The sounds of kaiju footsteps are growing louder. After revealing the first teaser in November and setting up even more carnage with the sequel to Godzilla Minus One, Toho is kicking off the new year with a release date for the hotly anticipated follow-up. Godzilla Minus Zero is now officially set to stomp into theaters starting on November 6, 2026, distributed by GKids. With director Takashi Yamazaki back at the helm and once again writing and handling special effects, it’s expected to be another, more expansive and destructive spectacle showcasing the true horror of Japan’s iconic giant monster.
Plot details have remained under lock and key ever since Godzilla Minus Zero was announced, but it’s expected to be a proper sequel building on the first film’s more character-driven story. Minus One unfolded in post-World War II Japan, as the country had just begun recovering from the fighting. The story centered on Koichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a former Kamikaze pilot haunted by PTSD after encountering Godzilla during an attack on his garrison, who strives to atone for his inaction when the monster resurfaces. With his fragile life and newfound bond with Noriko (Minami Hamabe) and the child they rescued threatened by the arrival of the kaiju on the mainland, he resolves to face his demons to stop the titanic threat to his home. Although everything closes with the nuclear-empowered monster sinking into the sea, it’s far from down for the count, as the film’s final moments see it regenerating on its way down to the murky depths.
Both Kamiki and Hamabe will reprise their roles as Koichi and Noriko in the sequel to continue their emotional tale after reuniting in the hospital at the end of the original. Though Godzilla films haven’t typically received as much praise for the human characters, Minus One was an exception, earning high marks from critics for how it drew from the war and its haunting aftermath to deliver two of the long-running franchise’s most compelling protagonists. It was especially lauded, however, for making Godzilla scary again and delivering some majorly impressive effects on a relatively small budget of around $15 million at most. Godzilla became an Academy Award winner thanks to the work of Yamazaki and Shirogumi Inc., with Minus One getting the nod for Best VFX in 2024. Godzilla Minus Zero seems primed to deliver the same high level of quality with the same crew back in the fold.
What Else Does 2026 Hold for ‘Godzilla’?
While Minus Zero will get much of the attention thanks to the near-universal acclaim and $116 million box office of the first installment, there’s even more Godzilla-related content planned for 2026. The next television edition of the MonsterVerse will arrive on February 27 with the premiere of Season 2 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV. Where Season 1 centered on the King of the Monsters as its characters delved into the origins of the titular organization, the next installment will see Cate (Anna Sawai), Lee (Kurt Russell), and the gang arrive on Skull Island, where Godzilla’s rival-turned-ally King Kong resides. He’s not the only creature they’ll have to worry about, however, as other carnivorous creatures lurking just beneath the surface are lying in wait and will have a big role to play as the adventure continues.
Godzilla Minus Zero arrives in theaters on November 6, 2026. Stay tuned here at Collider for more as the kaiju sequel’s arrival nears.
Director
Takashi Yamazaki
Writers
Takashi Yamazaki
Cast
Ryunosuke Kamiki
Koichi Shikishima
Minami Hamabe
Noriko Oishi