Shin Godzilla

"Japan vs. Godzilla. (ニッポン対ゴジラ. )"

- Tagline

Godzilla: Resurgence シン・ゴジラ (Shin Gojira) is an upcoming 2016 Japanese produced by Toho Company Ltd., and the 29th installment in the Godzilla series. It will be released to Japanese theaters on July 29, 2016.

Development
The film was revealed through Godzilla.jp. The movie was set to be in production from summer to autumn 2015. In addition, Toho inaugurated "Godzi-Con" to discuss and determine strategies for future Godzilla films, including this one. On March 31, 2015, it was officially confirmed that Hideaki Anno, known for his work on the popular anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, would be writing the screenplay for the film and serve as executive director, and that Shinji Higuchi, who provided the special effects for the Heisei Gamera trilogy, the upcoming Attack on Titan live-action films, and a scene in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, would be the film's director as well as the director of special effects. It was also said that the version of Godzilla in this film would exceed the size of Legendary's Godzilla, making it officially the largest Godzilla ever on film. On July 31, 2015, Bandai Creation confirmed that it would be producing and releasing figures for the film in the United States in 2016.

In an interview with the Associated Press conducted on July 31, 2015, Shinji Higuchi revealed that Hideaki Anno had recently completed the film's script, and that filming would begin in September. Higuchi stated that he was under strict orders not to reveal any specific details about the film, but he did state that Godzilla would be portrayed in the film using a combination of computer graphics and traditional tokusatsu techniques, a style that Higuchi called "hybrid," which he also utilized to portray the Titans in the recent live-action Attack on Titan film. Higuchi stressed that he wanted to create the most terrifying depiction of Godzilla possible with the resources available to modern Japanese cinema, to reflect the world's recent "loss of innocence" from modern real-life tragedies like the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the tsunami and nuclear disaster in northeastern Japan, which Higuchi called "the real monsters of the world."

In the 2015 Tsuruoka Kamakura Hachiman Paper Lantern Festival, a Godzilla paper lantern signed by Hideaki Anno could be found. It read "・ゴジラ・再上陸 Godzilla Relanding!"

Filming began on September 6, 2015 at the Kamata Railway Station, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

On April Fool's Day in Japan (March 31 in the United States), Toho announced a fake Godzilla vs. Evangelion film, even releasing artwork showing Godzilla with Evangelion Unit-01. This April Fool's joke was likely done as a nod to Hideaki Anno's work on both franchises. Toho later revealed the announcement was a prank, but also announced an official collaboration between themselves and Gainax involving Evangelion Unit-01 being featured on exclusive tickets for Godzilla: Resurgence.

On April 13, Toho released an official trailer for the film, showing several of the characters from the film along with Godzilla's full design in action, rendered through CGI. A shorter 32-second version of the trailer was released as well. Toho also updated the film's official website with cast and staff information of the film, as well as a new screenshot of Godzilla in the website's background. Composer Shiro Sagisu's website announced that the soundtrack for Godzilla: Resurgence would go on sale on the film's release date of July 29, and would be sold by King Records.

On May 25, it was announced that the company Intercontinental Film Distributors (H.K.) Ltd., who has distributed various Hollywood films in Hong Kong in theaters and on home video, would be giving Godzilla: Resurgence a theatrical release in Hong Kong starting on August 25. It had recently been confirmed that the film would also be released theatrically in Taiwan starting on August 19. On June 1, the Thai film production and distribution company Sahamongkol Film International Co. Ltd. announced via Twitter that it would be distributing Godzilla: Resurgence theatrically in Thailand starting on July 28, one day ahead of the film's Japanese release.

Shinji Higuchi was present at Tokyo Toy Show on June 9, where he took the stage at Bandai and Tamashii Nations' Godzilla presentation. Accompanied by MireGoji, Higuchi showcased the upcoming S.H. MonsterArts Light Sound Songs Godzilla 1989 figure, and also unveiled the new S.H. MonsterArts Godzilla 2016 figure. While at the presentation, Higuchi confirmed that Godzilla: Resurgence was currently in post-production and not yet fully completed, as he and everyone else working on the film were continuing to work until the very end to make something great.

Plot
Godzilla: Resurgence takes place in modern-day Japan, which has suffered an attack by Godzilla. The United States soon gets involved in the chaos to help Japan secure its existence.

Alternate Titles

 * New Godzilla (Literal Japanese Title)
 * Real Godzilla (Alternate Translation)
 * True Godzilla (真·哥斯拉, Hong Kong)
 * Authentic Godzilla (正宗哥吉拉, Taiwan)

Theatrical Releases

 * Japan - July 29, 2016
 * Thailand - July 28, 2016
 * Taiwan - August 19, 2016
 * Hong Kong - August 25, 2016

Trivia

 * This is the first -produced Godzilla film since Terror of MechaGodzilla to be released in a month other than December.
 * The almost 12-year gap between Godzilla: Final Wars and this film is the longest-ever period of time between the release of two Toho Godzilla films, passing the previous record set by the hiatus between Terror of MechaGodzilla and The Return of Godzilla by nearly three years.
 * This film's trailer features the classic "TohoScope" logo in the opening, which was featured in all of Toho's widescreen films from 1957 to 1964, as well as in Godzilla: Final Wars.
 * This film's supporting cast includes actors Akira Emoto, who played Akira Yuki in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, and Jun Kunimura, who played EDF Major Komuro in Godzilla: Final Wars and Kubal in Toho's Attack on Titan films, which Shinji Higuchi also directed.
 * Godzilla: Resurgence is the first Toho Godzilla film to not feature actor Koichi Ueda in some role since The Return of Godzilla.