New Toho Godzilla Series after Legendary

[Jorzilla]

I'm expecting something more akin to Godzilla 2000, but I would also love to see a somber solo film again. I also think Toho won't have an issue bringing more of the horror aspects back to the character which makes me excited to see what they come up with.

[daikaijusaurus]

Okay, I must say that I was completely shocked (in a good way ) when I heard the news last night. The news caught both me and my wife (who also enjoys Godzilla movies), completely by surprise. This is definitely good news, but I was so hoping for an animated series. But oh well, that's okay, no complaints from me

Now here are some things I would like to see and do not want to see.

1. Not another millenium-type series where each film as a reboot. I think we need continuity in this new series, a storyline that continues from movie to movie.
2. Please...enough with Mothra, King Ghidorah and MechaGodzilla for the time being. Yes they are Godzilla's most famous foes, but if they're going to recycle the same thing over and over again, then I think the new series is doomed to failure. Let's start the series, at the very least the first movie, with an original kaiju (or kaijus).
3. Please...no more rushing. Let the filmmakers take their time. I understand their needs to be deadlines, but give the filmmakers at least a year and a half to come up with a decent script and polish the FX. And speaking of FX, it's a no brainer that Toho will be sticking to tokusatsu, and that's a good thing. By bring people who will not only love and respect the tradition, but at the same time bring new and creative life to it.
4. And finally, please bring back Godzilla's roar from Vs Biollante and Vs King Ghidorah. I loved that roar, it had so much personality!

Such an exciting time to be a Godzilla fan!!!

[Gargantuan Gargantua]

They're probably going to use that guy from Always 2 to help put together the visuals if I had to put money on it.

Maybe they will have some mega balls and do a period piece.

[planetxleader]

[lhb412]

[tbeasley]

[planetxleader]

[lhb412]

[Hybrid Gojira]

[kiryugoji04]

Not gonna lie, I'm gonna find myself really ambivalent about this film really quickly if Toho winds up going the CG-driven route. Not that I won't still give it a chance but...

[Psycho Soldier]

[Hybrid Gojira]

[kiryugoji04]

Even if they COULD do it, I wouldn't want them to. They've got a great opportunity to make something really special if they go the traditional route. If they create something as spectacular-looking as Gamera 3 with such a huge icon who's in a pretty major spotlight right now, it could do wonders for the reputation of the practical effects industry.

[Gwangi]

[Gargantuan Gargantua]

If somehow I got the chance to direct SFX in a Japanese Godzilla movies I would use the following...

* It would be suit-mation except for his eyes/eye lids. Leave those spots blank and fill in with CG after.
* No squibs/pyrotechnics used on the actual suit. Composite explosions only.
* Use A LOT of composite shots of models being destroyed to amp up the scenes of buildings being smashed.

Only problem is these special effects would probably be a little time consuming combining shots and adding lighting for explosions/atomic breath etc. I don't why they can't do this to be honest.

[Gojizilla]

I wonder if the special effects community in Japan views this like we view Star Wars. There are probably many young technicians eager to get this job. If they go the suitmation, wouldn't it be interesting to have a female Godzilla?

[Dai]

When we heard about the marketing committee that was put together to plan the franchise's future direction, I wanted this to be the outcome, but didn't dare hope. Suffice to say it was a happy moment indeed when I heard this news.

I'd like to see Keishi Otomo and Takuro Ishizaka as director and cinematographer respectively. The work they did on the Rurouni Kenshin movies was stellar, a real kick back against the decade of Youtube-quality cinematography that we've seen from many other Japanese film-makers. I'd also be happy to see Kaneko given another shot at Godzilla.

For effects, I think CG-enhanced suitmation would be best, a la Where the Wild Things Are. That would let the movie retain the distinctive tactile sense of the Toho movies, while looking contemporary, but not trying to go toe-to-toe with a movie that had several times its budget.

But, this early in the production cycle, I guess the only thing we can discuss with any degree of certainty is what to call the new series. We have Showa, Heisei, Millennium, Legendary, and...? Any thoughts?

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

Showa, Heisei, Millennium, Legendary, Rebirth

[GoDziLLaX]

I'd like to be a fly on the wall of Thomas Tulls office over at Legendary. In the age of LegendGogi, I fear this obvious money grab will oversaturate our favorite giant nuclear monster. Any iteration in between the Hollywood sequel(s) will seem counterfeit. I think the timing is horrible but I am more curious about their world. Will there be acknowledgment of other movies or even the 2014 incidents?

But how can I be mad. Either way we get more Godzilla.

[XvGojira]

I'm just loving this. Yeah, I fear Toho might over saturate the demand for Godzilla, but I hope they're just partially filling the downtime between Legendary films. I don't think it'd be wise to have a new Godzilla movie EVERY year, but every other or something is perfectly fine.

Honestly I would have figured that Toho would eventually get back to making Godzilla films but not until around 2020 or later (under the assumption Legend-Goji sequels would get 3 year breaks inbetween).

And I'm not sure what I'd want from a new Japanese Godzilla movie. A part of me wants them to make a serious solo movie. Part of me wants older Showa style high wildness and fun. And an odd part of me wants them to just totally bonkers and do something like a goof ball business comedy with Godzilla as the main character ("Adventures in Kaiju Downtime").

Seriously if they want to make my life heaven, they could announce a Godzilla TV show (US animated cartoon, anime, live action, I honestly wouldn't care) that'd include a good chunk of Godzilla's rouges gallery. I doubt that'll happen, but I also doubted they'd make a new Japanese Godzilla movie this soon.

[lhb412]

[Henry88]

[Psycho Soldier]

I do wonder about the tone they'll try to strike. G2014 is serious with a heroic Godzilla, but if Toho just does the opposite, we'll have a comedy with an evil, scary Godzilla. That's certainly possible to make, but a little uncharacteristic of the franchise. (Some people might be having flashbacks to Kingdom of Monsters right now - for that, I apologize.) I think a lighter tone would be well appreciated - maybe somewhere in the ballpark of Monster Zero or GxMG?

[jamaal7]

[Psycho Soldier]

TK's article has a link to a trailer for the movie Parasyte. If anyone wants to see what modern Toho CGI looks like, well, it'll probably reaffirm your desire for practical effects: