New Godzilla Movie Announced by Toho: Directed by Takashi Yamazaki

Following the success of last year's Oscar-winning film "Godzilla Minus One", a new "Godzilla" movie has been officially greenlit. Toho, the iconic Japanese entertainment company behind the Godzilla franchise, announced the exciting news on Friday. Earning an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for his work on the previous film, writer and director Takashi Yamazaki will return for the follow-up, handling the VFX.

"Godzilla Minus One", set in post-World War II Japan, marked Toho's 33rd installment in the Godzilla series and the 37th overall featuring the legendary monster.  It tells the story of Kōichi Shikishima, played by Ryunosuke Kamiki, a former kamikaze pilot grappling with PTSD after a harrowing encounter with Godzilla. The film's ensemble cast also includes Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, and Munetaka Aoki, among others, bringing together a cast that contributed to the film's success.

While details about the new film remain scarce, it's uncertain whether it will be a direct sequel to "Godzilla Minus One." The previous installment concluded with a cliffhanger involving a piece of Godzilla's flesh regenerating in the ocean, alongside the unresolved fate of Shikishima's girlfriend, Noriko Ōishi, who bears a mysterious mark after her encounter with the monster. "Godzilla Minus One" had remarkable box office success with over $116 million globally, making it the highest-grossing Japanese "Godzilla" film to date.