Archive for March 29th, 2010

Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. are teaming up to produce another entry to the Godzilla library, and hope to release it sometime in 2012.

“Godzilla is one of the world’s most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise,” said Thomas Tull, chairman and CEO of Legendary. “Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop culturally relevant for as long as it has.”

… Added Jeff Robinov, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, “Godzilla is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which Warner Bros. and our partners at Legendary are best known.” – Hollywood Reporter

The films Robinov is referring to are such films as Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Superman Returns, and the soon to release Clash of the Titans.

Nothing is known about the possible plot at this point, as things have yet to reach any sort of pre-production. Dan Lin (Sherlock Holmes), Roy Lee (The Strangers, Quarantine), and Brian Rogers are producing.

Sources: Hollywood Reporter, ComingSoon.net

Quick Opinion: It will be curious to see whether Legendary and Warner Bros. will try to seriously revive the Godzilla brand in the United States (where its popularity has been demoted to cult status) like they did for Batman and tried to do for Superman, or if they will make it a self-aware romp that pokes fun at itself. The 1998 Godzilla directed by Roland Emerich made close to $400 million worldwide despite terrible reviews, so even if they model the next film after it perhaps they feel the monster is still popular enough to enjoy the same type of success. I have my doubts, though.