With Gareth Edward's GODZILLA(2014) film roaring as a successful hit, along with the growing fandom and their passionate support of the atomic icon, TOHO are aiming to not be out done within their own game by reviving the behemoth in Japan just as Gareth Edwards had done worldwide. As Godzilla continues to thrive within the relevance of pop culture, TOHO has also formed an organization project which will discuss and handle future projects of the iconic franchise.
This announcement marks as TOHO's first Godzilla film in 12 long years, their last film being Godzilla Final Wars(2004). The new film will exist separately along side Warner Bros/Legendary Picture's GODZILLA series. The film will make debut 2016, giving fans a more enduring wait until Gareth Edward's sequel comes around into pre-production.
TOHO is producing a new work of its iconic film monster Godzilla for release throughout Japan in 2016. It will be the first Godzilla film by TOHO since 2004's Godzilla Final Wars(pictured right). According to the Cinema Today website, the "legendary" Japanese franchise is undergoing a revival, in response to the heightened fan support after Gareth Edwards and Legendary Pictures' Hollywood Godzilla film became a worldwide hit.
Edwards' film has opened in 63 countries and territories, and has earned over 57 billion yen (about US$470 million) worldwide, including 3.2 billion yen (US$26 million) in Japan alone.
Production of the new film will run from summer to fall of next year, and TOHO is assembling the staff. It will have no direct ties with Edwards' film, but will instead be an entirely new Godzilla film. Edwards and Legendary Pictures are separately planning a sequel to their own film.
TOHO proclaimed, "The time has come to make a film that will not bow down to the Hollywood film," thanks to a combination of rapidly improving filmmaking techniques (as exemplified by the ongoing Parasyte films) and know-how developed over the years in Japan.
TOHO is also inaugurating the Godzilla Conference or "Godzi-con," a organization to discuss and determine the strategy of Godzilla projects — including but not limited to the new film — in response to the growing Godzilla fandom bolstered by Edwards' film. It is now mainly composed ofTOHO staff members, but TOHO is considering adding other creators and businesses to explore new project possibilities.
Fans all around are rejoicing at the news, with the community anticipating heavily of the latest works from TOHO. It will be interesting to see what the film will be about, and how far they've progressed in terms of quality filming. 2015 will no doubt be an intriguing year.