Official Godzilla 2016 discussion thread!

I meant to add this as well. If we are getting a VS. film, i sincerly hope that the monster fights are equalled to mothra vs godzilla 1964. Emotional, touching, devestating, and beautiful.

Composer is an intersting question. Once again I feel as though they'll go with someone new for the series.

If Takashi Yamazaki is chosen as the director I expect Naoki Sato to be the composer since that's his go-to guy.

I'd love to hear Kenji Kawai's take on Godzilla. His Ultraman scores have been fantastic and I fell in love with his work in Mobile Suit Gundam 00. Seems like a long shot though.

As much as I love Otani and Oshima, and wouldn't mind them coming back, I think the prospect of new talent is more exciting.

^As long as they do it right correct?

New talent is execptional though.

^Correct. I would hope they would place new talent that fits with the Godzilla series well.

Ok, so how would you all feel if godzilla looked like this in the new upcoming film?

I like it.

A little too saggy in the front for my taste and I'd like bigger arms, but not bad. I could get behind it overall.

That'd be a cool look!  I bet the new Godzilla will be one gnarly SOB, for some reason! ;)

Another conceptual Godzilla I'd like to see be realized one day as a suit is Yuji Sakai's Godzilla 2000:

This design was recreated for the S.H.MonsterArts figure of the character:

Its a wicked design that would make a killer suit!  I don't know if it will fit with this film's tone, but we don't know that tone yet. :) He certainly looks cool!

^You make a good point about "fitting with the movie's tone". Something that's rarely brought up his how various designs of Godzilla fit with the film's atmosphere. For example the massively hated musuko-goji suit is pretty ugly, but it fits with the parental, friendlier look that Godzilla had going on in that movie.

I think the Gamera suits in the Gamera trilogy make an even better case for the matching suit-to-atmosphere argument.

Agreed about the suit matching the feeling and atmosphere of the film in question.

I would love to see something close too, or based on, Yuji Sakai's maquette for Godzilla 2000 Millennium. Especially since this model was the first look we were given regarding that film. The actual suit, of course, turned out to be different, but great just the same. But Sakai's maquette actualized as the titular kaiju would be great, as a suit and enhanced through the judicious use of some CGI.

If the Godzilla design is something similar to the Sakai maquette, and the suit is reflective of the film's feel, then Toho Godzilla 2016 should have elements of horror and scenes that are shocking. The first look at the maquette was around tax day in 1999, as I remember Aaron Smith remarking about it. Then, about two months later, at the live talk show at Shinjuku Loft Plus-One, producer Shogo Tomiyama said that they wanted Godzilla to have "an element of weirdness." Well, at the time, that fit the Yuji Sakai maquette perfectly. I have often wondered how a 'weird' Godzilla would be realized and what would it mean in terms of its character and his relationship to Japan. If you think about it, 'weirdness' goes along with being exposed to nuclear weapons testing. I would like to see the next film address the effect of The Bomb on Godzilla in ways beyond his size and powers. I would think that it would make him intelligent and purposeful. So the reason for his reappearence should be addressed with skill and forethought.

@Gman2887:

I hadn't really thought about it, but there is a symmetry between the designs and the feel and atmosphere of the films of the Heisei Gamera Trilogy. The Gamera suits seemed to become progessively edgier, angular and threatening with each film.

This has to be one of the reasons why these films are so great.

As far as Toho Godzilla 2016 is concerned, the filmmakers and production staff could do a whole lot worse than the Heisei Gamera films if they're looking for inspiration or some sort of template to work off of. Especially, if they have a series in mind.

I'm not saying that Toho has to start out like G:GOTU, and then, progress toward something that would look or feel like G3. Especially, with regard to the ratio of human narrative to kaiju/SPFX scenes. But, personally, I would be more than happy if the next series of Godzilla films bares some resemblance to the Heisei Gamera trilogy in terms of production values, writing, visual effects and characters we actually care about.

I think it's time to watch the Heisei Gamera films again.

I heard one of Ko Otani's themes from Gamera: Giant Monster Mid-Air Battle on a video I was watching about things to do in Japan. It's from the scene where Gamera takes off after saving Yonemori and Nagamine on the pedestrian bridge.

What a great film! What a beautiful series!

It will be interesting to see what strives have been made in kaiju SPFX in the last ten years. I'm very interested in seeing Attack On Titan. Will there be improvement even over Gamera 3? I reread the announcement statements by the Toho officials regarding the new Godzilla film, and I feel they spring from a sense of pride in the studio's hsitory and legacy, while looking toward the future with hope. 

Yo, Gman2887. That is a really great point about the gamera trilogy. Each of the suits fitted each movie, especially the suit used for G3.

Yes; especially the Gamera 3 suit. This is one of my favorite kaiju designs of all time. And it fits Revenge of Irys perfectly. After the Friday night disaster in Shibuya, one didn't know what to expect from Gamera. And with that large, oversized shell, it looks like he's wearing some sort of cape. Gamera 3 comes at the end of things: time, Gamera's connecton with humanity and maybe the existence of Japan as we know it. The G3 design conveys this. Mito Asakura and Shin'ya Kurata are talking about destruction, "when heaven and earth collide." For the latter, the Gyaos are a kind of reset button, needed to wipe out mankind. On the other side of this equation is Gamera, the warrior whose intent is no longer known. G3 is beautifully dark and complex.

I wonder what Toho has in mind?

As long as Godzilla doesn't mind attacking the military, wrecking a lot of buildings, or even affraid to blow things up, i will be happy.

Toho's plans......Godzilla: The destroyer of all. Of course that is just me talking. Who knows what Toho has instored.

My fear is that they won't veer too far from the characterization of the Legendary movie because that worked well in their eyes. Personally I think they would be best off separating their next movie from the 2014 film as much as possible for the sake of variety.

I really hope toho makes a completely different movie in every asect. I'd rather not get toho's movie in 2016 only to find it to be basically Godzill 2014 Toho edition

^Ditto.

I agree with what both Gman2887 and Durpoo4 have said.

I would like to see a film that is not only distinctly Japanese, but also distinctly Toho. I don't want to see a Toho 'version' of the Legendary film. Gareth Edward's film, with all of its merits, has made me even more appreciative of the Toho Godzilla series in all of its tokusatsu beauty. There is a charm and warmth in the Godzilla series which must be intrinsically Japanese. This is not something that can be manufactured or fabricated. It's this 'Japaneseness' that makes Godzilla the unique and distinct character that he is. Otherwise, he would be just another 'monster on the loose.'

An attempt to produce a CGI imitation of the Legendary film, or mimic it in any way, would be, in my opinion, a mistake.

The real question is Godzilla's design, Every series so far has had it's own distinct design, however we've never had two Godzilla series going simultaneously. Will toho take cues from legendary's design to make their own, or will they go out of their way to separate their Godzilla's design from Legendary's. 

^Hopefully, they will go their own path and keep things seperate. If not there will be alot of confusion going on. For Toho's sake, they really need to seperate it and keep it close to their original series like the Showa.

@Gman2887,

That is my fear as well.

Although this is not officially made by Toho.

Let's still hope for the best with this movie.

Jamaal,

I missed it somehow, but I would love to hear the original 1954 Godzilla roar again.

BigBadBen:

I have always felt that the roar form the 1954 Original Classic was, and is, the best, the most frightening and the most intimidating. Especially the one I call the Back Roar. It's the second roar as the opening credits rolls. After this one, I love the roar from Godzilla Returns (1984).

Dear Toho:

Please use the roar from the classic, iconic film that launched not only a series, but an entire genre.

As far as designs go, I would like to see Godzilla not resemble the Legendary design. I like the Legendary-Goji (or whatever we're calling it). But I would like to see a classic design or something from the early (very early) Heisei period. The Mosu-Goji, the Gyakushu-Goji, the Shodai-Goji are all beautiful designs, IMO. A look similar to the design posted by BigBadBen would be excellent. Especially if it fits the feel and atmosphere of the film. And I hope the film is dark, serious and terrifying. No kiddie stuff. And no psychics, time travel or cyborgs. I still feel that the film's appeal could be broadened if certain societal and regional fears are excised through the movie's For example, there is a growing, rightwing, nationalist movement in Japan whose leaders want the country to re-arm and develope a first strike capability. This isn't going away anytime soon. To what extent this could be woven into a kaiju eiga, I don't know. But, to say the least, these are interesting times with peril just over the horizons.

Or this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RVg1DjmO4o

What I like about the aboveposted design, among other things, is that it's powerful, with well-developed musculature. Also, the head is prominent, ala GMK-Goji, and not too small. This, to my thinking, goes along with Godzilla being a sentient being who acts in a purposeful way. He's not just an animal acting on instinct. This Godzilla would have a well-developed personality, which wolud allow him to be the anti-hero, or specter of death and destruction. This Godzilla could be really, really scary, even vicious.

I hope Toho isn't going for Godzilla-As-Japan's-Pet-Kaiju in terms of the story or kaiju characterization. Say that fast three times.

I like the sound effects and the roar, too. The dorsals are prominent, but traditional at the same time without being too spikey. Not that I don't like spikey and jagged. I'm a fan of the Mire-Goji. But I like this design a lot.

But, is it practical in terms of being brought to the screen mostly through suitmation? Especially given the proportions of the lower body. If this is possible, I would love to see Godzilla look a lot like this. 

yay 100 comments! This thread is getting alot of attention im proud.

^Wish i could say the same with my first graphic novel.

@Jamaal,

We also need to talk about the atomic breath. Hopefully Toho will make it destructive like the heisei era. Even like that of the heisei gamera trilogy. Destructive, devestating, and really scary.

I am seriously hoping for another dark and gritty godzilla film that can relate to the 54 film or even that of the 84 film.

Regarding the 54 roar, as Raymond Burr put it "More frightening than i ever thought possible." Plus Toho used the same roar in the following sequel Godzilla raids Again in 1955. Which i am working on the graphic novel of this film. Check your scified inbox when you get the time Jamaal. :)

http://www.cosmicbooknews.com/content/hedorah-confirmed-godzilla-2014-movie-smog-monster-sequel Please tell me that you all don't think this is the new godzilla movie coming out in 2016.