New Godzilla film announced for 11/032023

[lhb412]

Very excited to see everyone who missed out on the theatrical release catching up with the film!

[Dai]

For some reason it seems to be Netflix-only in the UK for the timebeing. It's available for sale on Amazon US, but not the UK site. I've checked Apple TV and Youtube too; nowhere seems to be selling it digitally in the UK. Since Netflix didn't pay for exclusivity in the US, I presume that's not what's going on here. Maybe it's a BBFC issue and the rating Netflix paid for can't be applied to other streaming vendors (just a guess).

[lhb412]

I haven't watched the dub yet, but I'm hearing they decided to go with all (or maybe just primarily?) Asian American actors for the dub. This would be the second time that's been done, with the first being Sony's US version of Godzilla 2000!

[Benjamin Haines]

Now this is a first. Before the inevitable North American retail release of Godzilla Minus One on DVD, BRD and 4K, Toho has opted to make an English-subtitled version of their 4-disc Japanese collector's edition set available exclusively through their online Godzilla store.

https://godzilla.com/products/godzilla-minus-one-blu-ray-deluxe-japan-collectors-edition

"$65.00"
"Estimated ship date: September 2024"
"This Godzilla Store Exclusive mirrors the deluxe 4-disc box set released on May 1, 2024 in Japan, and includes both Godzilla Minus One and Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color."
"Preserving the Japanese treatment in both packaging and content, the “Deluxe Japan Collector’s Edition” includes all the same features as the original Japan release with the added addition of English menus and the option to select the theatrical release English subtitles for Godzilla Minus One and Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color."
"Disc 1: Godzilla Minus One 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray"
"Disc 2: Godzilla Minus One Blu-ray"
"Disc 3: Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color Blu-ray"
"Disc 4: Bonus Blu-ray (Japanese language only) NOTE - NO ENGLISH SUBTITLES"
"Region Free"

I'll definitely try to get this if I can. It's just a shame that there are no English subtitles for the bonus features but unsubtitled extras are better than no extras.

[lhb412]

I'm in no rush. I think I'll wait for the basic domestic release. I'd be singing a different tune if the extras were subbed!

[Kailem]

Yeah it's a surprise that this set is actually seeing a western release, though the lack of subs for the extras all but confirms we won't be getting any of those special features on whatever standard version(s) eventually come out. I also found it funny how the official English-language Godzilla Twitter account was making a point of this set being region-free, and thus viewable on players all over the world, when the only place that's selling it doesn't do international shipping; not even to Canada.

I'd certainly have ordered it if I could, even with no subs on the extras, but as it stands I'm continuing to wait for a UK or region-free US/Australian versions to be announced.

[lhb412]

It'd be a dream if Toho made English subs a standard for their Japanese releases. We could import the titles we want, and I don't seriously think it'd make much difference in sales for any domestic releases.

[Kailem]

I'd still have to go out of my way to pick up a multi-region player (which I was intending to do when I got the one I have now, but there weren't any available) since the UK is a different region to the US and Japan, but it really would solve basically every availability issue we've ever had over the past....well, several decades. I've always found it strange how English seems to be a fairly prevalent language in Japan, and yet very few Japanese DVDs or Blu-rays have English subs in general.

I'm sure Toho likes to keep it that way though so they can make money off selling the international distribution rights to various companies and not have to worry about us all just importing the Japanese releases instead; which we'd probably all totally do if we could!

[Dai]

The Minus Colour version of Minus One is now on Netflix. /C didn't get a UK cinema release, so this was my first chance to watch it. It's a testament to the lighting and cinematography that it works so well; most of the time it looks like it was shot with black and white in mind from the outset, thanks to the high-contrast shadows and deep blacks. The domestic scenes in particular take on a starker atmosphere without the warmth that came from the earthy colour pallette, while Godzilla is even more menacing in the inky black of the opening night attack.

It's an interesting way to experience the movie, but I think the colour version will remain my go-to for most viewings.

[lhb412]

^ In addition: listings for the US Minus One 4K/Blu-ray/DVD release have started popping up on retailers...and have now mostly been taken down.

No info on contents, but it seems Toho themselves is releasing it? Only one image was included in the listings; a picture of the steelbook set, which had three discs (a 4K and 2 blu-rays), a poster, and a slipcover. Looks spiffy!

[lhb412]

Official confirmation of Toho's US retail release of Minus One on various home video formats!

https://godzilla.com/blogs/news/godzilla-minus-one-blu-ray-dvd-home-video-pre-order

I thought for sure we'd get Minus Color and they'd keep the extras disc as Japan exclusive, but it seems they've done the opposite.

[Dai]

Anime Limited confirmed they will be releasing Godzilla Minus One on UHD, blu-ray and DVD in UK, Ireland and France. They're targeting "holiday season" 2024, but bear in mind that they're notorious for delays, so don't be surprised if it ends up being the middle of 2025.

Also both the colour and b/w versions are getting an additional cinema run in the UK at some point this year.

https://blog.alltheanime.com/godzilla-minus-one-coming-soon-to-deluxe-4k-uhd-blu-ray-and-dvd/?fbclid=IwY2xjawE6jbdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHTanBLA3mHi7SatjvhB4ZRtbkO1gy3fMfFZ-gQLig3QJ4BWK9rX9_HJwJQ_aem_EZHH34Cx_I4ujkAEt03eSw

[Kailem]

Good to finally hear some news about a UK home video release! Here's hoping the "Collector's Edition" they mention isn't just UHD and actually means we'll be getting some special features and/or Minus Colour included. I'll definitely keep an eye out for further details about that.

That's also really cool that it's getting a cinema re-release along with Minus Colour for the first time, too! I've still not checked Minus Colour out on Netflix yet, so I might hold off now and ponder the possibility of seeing it on the bi screen instead.

[Benjamin Haines]

It's great that Minus One has secured a home video distributor in the UK, Ireland and France!

Toho is acting as the home video distributor for the first time in North America but it seems like they're making this "retail release" just as limited as the deluxe edition, with the only difference being that it's available to pre-order from retailers instead of exclusively through Toho's Godzilla website. Amazon already lists the 4K and BRD editions as sold out. How does a retail release sell out before it's even released if it isn't being manufactured as a limited edition? Toho's own website even had a "Minus One Pre-Orders Closing Soon" countdown which ended on August 31. This seems a lot more like Arrow Video's limited-edition Gamera box set than something that will be restocked for years to come. I don't usually pre-order things but I did place one with Gruv for the regular 2-disc BRD edition, and I received an email confirmation for my order so hopefully they'll come through.

I've rewatched Minus One on Netflix several times recently and I'm still just floored by how relentlessly good it is. It's more than one of the finest Godzilla movies ever made. It really is the third true masterpiece of the entire film series after G'54 and Mothra vs. Godzilla.

[lhb412]

I don't think the retail release is going to be a limited edition. I think they jumped the gun on announcing it because it leaked and there's still a bunch of stuff that isn't set in stone (like a release date!). I imagine when the release date is announced that those preorders will open back up.

[Benjamin Haines]

^ It looks like you were right. The cover art has been revealed, the release date has been confirmed as November 19 and retailers like Amazon are taking pre-orders again.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Godzilla-Minus-One-Blu-ray/367757/

Still, I'm glad that I've pre-ordered this after missing out on the subtitled deluxe edition.

[lhb412]

In retrospect, November release dates for both this and the '54 4K was an obvious choice for 70th anniversary.

(Hell, maybe they could put it back into theaters for a weekend?)

[Benjamin Haines]

Toho is now taking pre-orders for a second run of the four-disc Deluxe Japan Collector's Edition with English subtitles!

https://godzilla.com/products/godzilla-minus-one-blu-ray-deluxe-japan-collectors-edition

I missed out on this the first time around but this time I've preordered it! I thought that I would never own Minus Color on disc when they announced the contents of the retail edition.

[lhb412]

Oooh, do I wait for the steelbook to go back up for preorder (or even just settle for the standard edition) to get the dub or spend $30 more to get Minus Color and the fancy packaging?! Dilemma!

[Dai]

The UK editions are now available for pre-order with a planned release date of 2nd December.

https://www.alltheanime.com/collections/godzilla-minus-one

It's a similar range of releases to the US: DVD, BD, 3-disc steelbook, 4-disc deluxe, but with different cover art for all but the latter. It's great that we're getting the same 4-disc deluxe as Japan and the Godzilla Store US version, and it's officially confirmed to have English subtitles on the special features disc. Based on the promotional picture it looks like the booklet is in English too, though I don't know if the contents are the same as other regions.

Anyone who wants the 3-disc steelbook should pre-order ASAP; it sold out in a matter of hours on some sites that listed it before All the Anime. I've got my pre-order in for the 4-disc deluxe; I'm glad I resisted the urge to import the half-translated version from the US.

[Kailem]

Oh wow, we're getting the deluxe set WITH subs?! I NEVER thought that would happen!!

I just pre-ordered on Amazon, but I'm already wondering if that's a good idea with how awful their packaging has been in recent years. I'd prefer not to have it arrive all banged-up with busted corners and torn packaging, but either way I'll keep that pre-order at least for now.

What's the packaging like from AllTheAnime? I've never used them before, and I'm thinking it might be good to pre-order there instead.

[Benjamin Haines]

Wow! The UK version of the deluxe set has the English dub on all three movie discs and subtitles on the bonus disc? That's the definitive English-friendly edition!

I know that Amazon US and Amazon UK are technically different businesses but I still wouldn't trust any version of Amazon with a preorder for a limited-edition product. When Arrow Video released their complete Gamera collection in 2020 with a quantity of just 5,000 units for the US edition, Amazon US didn't limit the number of preorders that they took for that set. The release date came and Amazon didn't have nearly enough supply to fulfill all of the preorders that they had taken, but they didn't bother to immediately cancel the preorders that they couldn't fulfill, so some customers received their sets while I and many others saw our preorders just listed as processing with no sign of any progress on shipping. The only reason I got that set was because I cancelled my Amazon preorder on release day and ordered it from Walmart's website while it was still in stock. I can see Amazon UK pulling the same kind of mishap here.

[Dai]

Quote: What's the packaging like from AllTheAnime? I've never used them before, and I'm thinking it might be good to pre-order there instead.

For collector's editions I think it tends to be a decent amount of bubble wrap inside a cardboard box. One thing to bear in mind with All the Anime is that the first two weeks of December are their big Christmas sale, so shipping could be slowed if Minus One keeps to its 2nd Dec release date or slips to later in December.

[Kailem]

Bubble wrap you say? Yeah, I cancelled my Amazon order and went with them directly. I'm not bothered if it gets delayed as I've already been waiting this long, and it's still two months before the scheduled release date anyway. I just want the best possible chance of it arriving with some decent packaging, which is something Amazon just doesn't do anymore unfortunately.