Godzilla Minus Zero Teases Stunning IMAX Footage — And King Ghidorah’s Return

We should have known that Godzilla Minus Zero — the long-awaited sequel to Godzilla Minus One — wouldn’t be satisfied with another back-to-basics reboot. Minus One did a whole lot with very little, scooping up critical acclaim, box office buzz, and an Oscar win with a $15 million budget and a dream. Its premise brought the kaiju franchise back to basics, too, retelling the events of the original Godzilla with fresh eyes and airtight visuals. We can expect more of the latter in Minus Zero, but the upcoming film will do so on a much bigger canvas.

Per Godzilla Minus Zero’s official tagline, “Going backwards is not an option,” and that goes for its scale as much as it does for its subject matter. With its November release date fast approaching, Toho has dropped a new teaser for the highly anticipated Godzilla sequel. For the first time, we’ve got our first look at the titular kaiju in a jaw-dropping IMAX aspect ratio — but Godzilla’s not the only monster returning to the big screen. Here’s everything we know about Godzilla Minus Zero, from its IMAX footage to the iconic villain joining the fray.

Godzilla Minus Zero was filmed for IMAX

While U.S.-based Godzilla movies have premiered in IMAX, Godzilla Minus Zero is the first Japanese production shot exclusively for IMAX screens. It’s a status Toho (and director Takashi Yamazaki) seems proud of, and rightly so. Half of Minus Zero’s latest trailer plays out in traditional widescreen before unfurling to the full height of the IMAX aspect ratio.

The hope is that, like Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey, Minus Zero retains those dimensions throughout the film. Our first look at Godzilla in 1.43:1 really is something to behold — even for those catching the trailer on a smaller screen. Minus Zero’s visual effects are just as seamless as its predecessors, and getting to see Godzilla’s return in all its glory makes this film feel all the more like November’s cinematic event. As if this IMAX reveal wasn’t thrilling enough, however, it’s not the only surprise in the new trailer.

Was that... Ghidora?!

Minus Zero picks up two years after a group of plucky citizens defeated Godzilla, but his return proves that his reign of terror is far from finished. That said, a few not-insignificant hurdles stand between Big G and reclaiming his title as King of the Monsters. One of them is referenced in the kind of tease reserved for diehard monster fans: late in the trailer, a high-pitched roar stops our heroes in their tracks. It’s not Godzilla’s usual battle cry; rather the sound heralding the return of his fiercest competition, King Ghidorah.

An extraterrestrial dragon monster with three heads and even more ruthless agression that Godzilla, Ghidorah has been a fixture in this universe since 1964. These kaiju first duked it out in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, and have butt heads over and over since. Their most recent clash went down in the MonsterVerse film Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019, but it’s never too soon to bring back Godzilla’s scariest rival.

Yamazaki — who once again spearheads VFX in Minus Zero — will bring a gritty dose of realism to Ghidorah’s origins. Though the new trailer only shows a snippet of the monster’s fight with Godzilla, it’s just enough to stoke even more anticipation for the film.

When does Godzilla Minus Zero come out?

The wait for Godzilla Minus Zero is nearly over. The film releases theatrically in Japan on November 3, and debuts in U.S. theaters that same week on November 6. That said, New York-based Godzilla fans can catch Minus Zero early when it premieres at the New York Film Festival on September 26. Tickets for NYFF go on sale on September 15, while tickets for November showings should be available for the rest of the U.S. very soon.