Japanese director Takashi Yamazaki has confirmed that he’s at work on the screenplay for a new Godzilla film, though it’s still unclear whether it will be a sequel to his acclaimed Godzilla Minus One, which captured an Oscar for Best Visual Effects in 2024. Yamazaki’s new film will likely be released in 2028.

Set in post-WW2 Japan, Godzilla Minus One portrayed the story of a kamikaze pilot who was stricken with post-traumatic stress disorder after challenging the monstrous creature. Starring in the film were Yunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki. It earned more than US$110 million at the global box office, ten times larger than its production costs of just $15 million.

Yamazaki recently confirmed his involvement in the project upon receiving the Visionary Award from the Visual Effects Society. Discussing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the art of filmmaking, he was quoted as saying: “It’s a very capable assistant or tool, as it stands right now, but it is not at the point where it can kind of take center stage and generate what humans can.”

He added, “Right now, it’s not in any of our pipelines because of that reason, but the speed at which AI evolves is just so immense that where it goes from here remains to be seen. Until recently, I’ve been still shooting on film and I like to use miniatures. So I know that someday we’re going to have to embrace and kind of work with AI, but I’m probably going to be one of the later ones because I do like working with older technology and techniques.”

Godzilla has been thrilling audiences for some seventy years since its original debut in 1954. In a related development, the Monsterverse will soon be releasing its Godzilla’s Kong sequel directed by Grant Sputore of I Am Mother fame. In addition, Apple TV+ is working on the second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

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