For those who missed it, the best kaiju blockbuster in decades is now available on Netflix: “Godzilla Minus One“.
This year, Godzilla celebrates its 70th anniversary: on October 27, 1954, a giant beast emerged, whose name is a mix of the Japanese words “gorira” for gorilla and “kujira” for whale. The film, created by director Ishirō Honda and screenwriter Takeo Murata, serves as a parable on the trauma experienced by the Japanese people due to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Yet, this cinematic processing of a cruel end marked the beginning of an iconic screen creature.
To mark the festive occasion, a brand-new film titled “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” was released in theaters earlier this year, grossing around $570 million and earning nearly $100 million more than the previous film “Godzilla vs. Kong”. This US spin-off also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the MonsterVerse.
Audiences acclaimed “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” with a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, even with this extraordinary approval, the MonsterVerse film falls short compared to the original: “Godzilla Minus One” holds an astonishing 98% rating from both critics and audiences. With $115 million in earnings, the kaiju spectacle directed by Takashi Yamazaki became the most successful Japanese Godzilla film of all time. Additionally, it won the coveted Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards.
Unfortunately, “Godzilla Minus One” received only a very limited theatrical release in this country at the end of last year. Fans who desperately wanted to see the film had to travel long distances. Everyone else was left disappointed. Moreover, unlike the current trend of releases a few weeks after the theatrical premiere, there was no trace of the “best Godzilla film since the 1954 original”, even though it has been available on Amazon Prime Video in Japan since May 1, 2024.
But the wait has finally, finally ended for everyone who missed the film in theaters: without much fanfare, the streaming service Netflix has added “Godzilla Minus One” to its lineup, and it has been available since June 1, 2024. In addition to Japanese, German is also offered as a language option. If you don’t have a Netflix subscription, we recommend the Sky Q combo package. And to give you an idea of what’s in store to brighten your day or evening, take a look at the trailer:
“Godzilla Minus One”: A Sequel is Possible “Godzilla Minus One” ended—spoiler alert!—with an open ending that hinted at a sequel. And indeed, director Yamazaki is not opposed to the idea, as he revealed to Empire. He is very interested in bringing the kaiju elements, especially the duel between Godzilla and at least one other monster, to the screen. However, it is important to him that the strong human emotions and moments already present in “Godzilla Minus One” are not neglected:
“I’m not sure if anyone has ever managed to achieve a serious tone in kaiju-versus-kaiju combined with human drama—and I would love to take on this challenge. In films that feature monster battles, I think it’s very easy to focus solely on this immense spectacle. And that detracts from the human drama.”
