Japan’s Toho Studios is dusting off the moth(ra)balls and producing another Godzilla film. This will be the first Godzilla film by Toho since 2004’s “Godzilla Final Wars.” Since last years’ Legendary Pictures/Gareth Edwards “Godzilla” hit took the world by storm and became a box office sensation by grossing close to $470 million, Toho feels their trademark Kaiju is undergoing a revival and wants to bring the big green guy back for another appearance. The film is scheduled for a 2016 release.
Production for Toho’s new film will begin in the summer of 2015 and conclude in the fall. The studio is assembling the staff for the feature. The new film will not be connected to the recent American version and will instead be an entirely new Godzilla film. A sequel to Edwards and Legendary Pictures movie is being planned separately.
Toho made this proclamation,
“The time has come to make a film that will not bow down to the Hollywood film.”
The new Japanese version will utilize a combination of rapidly improving filmmaking techniques and know-how developed over the years in Japan.
Toho is also putting together a Godzilla Conference or “Godzi-con,” the purpose of this organization is much like a ‘think-tank’ to make strategies and plans for not only the present Godzilla film, but for future Godzilla projects. The conference will be primarily composed of Toho staff members, but Toho is considering adding other creators and businesses to explore new possibilities.
Perhaps in the new Japanese Godzilla film, Godzilla can clean up the radioactive mess created by the Fukushima 1 (Daiichi) Nuclear Power Plant, which malfunctioned due to a tsunami in 2011 and poses a continuous threat to the environment to this day by leeching radiation into the surrounding land and sea water.
Sources: Cinema Today (Hachima Kikō,) animenewsnetwork