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Godzilla box office success keeps going, the Gareth Edwards film had a $200 million opening weekend and now has surpassed $320 million globally, it's US take alone is nearly $160 million. All this and there are two major markets where it hasn't even been released yet, China and Japan. Godzilla's success has guaranteed sequels, which has been stated, and also put Warner Bros. over a billion dollars in foreign markets. Not bad for a movie that many doubted would do this well or even succeed. Godzilla is fourth overall for the year and is the newest release of those four.
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From Famous Monsters
Rather than giving you yet another typical online critic’s opinion, FM has decided to bring you its verdict on the new GODZILLA movie by transcribing the opinions of four more qualified individuals: Godzilla art guru Bob Eggleton, Heisei Godzilla-suit-wearer Kenpachiro Satsuma, original Ultraman Satoshi “Bin” Furuya, and tokusatsu hero of Kikaida and Inazuman Daisuke Ban. The following Q&A session took place after a special screening of GODZILLA in San Jose at Big Wow! ComicFest, with kaiju expert August Ragone moderating, on May 17.
August Ragone. So why don’t you tell us what you thought of the film?
Bob Eggleton. It kicked ass. The funniest thing is that when I saw Gareth Edwards’ directorial debut called MONSTERS, I turned to my wife and said, this guy should direct Godzilla. If there is some justice in making another Godzilla movie, get Gareth Edwards. And I could not believe it when they said they got Gareth Edwards. I was like, win. It’s a slow burn movie. It builds up and builds up, and that’s what I liked about it. It wasn’t monsters every single minute. It’s a a nice visual tease.
Ragone. It’s the smooth Bourbon of kaiju eiga. And just while we were watching this movie, it earned another ten million dollars.
Eggleton. Legendary was hoping for somewhere between 60 and 70 million for the whole weekend. It looks like it’s going to finish around 100 million. And that’s just the US total. So what this means to us is more Godzilla!
Ragone. Without further ado, let’s get our Japanese guests onstage: Mr. Ban Daisuke, Mr. Bin Furuya, and Godzilla himself, Mr. Kenpachiro Satsuma. And our interpreter, Jason Varney.
Satsuma. [translated] Unlike the last version of Godzilla that America did, he turned out to be more a friend to the humans this time, which surprised me. I only hoped that Godzilla would walk a little more slowly back into the ocean and roar a few more times. If Godzilla is really fat like people are saying, he should have room for a huge roar.
Furuya. [translated] Godzilla was evil back in the old days. But he turned out to be America’s hero in this movie, right? I never thought Godzilla could be this gentle. It was great to be together with all you guys for a fun Godzilla movie.
Ban. [translated] As Furuya said, it was interesting to see Godzilla as a hero. I was very moved by it. It’s good to know that so many people have come to see this. It seems to be popular. I am very proud of how strong and tough, but gentle and nice Godzilla actually was. It’s a good family movie!
For Ultraman [Furuya], what was it like working with (original Godzilla suit actor) Haruo Nakajima on the set?
Furuya. [translated] It was great. He was my sempai (older mentor). He was very tough. He challenged me to do my best, and I learned a lot from him. The only bad thing was that since he was my sempai, I couldn’t punch him as hard as I wanted to. [everyone laughs] Even though Ultraman was supposed to be stronger!
For Ultraman, again, I read on Wikipedia that you and Nakajima were actually chosen for your height and your martial arts ability. Is that true?
Furuya. [translated] Yes. I was chosen to be Japan’s number one hero because I was tall, I was thin, and I had a lot of free time.
Do you think this new Godzilla kept the heart of the classic original from the 50s?
Satsuma. [translated] I think he’s lost a bit of his heart in comparison with using suit actors.
How accepting will Japan be of Godzilla as a hero instead of as a destructive monster?
Satsuma. [translated] I don’t think of Godzilla being evil or a hero. If there are buildings in his way, he should get them out of the way. Godzilla should follow his own path, ignore other people, ignore everything else. Just follow his own way.
As a portrayer of Godzilla, do you have a favorite fight in the history of the King of Monsters, and why?
Satsuma. [translated] Biollante. [applause and cheers] Many of the scenes were filmed in water, so the acting was up to everyone else—water technicians, people making waves. I just had to move a little bit. There wasn’t much acting involved. If all I did was go [growls and moves around], that was enough.
In a sequel to this movie, what would you like to see differently?
Satsuma. [translated] Godzilla’s arms are a bit too long. They should be shorter. His stance should be more [crouches down], and he should come out in a fighting stance. He shouldn’t be using his tail so much, but using his body. For the scene when his tail was swinging at the building, I thought there should be more of his body in it, not just the tail.
Ragone. Many people don’t know that there was actually a motion capture artist who played Godzilla: Andy Serkis, the same guy who played Gollum and King Kong. So if they used him, shouldn’t we have Mr. Satsuma do the next movie? [audience cheers]
Satsuma. [translated] Are you kidding? Maybe I’ll do it; teach everyone “Godzilla kempo”.
This question is for all three of you. Did you ever take on pupils and pass on the legacy of suitmation to a younger generation?
Satsuma. [translated] I taught a lot of actors, though it wasn’t a smooth system like back in the day.
Furuya. [translated] Because I was playing a hero, I didn’t think about mentor-tutor relationships. I just thought, we’re making a show for children, so let’s just make it as entertaining as possible. There were so many episodes of the show.
Ban. [translated] When I was watching this movie I tried to imagine Satsuma in his Godzilla suit, and I saw two different Godzillas in my head. I realized that we’re entering a different era. It will be interesting to see how Godzilla is portrayed in the future. Also, there is a new KIKAIDA movie coming out at the end of this month, and I’m in it. I hope it will play in America soon.
Who would you like to see Godzilla fight next?
Satsuma. [translated] I can’t choose an existing one; I’d rather see a new monster.
Eggleton. Apparently Gareth Edwards wants to do his version of DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. [loud cheering]
And if you’re still looking for that critical opinion, suffice it to say that the whole FM crew enjoyed the movie very much.
Rather than giving you yet another typical online critic’s opinion, FM has decided to bring you its verdict on the new GODZILLA movie by transcribing the opinions of four more qualified individuals: Godzilla art guru Bob Eggleton, Heisei Godzilla-suit-wearer Kenpachiro Satsuma, original Ultraman Satoshi “Bin” Furuya, and tokusatsu hero of Kikaida and Inazuman Daisuke Ban. The following Q&A session took place after a special screening of GODZILLA in San Jose at Big Wow! ComicFest, with kaiju expert August Ragone moderating, on May 17.
August Ragone. So why don’t you tell us what you thought of the film?
Bob Eggleton. It kicked ass. The funniest thing is that when I saw Gareth Edwards’ directorial debut called MONSTERS, I turned to my wife and said, this guy should direct Godzilla. If there is some justice in making another Godzilla movie, get Gareth Edwards. And I could not believe it when they said they got Gareth Edwards. I was like, win. It’s a slow burn movie. It builds up and builds up, and that’s what I liked about it. It wasn’t monsters every single minute. It’s a a nice visual tease.
Ragone. It’s the smooth Bourbon of kaiju eiga. And just while we were watching this movie, it earned another ten million dollars.
Eggleton. Legendary was hoping for somewhere between 60 and 70 million for the whole weekend. It looks like it’s going to finish around 100 million. And that’s just the US total. So what this means to us is more Godzilla!
Ragone. Without further ado, let’s get our Japanese guests onstage: Mr. Ban Daisuke, Mr. Bin Furuya, and Godzilla himself, Mr. Kenpachiro Satsuma. And our interpreter, Jason Varney.
Satsuma. [translated] Unlike the last version of Godzilla that America did, he turned out to be more a friend to the humans this time, which surprised me. I only hoped that Godzilla would walk a little more slowly back into the ocean and roar a few more times. If Godzilla is really fat like people are saying, he should have room for a huge roar.
Furuya. [translated] Godzilla was evil back in the old days. But he turned out to be America’s hero in this movie, right? I never thought Godzilla could be this gentle. It was great to be together with all you guys for a fun Godzilla movie.
Ban. [translated] As Furuya said, it was interesting to see Godzilla as a hero. I was very moved by it. It’s good to know that so many people have come to see this. It seems to be popular. I am very proud of how strong and tough, but gentle and nice Godzilla actually was. It’s a good family movie!
For Ultraman [Furuya], what was it like working with (original Godzilla suit actor) Haruo Nakajima on the set?
Furuya. [translated] It was great. He was my sempai (older mentor). He was very tough. He challenged me to do my best, and I learned a lot from him. The only bad thing was that since he was my sempai, I couldn’t punch him as hard as I wanted to. [everyone laughs] Even though Ultraman was supposed to be stronger!
For Ultraman, again, I read on Wikipedia that you and Nakajima were actually chosen for your height and your martial arts ability. Is that true?
Furuya. [translated] Yes. I was chosen to be Japan’s number one hero because I was tall, I was thin, and I had a lot of free time.
Do you think this new Godzilla kept the heart of the classic original from the 50s?
Satsuma. [translated] I think he’s lost a bit of his heart in comparison with using suit actors.
How accepting will Japan be of Godzilla as a hero instead of as a destructive monster?
Satsuma. [translated] I don’t think of Godzilla being evil or a hero. If there are buildings in his way, he should get them out of the way. Godzilla should follow his own path, ignore other people, ignore everything else. Just follow his own way.
As a portrayer of Godzilla, do you have a favorite fight in the history of the King of Monsters, and why?
Satsuma. [translated] Biollante. [applause and cheers] Many of the scenes were filmed in water, so the acting was up to everyone else—water technicians, people making waves. I just had to move a little bit. There wasn’t much acting involved. If all I did was go [growls and moves around], that was enough.
In a sequel to this movie, what would you like to see differently?
Satsuma. [translated] Godzilla’s arms are a bit too long. They should be shorter. His stance should be more [crouches down], and he should come out in a fighting stance. He shouldn’t be using his tail so much, but using his body. For the scene when his tail was swinging at the building, I thought there should be more of his body in it, not just the tail.
Ragone. Many people don’t know that there was actually a motion capture artist who played Godzilla: Andy Serkis, the same guy who played Gollum and King Kong. So if they used him, shouldn’t we have Mr. Satsuma do the next movie? [audience cheers]
Satsuma. [translated] Are you kidding? Maybe I’ll do it; teach everyone “Godzilla kempo”.
This question is for all three of you. Did you ever take on pupils and pass on the legacy of suitmation to a younger generation?
Satsuma. [translated] I taught a lot of actors, though it wasn’t a smooth system like back in the day.
Furuya. [translated] Because I was playing a hero, I didn’t think about mentor-tutor relationships. I just thought, we’re making a show for children, so let’s just make it as entertaining as possible. There were so many episodes of the show.
Ban. [translated] When I was watching this movie I tried to imagine Satsuma in his Godzilla suit, and I saw two different Godzillas in my head. I realized that we’re entering a different era. It will be interesting to see how Godzilla is portrayed in the future. Also, there is a new KIKAIDA movie coming out at the end of this month, and I’m in it. I hope it will play in America soon.
Who would you like to see Godzilla fight next?
Satsuma. [translated] I can’t choose an existing one; I’d rather see a new monster.
Eggleton. Apparently Gareth Edwards wants to do his version of DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. [loud cheering]
And if you’re still looking for that critical opinion, suffice it to say that the whole FM crew enjoyed the movie very much.
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While I don't have specifics it appears from the site as well as the X-Plus website there are a number of promotions and giveaways going on with the Japanese release of the new Godzilla film dubbed "Godzilla General Election" it seems to feature prizes like an Oxygen Destroyer water bottle and some soon to be revealed Godzilla item, pics below, and check out the website here (note it is in Japanese).
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Explore the #Monarch files and discover the truth.
"The arrogance of man is thinking nature is in our control…"
http://timeline.godzillamovie.com/
"The arrogance of man is thinking nature is in our control…"
http://timeline.godzillamovie.com/
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From The Hollywood Reporter, mainly about the Star Wars spinoff, it does mentions the Godzilla sequels!
Fresh off the success of Godzilla, filmmaker Gareth Edwards has lined up his next project, something set in a galaxy far, far away.
Edwards is attached to direct one of the Star Wars spinoff films, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Gary Whitta (Book of Eli) is writing the script for the movie, which has a release date set for December 16, 2016, said Disney and Lucasfilm in a statement later posted on the official Star Wars website.
Due to the high level of secrecy surrounding the Star Wars development process, it is unclear which spinoff Edwards will tackle.
Speculation has focused on characters such as bounty hunter Boba Fett and Jedi master Yoda as those who might be getting their own movies. There are also rumors of a potential Han Solo origin story or at least something on the Solo clan, and untold adventures of Luke Skywalker.
"Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life - join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited & honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm," said Edwards in a statement release after THR broke the news.
Earlier in May, Disney CEO Bob Iger stated that there was a plan to make at least three spinoff movies that would be released in between the main installments.
It has been reported that Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are writing and producing the spinoffs.
The Star Wars project marks an amazing career trajectory for Edwards, who went from making a small creature feature for $500,000, 2010’s Monsters, to getting the assignment to take on Godzilla, a monster in need of a 21st century rehabilitation.
The mission was a success, with the Legendary/Warner Bros. movie overperforming when it opened last weekend, grossing $93.1 million. The movie also received strong critical reviews and plenty of fanboy love.
"Gareth's filmmaking talent makes him one of his generation's most creative and visionary directors,” said Legendary Entertainment’s chairman and CEO Thomas Tull in a statement in response to the Star Wars hire. "The plan has always been for Gareth to direct a different film before we started on another Godzilla, but who knew it would a Star Wars installment? We have a great plan in store for Godzilla fans and I am looking forward to seeing Gareth’s imprint on the Star Wars universe."
WME-repped Edwards is attached to direct Godzilla 2 and 3, but while story ideas exist, the Godzilla 2 project is still in early development and does not even have a script.
That frees up Edwards to be part of what is not only one of the biggest franchises in history, but also a project that is a dream for so many filmmakers who grew up loving and being inspired by the storied George Lucas universe.
Fresh off the success of Godzilla, filmmaker Gareth Edwards has lined up his next project, something set in a galaxy far, far away.
Edwards is attached to direct one of the Star Wars spinoff films, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Gary Whitta (Book of Eli) is writing the script for the movie, which has a release date set for December 16, 2016, said Disney and Lucasfilm in a statement later posted on the official Star Wars website.
Due to the high level of secrecy surrounding the Star Wars development process, it is unclear which spinoff Edwards will tackle.
Speculation has focused on characters such as bounty hunter Boba Fett and Jedi master Yoda as those who might be getting their own movies. There are also rumors of a potential Han Solo origin story or at least something on the Solo clan, and untold adventures of Luke Skywalker.
"Ever since I saw Star Wars I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the rest of my life - join the Rebel Alliance! I could not be more excited & honored to go on this mission with Lucasfilm," said Edwards in a statement release after THR broke the news.
Earlier in May, Disney CEO Bob Iger stated that there was a plan to make at least three spinoff movies that would be released in between the main installments.
It has been reported that Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg are writing and producing the spinoffs.
The Star Wars project marks an amazing career trajectory for Edwards, who went from making a small creature feature for $500,000, 2010’s Monsters, to getting the assignment to take on Godzilla, a monster in need of a 21st century rehabilitation.
The mission was a success, with the Legendary/Warner Bros. movie overperforming when it opened last weekend, grossing $93.1 million. The movie also received strong critical reviews and plenty of fanboy love.
"Gareth's filmmaking talent makes him one of his generation's most creative and visionary directors,” said Legendary Entertainment’s chairman and CEO Thomas Tull in a statement in response to the Star Wars hire. "The plan has always been for Gareth to direct a different film before we started on another Godzilla, but who knew it would a Star Wars installment? We have a great plan in store for Godzilla fans and I am looking forward to seeing Gareth’s imprint on the Star Wars universe."
WME-repped Edwards is attached to direct Godzilla 2 and 3, but while story ideas exist, the Godzilla 2 project is still in early development and does not even have a script.
That frees up Edwards to be part of what is not only one of the biggest franchises in history, but also a project that is a dream for so many filmmakers who grew up loving and being inspired by the storied George Lucas universe.
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From The Nerdist
Well, that was quite quick. After being asked about the possibility of a sequel from the very first press screening, and the answer being “we’ll have to see how the first one does,” it appears that Legendary and Warner Bros. are sufficiently happy to begin work on a sequel to Godzilla, which is the worldwide box office #1 this weekend.
The news was reported to Deadline on Sunday – after raking in over $100 million worldwide this weekend, and a staggering $93 million here in the States (the biggest opening of the year so far), Godzilla seems to have proven enough of a hit to warrant venturing into those monster-filled waters again. The sequel plans were in the works already, of course, but this weekend proved its viability.
Director Gareth Edwards has said, were he to do a sequel, he’d employ the same restraint as he did with the first, which did a masterful job of making us wait for more than a fleeting glimpse of the 350-foot dinosaur thing. With many fans wishing for more of the giant monster in the first film, the announcement of a second go-round for the massive monster-fighting monster is surely music to their ears. What we all want to know, however, is whether any of Toho studios’ other famous monsters will appear in a Godzilla sequel. Perhaps Mothra or Rodan? Maybe in a couple of years, a full remake of Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster will be in the cards, which was The Avengersof kaiju team-ups.
Well, that was quite quick. After being asked about the possibility of a sequel from the very first press screening, and the answer being “we’ll have to see how the first one does,” it appears that Legendary and Warner Bros. are sufficiently happy to begin work on a sequel to Godzilla, which is the worldwide box office #1 this weekend.
The news was reported to Deadline on Sunday – after raking in over $100 million worldwide this weekend, and a staggering $93 million here in the States (the biggest opening of the year so far), Godzilla seems to have proven enough of a hit to warrant venturing into those monster-filled waters again. The sequel plans were in the works already, of course, but this weekend proved its viability.
Director Gareth Edwards has said, were he to do a sequel, he’d employ the same restraint as he did with the first, which did a masterful job of making us wait for more than a fleeting glimpse of the 350-foot dinosaur thing. With many fans wishing for more of the giant monster in the first film, the announcement of a second go-round for the massive monster-fighting monster is surely music to their ears. What we all want to know, however, is whether any of Toho studios’ other famous monsters will appear in a Godzilla sequel. Perhaps Mothra or Rodan? Maybe in a couple of years, a full remake of Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster will be in the cards, which was The Avengersof kaiju team-ups.
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