Godzilla sequel breaks attendance records at Tokyo Film Festival

Two sold-out screenings of Godzilla Minus Zero became the liveliest events of the Tokyo International Film Festival this year. The shows took place on Sunday and drew the largest audiences at the festival to date.

The film is programmed as the centerpiece of the event. It will open in Japanese theaters on Nov. 3. Fans attended the screenings in costume, and some carried personal Godzilla figurines into the theater.

The screenings were held at Hulic Hall Tokyo. When the credits rolled on the second show, the audience gave a rapturous applause. Festivalgoers, who are typically reserved, exited the theater into the Ginza district with smiles and excited conversation about the monster sequences.

Director Takashi Yamazaki wrote, directed, and supervised the visual effects for the sequel. He performed the same roles for the 2023 predecessor, Godzilla Minus One. That earlier film became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film in North American history, earning $57.1 million. It also won the Academy Award for best visual effects, the first time a film in the Godzilla franchise received that honor.

The new film is set in 1949, two years after the events of the first movie. Japan is rebuilding from war and the previous monster attack. The story follows the Shikishima family, whose peace is threatened by a new disaster. The film also introduces King Ghidorah, the three-headed rival monster, into the postwar setting.

Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe head the cast. They took the stage before the screenings to address the fans. Kamiki said he felt excited and a little bit scared because he could feel the anticipation building as the opening date approaches. Hamabe noted that the first film was beloved by fans worldwide. She said the team needed the sequel to be bigger and better. She added that she is curious to see how people will receive the new story.

The leads were joined on stage by child actress Sae Nagatani. She plays Akiko, the adopted daughter of the Shikishima characters. Kamiki stated that the family dynamic is not complete without Akiko. He explained that the family tries to think of each other first, but the appearance of Godzilla forces them to make hard decisions to protect their loved ones.

Hamabe told the crowd she was happy to meet them. She expressed hope that they would enjoy the story of the Shikishima family and the Godzilla experience. The film premiered in September at the New York Film Festival. David Rooney, chief critic for The Hollywood Reporter, described the movie as a radioactive blast and a crackling kaiju epic as exciting as its predecessor.

The movie currently holds a 92 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 52 reviews. GKIDS will release Godzilla Minus Zero in North American cinemas on Nov. 6. Imax early-access screenings are scheduled for Nov. 3.