Godzilla Minus Zero
Godzilla Minus Zero is an upcoming Japanese kaiju film written, directed, and with visual effects supervised by Takashi Yamazaki. A sequel to Godzilla Minus One, it is the 39th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 34th film by Toho, and the sixth installment in the franchise's Reiwa era.
Following the international success of Godzilla Minus One, Toho announced in November 2024 that another Yamazaki-helmed Godzilla film had been greenlit. By February 2025, Yamazaki had begun screenwriting and storyboarding the follow-up. In April 2025, Toho International's president, Kōji Ueda, clarified that the new film would be a sequel, planned for a 2026 release. Principal photography commenced in August 2025 and wrapped by December, taking place in Japan, New Zealand, and Norway. The film's title was announced in November 2025. Shirogumi will handle the visual effects.
Godzilla Minus Zero is scheduled to be released on November 3, 2026 in Japan, and November 6 in the United States.
Production
Development
Godzilla Minus One was seen as a major success in Japan and the Western world, becoming one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of all time and winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects among its many accolades. On November 1, 2024, the film's director Takashi Yamazaki was confirmed to helm another Godzilla film, first announced during Godzilla Minus OnePre-production
In June 2025, the Agency for Cultural Affairs-commissioned "Film Staff Development Project" disclosed that filming for Yamazaki's next movie would take place from early August to December 2025, and they were seeking film students to recruit. On July 17, Bloomberg News reported that Toho International's president, Kōji Ueda, clarified that the new Godzilla film would be a sequel and a 2026 release was currently planned. On July 27, the site yamazakimovie-extra.jp was launched to find volunteer extras for the film from August to September. It recycled the Blockbuster Monster Movie placeholder used for Minus One during pre-production and confirmed Toho would be financing with Robot Communications, featuring an all-star Japanese cast.Filming
took place with extras on location in Ibaraki Prefecture from August 30 to September 14. Additional shooting is set to take place in New Zealand and Norway, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Filming is expected to wrap in late December.Extra recruitment reports also state that due to the film's historical drama setting, there would be restrictions on the extras' costume sizes, hairstyles, and hair colors for those participating as extras. A scene featuring Japanese maintenance soldiers was shot at a temple in Maizuru on November 3, which was Godzilla Day in Japan. Filming occurred around Seijōgakuen-mae Station on November 25, and will take place in Inashiki District, Ibaraki on December 15.
At the opening ceremony of Godzilla Fest 2025, held on November 3, 2025 at the Tokyo Dome City Hall, Toho unveiled the official title of Yamazaki's next Godzilla feature as Godzilla Minus Zero. A teaser logo, personally illustrated by Yamazaki, was shown. Yamazaki said via a pre-recorded message that he was unable to attend the festival since he is currently filming Minus Zero. It was also announced that Shirogumi will handle VFX; and production is shared between Toho Studios and Robot Communications. Industry sources told The Hollywood Reporter the same day that "the new film is being positioned not just as a sequel but as a statement piece". Plot details, cast confirmations, and an exact premiere date remain undisclosed.
On December 10, Yamazaki finished that day's filming at 5:00 p.m. and then made a surprise appearance at a Tokyo event for James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash. During their onstage conversation, Cameron expressed enthusiasm for Godzilla Minus Zero and offered to direct the film's second unit if it fell behind schedule. Yamazaki responded with laughter, saying that Cameron's scenes would be so impressive that he himself would be left with no directing work to do.