have a very cruel personality, but there is a sense of humor and mischief. It's not a comedy by any means, but there's a certain sense of curiosity. Because in my mind he's like Rip van Winkle. You know, he wakes up and he doesn't recognize any of this world. You know, so he's never seen a jet before, he's never seen a tank, a ship, human beings with guns. And so there is a certain part of our world that he is curious about and puzzled by. You know, so that has to come across. You know, it's like Rodan is a very protective, almost divine presence, you know. So it's important to me that they're not just treated as monsters. They are just very large animals with a distinct thought process.
Mirjahangir: So no Mothra twins or anything, kind of got rid of that?
Dougherty: There might.
Mirjahangir: Ok, I saw two identical twins kids there, two boys and I'm like hmm.
Dougherty: Where?
Mirjahangir: On the set, but I guess one of them is the stunt kid.
Dougherty: Oh, one's the stunt kid, yeah, yeah.
Mirjahangir: I saw them sitting together and was like, wait a minute.
Dougherty: I'm not gonna turn the Mothra twins to boys, yeah, I would never do that.
Mirjahangir: Ok, so do you see really far ahead down the line, like thinking, ok this probably won't make it. But this would be really good for an extended cut?
Dougherty: No, not yet, I mean that all depends on where the dust settles with the cut. You just never know, like something that you think could be in the movie ends up on the cutting room floor and vice versa.
Mirjahangir: Yeah, but then it would be just like if I could have a request? Just pile on the deleted scenes. Kong got like four minutes.
Dougherty: Well you know fingers crossed that we don't really have many.
Mirjahangir: In updating them (the monsters), assuming you went everything Showa and just kind of ignored the 90's for design or whatever you wanted to.
Dougherty: No, we looked at everything.
Dougherty: Looked at everything across the board. I mean there's good and bad things about every era.
Mirjahangir: What would you say is the bad thing about say the 90's versions?
Dougherty: I'm not gonna say anything bad. There are positive aspects of every era. There are bits and pieces of influences that we looked at and carefully thought about including. And what you'll see is hopefully something that you'll enjoy and pays proper tribute to the character.
Interviews // March 21, 2019
K.W.C.
Kaiju Kuisine
K.W.C. Match 282: Mothra Leo & Mothra vs. Megaguirus January 20, 2020
K.W.C. Match 281: Anguirus (Showa) vs. Anguirus (2001) January 10, 2020
The 2019 K.W.C. Awards & Feedback Surveys! January 1, 2020
K.W.C. Match 280: Anguirus, Baragon, Godzilla, Godzilla Junior, Gorosaurus, Kumonga, Manda, Rodan (Legendary) & Varan vs. Dagahra December 25, 2019
K.W.C. Match 279: Ultraseven & Daigoro vs. Black Moth vs. Goliath December 21, 2019
Shin Godzilla: Battle at Nagaragawa Review December 14, 2019
Comic Shock: A Day at Comiket Winter 2018 July 27, 2019
Godzilla Bar Cheese Cookie Review November 24, 2019
San Diego Comic-Con 2018: Day 2 July 21, 2018
What Are You Thankful for in the Godzilla Fandom? November 22, 2018
K.W.C. Match 262: Red King vs. Skullcrawler June 10, 2019
K.W.C. Match 275: Godzilla (Legendary), Mothra (Legendary), Mothra Leo, MUTO (Male) & Battra vs. Rodan (Legendary) vs. Skullcrawler vs. Megaguirus vs. King Ghidorah (Legendary) October 31, 2019
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