This summer monsters will be rising from the sea and wreaking havoc on cities located on the Pacific Ocean… but don't use the "G" word to describe them. Yes, "Godzila"-- our own American bastardization of the Japanese "Gojira"-- has come to be kind of a generic term for big city-destroying monsters, the way kleenex and band-aid have grown separate from their original brands. In this summer's Pacific Rim Guillermo del Toro is bringing his own imaginative take to the destructive monster genre, but don't forget about good old Godzilla. He's preparing his comeback… and he might be lurking behind that radioactive containment door.
The above photo, posted to Facebook by Legendary Pictures, comes from the set of Godzilla, the remake currently underway with Monsters's Gareth Edwards at the helm. Unlike when they made the 1954 Japanese original, Godzilla won't be a guy in a rubber suit this time, but a largely CGI monster, which means we know almost nothing about the titular baddie. In the original story he's a monster born from radioactive energy-- a sensitive topic in post-Hiroshima Japan-- and this image certainly suggests he has the same origins this time around. After all, nuclear contamination is hot topic in Japan all over again, and sadly, the notion of a radioactive monster is just as potent now as it was 60 years ago.
Without knowing much about the monster so far we've largely been left to focus on the human component, which is pretty damn impressive on its own. Aaron Taylor Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen are set for lead roles, while luminaries like Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe and Bryan Cranston will be backing them up. We know that Sally Hawkins will be playing a scientist, but that's pretty much it in terms of characters. Like I said, they're keeping things under wraps.
But given that Godzilla got a splashy announcement at Comic Con last year, complete with a teaser video, we can safely assume they'll be bringing something to show off at next month's Con as well. Godzilla-- whatever it winds up being about-- is set for release on May 16 next year. If we're lucky, there will be a teaser trailer in front of Pacific Rim next month-- what better tie-in marketing could you ask for?
