In the wake of 2016’s Shin Godzilla, the Kaiju genre has experienced a reawakening in Japan, with several independent productions popping up in the last few years. Last year, director Daisuke Sato teamed up with legendary monster suit maker Keizo Murase to crowdfund the short Kaiju film Howl from Beyond the Fog, which was successfully funded via Kickstarter.
Now, a new Kaiju film is seeking help from the fans to bring it to life!
Daibutsu Kaikoku (The Great Buddha Arrival) will tell the tale of a giant stone Buddha whom comes to life and begins to march through Tokyo, destroying the city along the way. This Daimajin-esque idea is not a new concept; the film is actually a remake of a now lost film by the same name, which debuted in Japan in 1934. It is a rare example of a pre-Godzilla (1954) Japanese giant monster movie, and like other early Kaiju epics (such as the two King Kong films produced around the same time), were lost during WWII.
Now, the grandson of the original film’s creator Yoshiro Edamasa (an early compatriot of Eiji Tsuburaya) has assembled a team to remake the film for a late 2018 release! The Buddha’s design this time around is the brainchild of renowned artist Keisuke Yoneyama, whose work has been championed by The Shape of Water director and recent Academy Award winning Best Director Guillermo del Toro. The cast will include Godzilla: Final Wars veterans Yoshihiko Otsuki and Junichiro Nirasawa.
As of this writing, the film only has 7 days to reach its mere $2,805 goal. The backing tiers on Kickstarter are VERY cheap: only 5 dollars will get your name in the credits of a Kaiju film! $20 will do the same, PLUS downloadable copies of the finished film, the theme song, and concept art!
Check out the Kickstarter, and a lot of amazing concept art, here!
Will you be backing this project? Does the thought of helping re-create a lost Kaiju film from before the days of Godzilla – and getting your name in its credits – excite you? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to spread the word so this campaign is a success!
Source: Dread Central
