First Godzilla Minus Zero Trailer Brings The Iconic Kaiju To New York

"Godzilla Minus One" was the atomic breath of fresh air the kaiju franchise needed when it dropped in 2023. It was a global phenomenon, garnering critical acclaim and becoming the first "Godzilla" movie to win an Oscar in the franchise's 70-year history. A sequel was all but a certainty, and the first trailer for the follow-up — "Godzilla Minus Zero" — debuted at CinemaCon and is now online for all to see. 

The sequel picks up two years after the events of "Godzilla Minus One." Takashi Yamazaki returns to write and direct, and there will be two returning cast members — Ryunosuke Kamiki as Kōichi and Minami Hamabe as Noriko. Of course, the true star is Godzilla, and the monster king is back in full force.

There's an amazing shot of Godzilla leaping out of the sea to attack a plane. Hopefully, not one being piloted by Kōichi, who we see take to the skies once more. It concludes on an instantly iconic image of Godzilla walking past the Statue of Liberty. That's right; the King of Monsters has moved beyond Japan and looks to strike New York City. But rest assured, "Godzilla Minus Zero" will probably be a lot better than 1998's New York-centric "Godzilla." 

The ending of "Godzilla Minus One" may have laid the groundwork for the beast to return, but bringing him back was no small feat. Takashi Yamazaki took the stage at CinemaCon to offer a look into the making of "Godzilla Minus Zero" and talk about following up such a beloved film. Despite the centerpiece of the trailer being the Statue of Liberty shot, plenty of action will still take place around Japan. In addition, Yamazaki used IMAX cameras, making "Minus Zero" the first Japanese production to utilize this technology.

The director spoke about the themes of "Godzilla Minus Zero" (via The Hollywood Reporter), "In this new film, an even deeper despair will descend upon Japan and the Shikishima family. When faced [with] overwhelming and inescapable force, how do people fight back? The journey from 'Minus' to 'Zero' will not be an easy one." 

"Godzilla Minus One" made $113 million worldwide against a budget of only $15 million. Yamazaki has previously mentioned the budget will be higher for "Godzilla Minus Zero," and it looks like that extra money will be put to good use. The international appeal of Godzilla coming stateside may be the trick to get more American audiences to purchase IMAX tickets.

"Godzilla Minus Zero" debuts in Japan on November 3 and then in North America a few days later on November 6.