Award-winning animation company and film distributor GKIDS acquired the North American distribution rights to Shin Godzilla (also commonly known as Godzilla Resurgence) and plans to re-release the Japanese kaiju film in theaters this August.
According to the film distributor, Shin Godzilla will return to theaters on August 14th and will be shown in 4K resolution. Screenings will be in Japanese with English subtitles, including restored text cards. There are also plans for a home entertainment release later this year.
Produced by Toho Pictures and directed by Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, with a screenplay by Anno, Shin Godzilla served as a reboot of the franchise. The film distinguishes itself from others in the franchise by emphasizing the political drama rather than traditional monster battles. Its social and political commentary is at the forefront of the story as politicians must deal with the bureaucratic red tape when trying to face the giant monster. Even Godzilla is different from past iterations as grotesquely evolves with each attack throughout the film.
Something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. As the Prime Minister of Japan pleads with the public to remain calm, a horrific creature of tremendous size makes landfall in the city, leaving death and destruction in its wake. Then it evolves. The government assembles a motley task force to combat the monster when an envoy from the US Department of State delivers a folder of classified documents. On its cover is written: “GODZILLA.”
From visionary directors Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, Shin Godzilla offers a thrilling origin story to one of cinema’s greatest creations. Propelled by astounding visual effects and rapid fire dialogue, Shin Godzilla is equal parts pulse-pounding action film and venomous political satire, worthy of the franchise’s towering history.
Shin Godzilla was met with positive reception from critics and fans alike. It sits at a 86% on Rotten Tomatoes with a Critics Consensus that reads: "Godzilla Resurgence offers a refreshingly low-fi -- and altogether entertaining -- return to the monster's classic creature-feature roots."
The film was also a commercial success at the box office, earning a worldwide gross of $78 million. It performed especially strongly in Japan, where it earned approximately $6 million in its opening weekend. Shin Godzilla went on to become the highest-grossing live-action Japanese Godzilla movie, a title it held until it was surpassed by Godzilla Minus One in early 2024.
Shin Godzilla will return to theaters on in the United States on August 14th.