What a fantastic year it has been so far for B-Movie and cult film fans like me. First, Syfy and their plans to “update” classic fairy tales, then the return of Roger Corman with SHARKTOPUS, Stephen Chow remaking Way of The Dragon… Wow.
But none of that even comes close to matching the kitschy coolness of the news coming out of Variety…
We all saw this was coming after CLOVERFIELD was released a couple of years ago.
As rumored last year, it would appear that Legendary Pictures is serious about bringing Godzilla back to Hollywood, according to this article in Variety. No director has been named yet, but we can expect an announcement on that soon.
Here is the press release from Legendary Pictures.
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 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.”
“Godzilla is a signature Japanese character which we have nurtured over the years. It is a great honor to reach an agreement with Legendary Pictures, the parent to many a blockbuster film, and we are delighted in rebooting the character together to realize its much anticipated return by fans from all over the world,” comments Hideyuki Takai, President of Toho Co., Ltd. “We are anxious to find out where Godzilla’s new stomping will take us.”
“Godzilla is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which Warner Bros. and our partners at Legendary are best known. We have enjoyed a great deal of success together to date and this newest opportunity represents yet another chance for us to collaborate on a property that is very clearly in their wheelhouse,” said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
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 Executive Produce.
Anyone else recognize the name of one of the Japanese producers? Yoshimitsu Banno. He was the writer/director of Godzilla vs. Hedorah (Aka, Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster) which is near the top of my list of all-time classic B-Movie bizarre greatness.
GvH was a unique entry in the Godzilla franchise; from the ecological message, to the Bond-like opening, to kids playing with Godzilla toys in a Godzilla movie (let that sink in for a second), to the Big Guy flying, to the sludge drenched kitten in the acid club, all the way to the “Come on, blow your mind!” scene where Godzilla crashes a rave on Mt. Fuji.
It is a delightful mess and I highly recommend it for those who like truly strange movies. It really is almost an art film… Almost.
I am thrilled that Banno will at least be involved in the new film. I don’t know exactly to what degree, but just the fact that his name is on there intrigues me.
By the way, after Godzilla Vs. Hedorah was released, legendary G-Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka supposedly told Banno that he had ruined the franchise forever and he would never work for Toho ever again. That’s how good it was.
It would now appear the ban has been lifted.
Here’s the intro to Godzilla vs. Hedorah which is as close Godzilla would ever get to having a Maurice Binder, Bond-like opening title sequence, complete with a singer (Keiko Mari) who bears a curious resemblance to Shirley Bassey. The song is the “Save The Earth” version, rerecorded in English for American audiences.
As I learn more about this project, I’ll pass it along.
In the meantime, what do you think of a new American Godzilla movie?
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