Godzilla Minus Zero Continues Takashi Yamazaki’s Oscar-Winning Film

Godzilla Minus Zero, the direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One, which won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects in 2024, opens in Japan on 3 November. GKIDS releases it in North America on 6 November, including in IMAX.

As with the first film, Takashi Yamazaki directed, wrote and supervised the visual effects. It is the 39th film in the Godzilla franchise and the first Japanese production shot specifically for IMAX.

What the film is about

It is 1949, two years after the events of the first film. Japan is struggling to recover from the war when a new monster capable of summoning hurricane-force winds strikes the city of Matsumoto. As it tears across the country, Godzilla returns from the depths, larger and more aggressive than before. Scientists conclude that Japan’s only chance is to set the two monsters against each other. Former kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima takes to the air again, while his beloved Noriko turns out to have a mysterious connection to Godzilla.

Who is in it

• Ryunosuke Kamiki as Kōichi Shikishima;
• Minami Hamabe as Noriko;
• Yuki Yamada as Shirō Mizushima;
• Kuranosuke Sasaki as Captain Seiji Akitsu;
• Sakura Ando as Sumiko Ōta;
• Hidetaka Yoshioka as Kenji Noda;
• Masami Nagasawa, Miou Tanaka and Min Tanaka.

How it was made

Filming ran from August to December 2025, mostly in Ibaraki Prefecture. The budget exceeded that of the first film, which cost less than 15 million dollars. Yamazaki promised more effects shots than in Minus One, each more complex than before. The effects were again created by the Shirogumi studio, and Naoki Sato wrote the music. The running time is 135 minutes.

What critics say

The world premiere took place on 26 September at the New York Film Festival. The film holds 95% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and 79 on Metacritic. Critics describe the sequel as larger in scope, bolder and more visually impressive than Minus One, praising its seamless CGI and human drama, though some note structural problems later on.

When to watch

In Japan from 3 November and in the US and Canada from 6 November. Cast and stills are on the film’s page in our AMDB database.