Godzilla has been a worldwide phenomenon for decades, which tends to happen when you’re a massive creature who has waged battle with other beasts across dozens of movies. While the character has long had a foothold in America, the last decade has been especially exciting for fans of the character, as 2014’s Godzilla effectively translated the character into an American movie, which kicked off the still-running Monsterverse. Subsequent sequels Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire only extended the character’s reign.
Adding even more excitement for contemporary Godzilla fans is that Toho Studios, the team behind the Japanese Godzilla franchise, found their biggest hit in 2023, courtesy of Godzilla Minus One. Not only was the movie majorly successful at the box office, but it became the first Godzilla movie to earn an Oscar nomination, winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. In November, the sequel Godzilla Minus Zero is landing in theaters.
Confirming the pop-culture dominance of the character, this week saw the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring Godzilla Minus Zero. Star Ryûnosuke Kamiki threw out the ceremonial first pitch, while there was also an epic drone show that paid tribute to Godzilla.
The first 40,000 fans in attendance also earned a Godzilla Minus Zero bobblehead. You can watch the full drone show below, courtesy of Dodger Blue on YouTube.
Even though Godzilla’s following only continues to grow more massive, the upcoming Godzilla Minus Zero marks a major shift from its predecessors. Based on the intense subject matter, it marks the first movie in the decades-long franchise to earn an R rating. The movie secured the R for “strong/bloody violence,” though it’s currently unclear if all of the carnage will be the result of Godzilla or if it will be humans who cause each other significant harm.
Takashi Yamazaki returns to direct Godzilla Minus Zero, which is described, “War reduced Japan to zero, and Godzilla plunged it into minus. Two years have passed since then, and the country has faced agonizing struggles to achieve recovery and finally reclaim its daily life. Just as humanity managed to cling to a hard-won peace, a new threat strikes, crushing hope in an instant. There is no third time. Everything ends here.”
Godzilla Minus Zero lands in theaters on November 6.
Are you looking forward to the new movie? Let us know in the comments below!