Glasgow-based distributor Anime Ltd has secured UK-Ireland distribution rights to Godzilla Minus One, the latest in Toho Studios’ iconic monster franchise.
Anime Ltd will open the film at 200-250 sites on December 15, including Imax and 4DX theatres. It marks the biggest ever theatrical live-action release for the distributor, which is known for releasing some of Japan’s biggest animated box office hits in the UK and Ireland such as One Piece Film: Red and more recently The First Slam Dunk.
Godzilla Minus One received its world premiere in Japan on October 18 and has been set as the closing title of the Tokyo International Film Festival on November 1, two days ahead of its local theatrical release on November 3. Toho International will release in the US and Canada from December 1. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the franchise.
Directed and written by Takashi Yamazaki, it marks the first Japanese-made Godzilla film since 2016. The story takes place in Japan shortly after the Second World War, when an appearance by Godzilla plunges the country into an even more negative state.
The cast includes Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki.
Director Yamazaki, who also oversaw the visual effects for the film, is known for CG animation Lupin III: The First and was invited by Toho to make a Godzilla film after the release of historical feature The Great War Of Archimedes in 2019.
Godzilla has featured in 33 Japanese films distributed by Toho and five US features. Toho’s previous film to feature the iconic character was Shin Godzilla, which grossed $78m worldwide.
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