It's been nearly a decade since Godzilla last roared on the big screen in 2004's Godzilla: Final Wars. But the big green lizard is poised for a big comeback in next year's blockbuster reboot — simply titled Godzilla — which aims to reintroduce the character to a new generation of filmgoers. Will audiences bite?
The first trailer for Godzilla offers a decidedly serious take on the creature, with an emphasis on the massive destruction it has caused, and the human response to it. It's not until the last moments that we even get a good glimpse of the creature himself, when he rears his head back and lets out his iconic roar.
This big-screen Godzilla reboot comes 16 years after 1998's dismally received American blockbuster Godzilla, which ended with a teaser for a sequel that was never produced. (In a later interview with Entertainment Weekly, Dean Devlin, who co-wrote and produced 1998's Godzilla, admitted that he "screwed up" his blockbuster take on the character.)
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But there are hopeful signs that the team behind the new Godzilla is doing everything they can to ensure they get Godzilla right. The cast for 2014's Godzilla includes strong performers like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, and Bryan Cranston, fresh off his highly-acclaimed run on AMC's Breaking Bad. A viral marketing campaign and a strong showing at Comic-Con has earned support from hardcore G-Fans. And director Gareth Edwards has given numerous interviews in which he's explained how he'll honor the franchise's 60-year history.
Do audiences still have room in their hearts for the big green lizard — and can an American studio finally due justice to a character originally conceived in Japan? We'll find out when the new Godzilla hits theaters on May 16, 2014.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
-
10 things you need to know today: September 30, 2023Daily Briefing Government shutdown looms after failed House vote, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein dies at 90, and more
-
All about Zealandia, the Earth’s potential 8th continent
The Explainer The secret continent went undiscovered for over 300 years
-
A reckoning over looted art
The Explainer Thousands of artifacts in U.S. and European collections were stolen from their countries of origin. Should they be sent back?
