Official Godzilla 2016 discussion thread!

^I couldn't have said it better, BigBadBen.

A film with the elements mentioned in your last post would be, IMO, an excellent entry in the series.

As for screen time, I hope we see a good amount of Godzilla. He should be the star and dominate the film and story after the mandatory suspenseful build up.

Or, they could shock us and show him right out of the box. And I mean shocking, something overwhelming, and then...have him go away for a while. That kind of tease, I would like. 

@Gman2887: I hope what August is seeing and hearing is accurate in terms of the film's production values. Hopefully with new people involved, there will be a realization on the part of all involved just how important this film is: to the series, the genre, to tokusatsu in general.

If Toho Godzilla 2016 is a critical and box office success, we could be looking at the beginning of an age of great tokusatsu, kaiju film and television. Wouldn't it be great? When digital is the presumed last word in special effects filmmaking, we could see a great reemergence of, and greater appreciation for, this beautiful, finely-crafted and handed-down-with care artform in the land that gave birth to it.

Eiji Tsuburaya said, “Our technique was born from our poverty.” 

And what an amazing, beautiful child! 

Here's an interview with Ed Godziszewski:

http://www.cosmoetica.com/DSI32.htm

It's a great read.

Thanks for that link Jamaal. Since G14 didn't give us the man of the hour, hopefully we can see Akira Takarada reprise his role as Ogata to provide a link to the past for this new film.

^This is a brilliant idea, BigBadBen.

We were deprived of having Takarada-san in the Legendary film. What would be better than having him in Toho Godzilla 2016, and as Ogata! This would be beautiful and most fitting, as it would tie the film to the iconic, classic, genre-starting Gojira.

Dear Toho:

Please consider this heartfelt request as you move forward on this most important project.

I would actually prefer if this film didn't connect to the original. With a few the exception of possibly a few movies in millennium every movie has had at least one connection and that is to the original Godzilla. I would prefer if this had no connection and was truly a reboot. It would allow for an introduction to people dealing with a mysterious monster that people truly have no idea what it is or how to stop it. Something we haven't seen from toho since 1954.

^Perhaps, you mean an origin film?

I guess you could call it that

Because with the exception of the early footage in Godzilla X Megaguirus, the Millenium films have been connected to the Gojira only vaguely. There's some dialouge about the original Godzilla in GMK, and that reenactment of his death in Godzilla X Mechagodzilla. But the inclusion of Ogata, even if he's only retelling the events of Godzilla's first appearance, could be poignant. Because, he was actually there. With the exception of Admiral Tachibana recalling of his childhood encounter with Godzilla in GMK, the other scenes from the Millennium films were not the accounts of eye witnesses. Ogata, the officer with Southern Sea Shipping Company, is our window into the psyche of someone in Tokyo during the first attacks. And his perspective of those invents is unique, as he was with Serizawa when the Oxygen Destroyer was deployed to kill the terror that had destroyed Tokyo.

This way we could have something new, that's also connected to the past. As I've said in other posts, I feel a stunning, graphic presentation of the original ship disasters along with the ensuing panic and confusion, with updated SPFX, could help to set a tone of horror and suspense for the film's narrative. It should be moving and visually fantastic at the same time. Perhaps, one of the POV's could be that of a ship's crew as Godzilla rises out of the sea and then obliterates the vessal in a white flash. And to be honest, I love period pieces. I would love to see a glimpse of Tokyo, however brief, circa 1954.  

So my motives for a connection to the original story go beyond a cameo for a series and genre favorite.

But, I see your point.

@Durpoo4:

On the other hand, an origin film would be, IMO, a great idea.

Do you see it taking place in 1954, or in the present or near future?

I would still like to see Akira Takarada in the film, even if he's not reprising his character from Gojira.

The timeframe doesn't really matter as much as the mystery of the monster. In all the film Godzilla's a known entity so as soon as something goes wrong(shipwrecks, dead things washing up on shore, earthquakes, rising sea levels ect) it's immediately pinned on Godzilla or known to be some type of giant monster. There's no mystery or suspense people just assume Godzilla's there and things go from there. No matter how directly the connect to the original Godzilla exists in those worlds, people have seen him. I want a chance to relive the search, the questions, watching the characters question what's going on maybe even their beliefs. 

I think it stands to point out that even the 98 movie which is really bad started out pretty strong with people not knowing about Godzilla. The ships being pulled down and washing on shore the footprints everything that set up this mysterious giant monster that no one has any idea what they're even looking at was done well. Unfortunately then it took a dive once the characters became more involved, but it stands to point out how strong the opening was for an otherwise weak movie.

The Mystery of the Unknown Menace.

There's a lot to be said for this.

It might be more plausible, though, if this was the first Godzilla movie ever made. As a character, a cultural icon, a national symbol even, he's too well known. So, some reference point might be needed, because it's already there.

I mean it's not uncommon for characters that have been done before to get origin stories whenever their movies get rebooted. Pretty much every superhero movie has shown no matter how big a character is they can still be brought back to the beginning. A point that they aren't as known to their fictional worlds and gives them a chance to recreate the world they exist in changing it to better fit the story. While the first Godzilla is definitely a landmark film, it has 28 films that follow after it and basically create a world in any possible direction it could go from there. The next one has the chance to start anew, truly anew and create a new Godzilla, and a new world to follow that doesn't have any connections or ties to any other movie, rebuild the awe not knowing monsters exist in the movies.

This is just preference but I'd very much like the new film not to go back to the original, or any toho movie.

@Jamaal,

I sent you a PM on scified, so when you get the time of day, will you please check it? :)

Now, here are some things we are over looking for this new film.

1. Who is going to assist the special effects?

2. Who is going to be the screen writer?

3. Who are the actors going to be?

Do you guys have any speculations or even some wild guesses on these questions?

Dupoo4:

There is a lot of merit in what you've said. Perhaps, it would be better to 'clean the slate' and start anew. I too, feel that something fresh is needed, along with the selecting of new (to the series) talent and the overall approach. I hope this is what Toho has in mind. What I stated were personal preferences, things I would like to see in a Godzilla film: the way he is portrayed, how he first appears, his mannerisms, etc. I'm fairly confident that we will see something quite different from the last series of films in terms of production quality, story development, and overall technical achievement. Not that the Millennium films were totally lacking in merit; quite the contrary, I enjoyed many aspects of every film made between 1999-2004. But it's time to take the series to another level in terms of filmmaking and entertainment value.

The kaiju, even though realized, to a great degree, through traditional tokasatsu techniques, have to be convincing. Otherwise, you will lose people who aren't hardcore fans. The story has to be integrated well into the live action/human story in a way that is seamless. It's really quite distracting, if not jarring, if one feels that one is looking at two different films that just happen to have the same title. Although the subject matter (giant monsters) is quite fantastic, things have to be logical and not inconsistent. I (obviously) can accept the idea of a 60-100 (or more) meter creature. But just make his appearence and motives well thought out and consistent with other elements of the film's narrative. And please, involve the human actors by placing them right in the middle of things, in harms way, and critical to the outcome. Empower them, and therefore, in the process, you empower us, the viewers. This, is lot more entertaining. Draw us into the story by making us stakeholders in the narrative by causing us to care for, and indentify with, the people at the heart of these incomprehensible and tremendous events.

In short, I want Toho Godzilla 2016 to be an event that we can experience and not just watch.

Sorry for the lengthy post.

But, I believe that what I mentioned in terms of the next Godzilla film, that all of these things are possible and within reach. I love to see a director see his vision realized in the form of a great film. I care for the characters in the Heisei Gamera films, and as a result, those movies are more like event experiences to me instead of just being movies that have certain time tested, but expected nonetheless, elements. I can truly say that I can watch Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, Gamera 2: Advent of Legion and Gamera 3: Revenge of Irys, and forget that I'm watching a movie.

I'd like to experience that again. It would be good to be overwhelmed.

@BigBadBen:

I couldn't speculate about SPFX and writing. Yet.

As for the actors, I've always wanted to see the two leads from Pyrokinesis, Akiko Yada (Junko Aoki) and Hideaki Ito (Tada Kazuki), in a Godzilla film. Their romance in that film was moving and fit the story like a glove. 

I wouldn't mind seeing Ryudo Uzaki return to the series. He easily gave the most mature performance of the entire Millennium series. Or Testsuya Bessho. We can say what we want about Godzilla vs. Mothra '92, but he was easily the best part of that movie. He gave a performance that the material didn't deserve. He was also stellar as Ultraman in Ultraman: The Next.

Otherwise I'd love to see Goro Kishitani in a Godzilla movie. And as completely and utterly unlikely as this is I'm going to be that guy to throw it out there anyway: Takeshi Kitano. It's a pipe dream, but since we're making a wishlist...

Takeshi Kitano, Goro Kishitani  and Ryudo Uzaki would be great! They would lend a weight to the film, especially if the story is dark. And Testsuya Bessho was one of the better parts of Godzilla vs. Mothra; him and that shot of the Mothra Larva with the sunset in the background. 

I think a lot of sunrise and sunset shots would be great not only visually, but could lend a documentary feel to the story by giving the audience units of time. In Gamera 2: Advent of Legion, the days were delineated, .."Day One, Day Two.." making it feel like we were watching it up close, as it was happening, actually happening. This sense of realism, of a news story unfolding in front of our eyes, is one of the reasons Gamera 2: Advent of Legion is one of my favorite kaiju films, one of the top three for me, actually.

If Toho Godzilla 2016 looks and feels like the second entry in the Heisei Gamera Trilogy, I would be very happy.

^That's what i love about the Gamera trilogy. Mankind created its own extinction and the monsters were our punishment. Yes, Gamera was still the hero but it wasn't the same kid friendly Gamera like the showa era.

This is why i am hoping for Godzilla in this new film to be that malevolent god like that of the 54 film. Or like he was in the Heisei era. A monster kind of defending his homeland from more monsterious threats.

Jamaal: You and I both want that dark, gritty, scary Godzilla film, but the question is will Toho make it happen again?

Just thought of something.

If they continue with the tokasatsu, who is a strong canidate for the suit?

Harou Nakajima, created his own walk system and made the presence of Godzilla come to life in the first film and through 1972 Godzilla vs Gigan, he had created an almost unmatchable system. I would also like to say that Ryu Hurricane did a spectacular job in the Heisei series. In Godzilla vs Destroyah, he made you feel sympathy for Godzilla as Godzilla was slowing dying.

The suit acting will be crucial. It's this that endows the tokusatsu techniques with the qualities that make them so unique and satisfying. This just cannot be replicated digitally. 

I don't know who the current suit actors are in Japan. I'm guessing Mizuho Yoshida (Godzilla: GMK; Legion: Gamera 2), might still be acting. But, I don't know. But GMK was 14 years ago! But I'm sure there are plenty of suit actors in Japan.

(The abovementioned statement is purely speculative on my part. We might want to ask someone like August Ragone about the state of suit acting in Japan and whose is currently being used.)

Yuuta Mochizuki, Hiroshi Maeda and Yasuhiro Takeuchi were scheduled to appear at a Power Rangers con (Power Morphicon) in Pasadena, California last year. I don't what came of it. But, they are suit actors/stuntmen. I am in no way familiar with their work. It would be interesting, maybe even fresh, to see new talent portraying Godzilla. I think we will. 

I would think that we'll be seeing the very best suit actor wise as Godzilla is the role a suit actor can aspire to. At least, that's what I would assume. 

My gut feeling is that Toho goes for a story that's dark enough to appeal to non-fans and adults while, at the same time, being watchable by children.

@BBB:

Hurricane Ryu did not play Godzilla in GvsD.  Ken Satsuma played Godzlla and that film and the rest of the Heisei series.  Ryu played Godzilla Junior in GvsD, and previously played King Ghidorah/Mecha-King Ghidorah, Godzillasaurus, Battra Larva, and Baby Godzilla.

BBB- Im not certain on the subject of 54 being a god. I mean, he was by no doubted mean's Malevolent. But he still was killed by a Human creation, and that kind of took away the godlike aspect of him.

If anything, 2000 was more Godlike because he after his epic battle destroyed the city and left in a sea of flame's unkilled.

I love 54 dearly with all my heart just so any one uncertain know's.

It is not unusual for animal-like "gods" to be killed by humans in Japanese mythology. In fact it's a common thing. If anything the '54 film is in line with that.

'Safe' is one word that should not describe the upcoming, soon-to-be-produced Toho Godzilla. I think it should have an edge to it, being dark, suspenseful and shocking at times. This is going to mean taking some chances, and I wonder how far Toho, a conservative company, is willing to go. Especially with Godzilla, "The Face of Toho."

The Godzilla design should be somewhat distinct from previous designs, while containing elements of the best designs (whatever this means). A new design that fits the 'feel' of the new film, and goes with the production's general look, should reflect the way Godzilla is going to be portrayed. A decision has to be made as to how the director and screenwriters want him to be. This, if it to be done effectively, will take a lot of time. I hope this is being addressed right now.

Me, I like dangerous and ruthless, a killer. Some want a hero they can cheer for. I respect this. I 'cheered' for Godzilla against Orga in Godzilla 2000 Millennium. But, these are different times, and a new (hopefully) set of films. I think a kaiju, that is truly a 'strange beast' that cannot be figured out, whose actions cannot be predicted, and is capable of inflicting great harm, is something audiences would like to be subjected to.

The film, in general, should be the same way. It should be scary, and, at times, wild. I would love to see long shots of sustained mayhem and things that defy description.

Toho Godzilla 2016 should be something people are scared to look at, but cannot but look at it at the same time.

In the lead up to the film, I feel it would be a mistake to parade a man around in an event Godzilla suit like he's some sort of mascot who's out to work the ropes and greet children.  

GG,

That's not a very good comparision. G54 leveled all of Tokyo before being killed. G2000 only wrecked a few buildings. So which really is more "God" like? Seems to me that you forget that if it wasn't for the first "GOJIRA" film, then really there would be no more Godzilla's to this day.

The thing that gets me though is that most of the original incarnations died.

1. Gojira 1954

2. Rodan(s) 1956

3. Varan 1958

4. Sanda and Gaira in war of the gargantuas 1966

The ones that were original that did not die were Mothra and Gamera.

@Jamaal,

I agree with your post above mine.

@Danzilla93,

My bad for the mix up. :P

@GG,

We already have had a conversation about our different opinions, and I'm not going to deny you or disrespect you. We all have our personal favorites. I'm going to stick with G54 for my personal favorite because the way the movie flows all together. The exorcism ceremony, very chilling. The fact that Ishoro Honda applied the elements of the atomic bomb to Godzilla, nerve racking. Eiji Tsuburaya's special effects helped give Godzilla his life. Harou Nakajima's suit acting made the creature surreal. And Akira Ifukube's score, very dramatic and very memorizing.

I'm not trying to start an argument or anything for the fact of the matter. All i want is for this new Toho Godzilla film is to put Godzilla back to where he first started.

Just found this for anyone who wants to read.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/toho-in-japan-working-on-their-own-new-godzilla-movie-for-2016/

Toho in Japan Working On Their Own New 'Godzilla' Movie for 2016

by Alex Billington
December 7, 2014
Source: Variety

Gojira!! He's back! Oh wait, we already knew that. After Legendary Pictures released their impressive new Godzilla movie this summer to much success (what did you think of it?), the original company that started it all – Toho Co., Ltd. from Tokyo, Japan – is getting ready to bring back the giant radioactive lizard in their own new movie. Variety/THR reports that Toho has announced their new Godzilla will begin shooting next summer, for release sometime in 2016, though details are limited so far. The last Godzilla movie that Toho made was Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004 for the monster's 50th anniversary, Toho's 29th Godzilla film.

While there is no director or cast attached yet, Toho plans to go all out bringing back Godzilla, however with a limited budget. The studio has launched the Godzilla Strategic Conference, or "Godzi-Con", a group of studio executives and directors whose focus is to reboot the Godzilla brand starting with this new movie. "The time has come for Japan to make a film that will not [be lost] to Hollywood," stated veteran producer Taichi Ueda, confirming that their own budget will be much less than the (reported) $200 million to make Gareth Edwards' Godzilla released earlier this year (also in partnership with Toho). Toho hopes to make Godzilla a character that "will represent Japan and be loved around the world" by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The famous, beloved monster Godzilla has appeared in 29 of Toho's films ever since his first appearance in Ishirô Honda's Gojira in 1954. Ryuhei Kitamura's Godzilla: Final Wars from 2004 fared poorly at box office and was generally considered their last Godzilla movie, but the sense is it's time to bring back the character in a big way. Another interesting quote: "This is very good timing after the success of the American version this year: if not now, then when? The licensing contract we have with Legendary places no restrictions on us making domestic versions," a Toho employee told THR. So, why not? At least it's Toho watching over this.

As for the rebooted Godzilla franchise here in the US, Gareth Edwards is attached to direct the sequel to his Hollywood Godzilla movie. And Legendary has already confirmed that we'll be seeing Rodan, Mothra and Ghidorah in that one. Godzilla, and all his enemies too, are reawakening from their slumber. Good news?