Where ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Fits Into the ‘Godzilla’ Franchise

Godzilla Minus One is a new Godzilla film that brings Godzilla back to post-World War II Japan. It follows a Japanese WWII veteran, played by Ryunosuke Kamiki, as he and the people of Japan grapple with recovering from the war and facing this new threat, Godzilla. However, the change in setting and timeline has left some fans wondering if the film is a sequel or a prequel to the original Godzilla films.

Sequel, prequel, requel, or reboot

Despite calling itself Godzilla Minus One, the film is not a sequel or a prequel. While it takes inspiration from many prior Godzilla films, including the original 1954 film and the 2016 reboot Shin Godzilla, it does not occur in a previously established timeline. This effectively makes it a reboot, a new story being told with the character of Godzilla, similar to the 2009 Star Trek.

It is also entirely disconnected from the Monsterverse films produced by Warner Bros., meaning this Godzilla won’t be facing off against King Kong or the other Kaiju any time soon.

That, of course, leaves potential room for sequels to this new timeline. Director Takashi Yamazaki has indicated the ending is intentionally open-ended, though not necessarily because he wants to make a sequel. “I think it’s more cinematic if it doesn’t end neatly,” he said in an interview with Aera. “It’s not about making a sequel, it’s about keeping the characters of the movie alive in the audience.”

Honestly, in an era of franchises, sequels, and “requels,” a standalone film in a pre-existing franchise is something to be appreciated.

(featured image: Toho International)