“Godzilla Minus Zero” Set for Near-Simultaneous Japan and North America Release

“Godzilla Minus Zero,” the upcoming sequel to Godzilla Minus One, will open in North American theaters on Nov. 6, according to Toho and GKIDS. The release comes just three days after the film opens in Japan on Nov. 3, a rare near-simultaneous rollout for a Japan-produced Godzilla movie.

The Nov. 3 Japanese release date is significant. It marks the same day the original Godzilla debuted in 1954, a date now celebrated annually as Godzilla Day. Godzilla Minus One also opened on Nov. 3 in Japan in 2023 and went on to become the highest-grossing Japan-produced Godzilla film of all time.

That film also made history at the Academy Awards, becoming the first Godzilla movie ever nominated for an Oscar and the first Japanese feature to win in the visual effects category.

Director Takashi Yamazaki returns for Godzilla Minus Zero as director, screenwriter, and visual effects supervisor. While plot details have not yet been revealed, production is already underway at Toho Studios. The film is being produced by Robot, with visual effects handled by Shirogumi.

The sequel’s title was officially revealed during Godzilla Fest in November, following the film’s initial announcement in 2024.

In North America, Godzilla Minus One earned $56 million at the box office, making it the highest-grossing Japanese-language live-action film ever released in the region.

Yamazaki previously said that Godzilla Minus One was made on a budget of about $15 million and that the sequel would likely have a larger budget. He has also spoken about his cautious approach to artificial intelligence in filmmaking, noting that he prefers working with traditional methods such as shooting on film and using miniatures, even as the industry gradually embraces new technology.

With a proven creative team returning and a rare coordinated global release, Godzilla Minus Zero is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched Japanese film releases of the year.