Today, in Completely Arbitrary and Unnecessary Reboots (an occurrence now so rampant I feel it deserves its own section of the entertainment Internet, much less this site), Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have announced their intentions to release a new Godzilla movie on May 16, 2014. This trundling behemoth is being wheeled out once again by its US licensees, and we’re going to have to contain our surprise as best we can when the beast levels a famous landmark. C’mon! We just rebuilt that!
The city-stomping reptilian menace was most recently seen in a US production in 1998’s confounding attempt (starring, among others, Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno playing the same character that Jean Reno always plays), and again in Godzilla 2001, which I have to admit with zero shame that I never got around to seeing. Not even on an airplane. He’s been spotted many times throughout the 2000s in Japanese multiplexes, so perhaps Warners felt it was time to get a piece of the action. Produced in partnership with Japanese company Toho, the makers are promising a “gritty, realistic” return to the monster’s roots, fitting since it’s being helmed by David Callaham, who worked on The Expendables, and David S. Goyer, writer on the Dark Knight trilogy. The film will be directed by Monsters helmer Gareth Edwards, and is yet to be cast.
The fan question here is not so much “Do we really need another one of these?” In giant monster movies, that’s not really a concern. Even so, Gojira-lovin’ folk might be wondering if, with 50 years of history behind the basic concept, another one on the pile will really merit their attendance.
I’ll start loading up the missile launcher now.
(via Deadline)
