Written By: Ken HulseySources: Variety / Avery Guerra
Rumors that Legendary Pictures were in the process of making a new, American, "Godzilla" film first surfaced last August, and now they have been officially confirmed.
Yes, my friends, the studio has just announced that they have struck a deal with the famed Toho studios in Japan to produce a brand-new "Godzilla" movie, which will be released through Warner Bros in 2012.
According to the deal, Warner Bros will co-produce the film, and pony up some of the cash for it, while Toho will release the film in Japan.
There isn't a director yet, but the studio has announced that Dan Lin, Roy Lee Brian Rogers, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will all serve as producers.
Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO of Legendary Pictures, commented, "Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise. Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has."
Sources close to the deal note that it will be similar in scope to other Warner/Legendary films, co-productions, such as "The Dark Knight" and "300".
So, that is it. A new American "Godzilla" movie, with "Godzilla" in it, not "GINO"!
We can only hope that Tull and his team at Warner/Legendary keep true to their word and produce a "Godzilla" film that hearkens back to the classic films produced by Toho that we all grew up with.
I think that they know, that if they don't, we will burn the studio down.........just kidding......okay, no we will.
Update: Legendary's Godzilla: See? I Told You So! by Armand Vaquer
See? I told you so! (Thanks to Rush Limbaugh for that!) I knew that something was up when I spoke to Toho-L.A. General Manager Yukio Kotaki! You may recall that when I questioned Mr. Kotaki about the rumor of the Legendary Pictures project, he couldn't say but gave a noticable giggle. Legendary Pictures announced today that they will be co-producing and co-financing with Warner Brothers a new Godzilla movie that will be re-imagining the Japanese monster. It will not be connected to the Sony/TriStar feature with Matthew Broderick. Thank God!
This is great news, provided the movie turns out to be faithful to the spirit of Japan's Godzilla rather than the abomination that TriStar's 1998 Godzilla turned out to be. That movie is commonly known as GINO (Godzilla In Name Only).
Update: Here is a copy of the press release (Heads up from Rob Smith)
"LEGENDARY PICTURES TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE BASED ON TOHO COMPANY’S ICONIC MONSTER, GODZILLA
Burbank, CA – March 29, 2010 – Legendary Pictures announced today that they will develop and produce a new film based on Toho Company’s famed GODZILLA character. Through the terms of the agreement, Legendary Pictures has acquired the rights to produce a movie inspired by Toho’s Godzilla, a franchise the Japanese company created and has nurtured for over fifty years.
Toho’s GODZILLA franchise boasts one of the most widely recognized film creatures worldwide, resulting in a series of books, television programs, video games and more than 25 films worldwide. Legendary intends to approach the film and its characters in the most authentic manner possible. The company will, in the near future, announce a filmmaker to helm the film for an intended 2012 release. The film will fall under the company’s co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Toho will distribute the film in Japan."
"Godzilla" is coming back -- this time, with Legendary Pictures taking the lead, co-producing and co-financing with Warner Bros. for release in 2012.
Legendary announced Monday it had obtained rights to the iconic monster character from Japan's Toho Co., which has overseen more than 25 "Godzilla" films. Toho will release the pic in Japan.
Legendary said it's planning to announce a director shortly.
In addition to Legendary, producers on the new film will be Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Brian Rogers. Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will exec produce.
"Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise," said Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO of Legendary. "Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has."
Legendary noted the film will fall under its co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Legendary's productions with Warners have included "The Dark Knight," "300" and "The Hangover."
Speculation about a new "Godzilla" has been active since last summer. The Bloody Disgusting web site reported in August that the project was in development.
See Also: Legendary's Godzilla: A New Hint? / Putting Legendary Pictures Godzilla Into Perspective / Legendary Pictures Announces New Godzilla Movie!
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AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME NEWS!
ReplyDeleteGodzilla is back much sooner then expected. Since you know Toho will bring Godzilla back in 2014 for his birthday.
Good time it is to be a Godzilla fan.
As long as they keep the original design i personally cant wait.
Im very excited an have high hope's legendary pictures will do the monster justice.
FANTASTIC! Notice that Yoshimitsu Banno is credited as a producer on the project. Does this mean that his long-planned IMAX, 3D remake of GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER has found new life at Legendary?
ReplyDeleteMore likely that the Godzilla 3D is officially dead.
ReplyDeleteThen again, they could try to incorporate that idea into "Godzilla 2012".
I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this one will be done in 3D.
....a 3D Godzilla film....hmmm....that could be freakin awesome!
Oh, and in case anyone is wondering? I can clear my calander to be a producer on the film as well.
Hey, I am willing to star in it too....work on the sets....bring the director coffee.
Who am I trying to kid? I would clean the toilets to be part of this movie.
I didn't mean I thought Banno's 3D short was what Legendary was producing. I meant, is it possible that Banno took his ideas to Legendary and set the ball rolling for a new feature film? More importantly, since Banno is listed as a producer, is it possible that the plot will have an environmental angle, and even a pollution-spawned antagonist?
ReplyDeleteOh, no, I got that.
ReplyDeleteI think that since Banno is involved that the Godzilla 3D film, tat was going to be made before is dead.
But, since Banno is involved, they may take his idea to the next level as the backbone for this new movie.
I just threw out the 3D idea, because just about ALL fantasy films these days are being done in 3D.
I think that the original "Godzilla 94" idea would work well for "Godzilla 2012".
Of course, if it were my movie, I would go with my idea of producing a retro Godzilla movie, set in the 60s.
I think that it would be fun!
You know if this works out well, it could spawn sequels....wouldn't that be a trip to have a Godzilla movie franchise running here in the States....and possibly in Japan as well.
Oh, and before I forget. I think Legendary/Warners should bring in a few Godzilla fans as consultants...so that they don't do a repeat of "Godzilla 98".
Any thoughts?
My feeling is that the folks at Legendary already know what a terrible mistake they'd be making by giving us a "Godzilla" that isn't really Godzilla. The comments and press release certainly indicate that they intend to be true to the spirit of the Toho character.
ReplyDeleteThe lessons from '98 are all there for their consideration. That movie failed to meet its lofty box office expectations in the US and abroad, was roundly panned by critics and fans alike, failed to create a franchise the studio was banking its future on, cost merchandising tie-in partners millions in unwanted toys and memorabilia, cost one TV network an arm and a leg for broadcast rights to a movie no one wanted to watch, cost a lot of execs at Sony their jobs, and became a punchline for jokes about Hollywood avarice and stupidity.
Worse, the film was a big black eye for Toho. They rubber-stamped every dumb decision Devlin & Emmerich made, presumably believing that these two hit-makers couldn't miss. The debacle was so bad that they were still poking fun at it in their own G films as late as FINAL WARS.
Even if Legendary inexplicably chooses to ignore the past, it's pretty unlikely Toho will. I'd guess this time around, they'll have even more control over what finally reaches the screen, and they won't accept anything less than an authentic Godzilla.
So I'm not worried about that aspect of it, Indeed, my biggest fear now is that something will happen between now and 2012 that prompts the execs at Legendary to shelve the project.