Hollywood’s first go-around with Godzilla in 1998 didn’t go well, as the Roland Emmerich-directed movie was critically panned and considered a box office disappointment (though CinemaBlend’s own Rich Knight is among its supporters). In 2014 though, America’s entertainment industry got a second bite at this proverbial apple, and the Godzilla reboot was not only much more well received, it also launched the MonsterVerse franchise. However, director Gareth Edwards, who helmed the reboot, doesn’t his Godzilla movie to be the best of the bunch, but rather the latest cinematic offering from the Toho-owned franchise.
Earlier this month, and following after the double-hitter of Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle and Godzilla: The Planet Eater in 2018 (both of which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription alongside Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters), Japan resumed its output of Godzilla movies with Godzilla Minus One, the 33rd movie hailing strictly from the Japanese corner of the franchise. Edwards sat down with Minus One director and writer Takashi Yamazaki on behalf of Cinema Today, and during their chat, the former shared how the latter’s 2023 movie release is his favorite Godzilla movie, saying (translated via Google Translate):
There were a lot of things that I thought were very new, and I was feeling jealous the whole time I was watching it. This is what a Godzilla movie should be.
Gareth Edwards went on to declare that Godzilla Minus One (which was announced in November 2022) will “definitely be named as the best Godzilla movie of all time.” Like any franchise, Godzilla has had its share of ups and downs over the decades ever since the world was introduced to the gigantic, reptilian monstrosity in 1954, and the Reiwa era, which launched in 2016 (12 years after Godzilla: Final Wars’ release) has arguably been a mixed bag. But in Edwards’ opinion, Minus One is both the cream of this particular Godzilla era and #1 on the hierarchy of Godzilla movies. Talk about high praise!
Godzilla Minus One opened on November 3 in Japan, and there were plenty of critics who agreed with Edwards that it made for a compelling watch. The United States’ red carpet premiered happened in Los Angeles on November 10, and the movie will play in roughly 1,000 North American theaters starting on December 1, although there will be various Early Access Fan Event Screenings on November 29. After that, it’s hard to say on which platform one will be stream Minus One, but judging by Edwards’ reaction, whether you watch it on a big screen or small screen, this Godzilla movie will be a treat to watch.
If you’re craving more Godzilla content beyond Minus One, you’d be wise to turn to the MonsterVerse. The TV show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which Apple TV+ subscribers can stream, highlights the Titan, and we’ll also see him paired with King Kong again for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which opens April 12 on the 2024 movies schedule. If you’d like to rewatch Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla, that can be accessed with a Max subscription.