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Godzilla is the King of the Monsters, on that we can all agree. But which Godzilla are we talking about? Just limiting to the past few years, there are two Godzillas in the mix. There’s the Godzilla in the MonsterVerse franchise, the American series produced by Legendary Pictures that began with 2014’s Godzilla and have continued through 2024’s Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. But there’s also the creature in 2023’s Godzilla Minus One, produced by Japanese studio Toho.
The two versions clashed, in a way, back in 2024, when Godzilla Minus One‘s North American theatrical run was cut short, reportedly pulled in February of that year to make room for The New Empire‘s debut the following March. Now, with Toho’s Godzilla Minus Zero set for a North American release on November 6, 2026, and Legendary’s Godzilla x Kong: Supernova slated for March 26, 2027, a rematch is in place—and it’s a rematch that Godzilla Minus Zero deserves to win.
The first Japanese Godzilla movie since 2016’s (equally excellent) Shin Godzilla, Godzilla Minus One immediately won over fans with its deft mix of kaiju spectacle, blockbuster adventure, and humanitarianism. Written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, Godzilla Minus One followed kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) as he wrestled with his guilt over failing to die in World War II, a guilt that re-emerges when Godzilla invades. Through Kōichi’s journey, Yamazaki wrestled with the country’s own complicated feelings about its actions in World War II, adding new layers to the franchise’s themes, while ending on a hopeful, life-affirming note.
The American MonserVerse films have taken a decidedly different approach. While the 2016 film tried to recreate some of the brooding tone of the original 1954 Godzilla, the series soon pivoted into a running sci-fi story about government organizations, a hollow Earth, and monsters protecting the planet from human or extraterrestrial threats. They are big, colorful blockbusters that don’t even pretend to have substance.
Which is fine! If there’s anything we have learned across Godzilla’s nearly 70-year history, it’s that kaiju can be used for everything from serious allegory to goofy adventure. Toho itself has produced films that grapple with important issues, as demonstrated by the darker films of the Heisei era. Sure, Godzilla 1984 and its 1989 sequel Godzilla vs Biollante featured an animalistic Godzilla and critiqued corporate greed, but the series also had Godzilla Junior and lots of monster mash fights.
By this point, however, the MonsterVerse series is running on fumes. There are only so many times you can have CGI Godzilla and King Kong do Mortal Kombat-style fighting with blue or purple neon highlights before it gets boring, especially if we have to keep cutting back to Kyle Chandler yelling about Millie Bobby Brown.
Godzilla Minus One, conversely, felt fresh and immediate, retaining the big fun of a kaiju movie while giving us actually interesting human characters and themes that feel relevant. The mere fact that the current Toho films are blazing new ground give them the edge over the standard Hollywood formula that drives the MonsterVerse movies.
When Godzilla fights Godzilla again next Spring, Toho and GKids shouldn’t back down and shouldn’t pull Godzilla Minus Zero for Godzilla X Kong: Supernova. It’s time for the best Godzilla to truly be the King of the Monsters.
Godzilla Minus Zero releases in the US on November 6, 2026, and Godzilla X Kong: Supernova releases March 26, 2027.
The post Godzilla Minus Zero Deserves a Full Theatrical Push appeared first on Den of Geek.
