The giant lizard Godzilla (maybe you’ve heard of him) has been around for 69 years. Nice. When the first movie came out in 1954, it was a clear allegory to Japan’s Postwar turmoil following the U.S. dropping atom bombs. Atomic energy created Godzilla, which led to more devastation. Over the years, Godzilla has gone from adversary to savior and back again. The last Japanese-made film was 2016’s Shin Godzilla which recontextualized the threat for a new generation. Now, Toho will take us all the way back to the beginning with Godzilla Minus One. Take a look at the terrifying new trailer for Godzilla Minus One below.

The synopsis for the movie shares, “Post-war Japan is at its lowest point when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster, baptized in the horrific power of the atomic bomb.” And we see that power crystallize in our latest Godzilla Minus One trailer, which puts the kaiju at center as it reigns down horror. At the very of the tease, we see the emergence of some kind of glowing appendages. And that can only mean bad news. This Godzilla is pure terror on land and sea and is not holding back as it seeks to cause destruction.

Setting this new movie in the aftermath of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki devastation is also an interesting and harrowing new wrinkle in the Godzilla mythos. We’re used to seeing him demolish buildings, but what if the buildings are already destroyed? I wonder if any of the politics of the U.S. occupation following Japan’s surrender will be there at all. It’s clear from the trailer and the title, that Godzilla is just another horror for the people of Japan to deal with, one of many.

In addition to the new trailer, there is also a sweet new poster for Godzilla Minus One.

Godzilla Minus One is written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, who also wrote and directed 2019’s excellent Lupin III: The First. Clearly he has no problem tackling some of Japan’s biggest pop culture icons. The movie will open in Japan on November 3 and in the United States on December 1, 2023.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

Featured Image: Toho

Originally published on July 11, 2023.

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Every major pop culture property has its own unofficial day. May the 4th is of course Star Wars Day. The Star Trek franchise gets two days, April 8 and September 8. And yes, even the King of the Monsters, Godzilla, has a day to himself, on November 3. As a way of celebrating the atomic lizard this year, Youtooz Collectibles is unleashing a whole new collection of Godzilla items and other notable kaiju, too. Of course, this includes his eternal enemies like Kong and Mechagodzilla. You can check out images of these new Youtooz Collectibles of Godzilla and friends below in our gallery.

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Among the items in this collection is a classic Godzilla plushie, featuring the giant Tokyo-wrecker in his original classic look. There’s also a Mothra plushie, a modern Godzilla plushie, a Kong plushie, and a Limited Edition Mechagodzilla plushie. Each of these is 9 inches tall. There’s a Godzilla and a King Ghidora that both stand 3.9 inches tall and a 3.6 inch Mothra as well.

Have you ever wanted to drink a beverage from the head of a mean, green lizard? There’s a Godzilla mug. Currently, the modern Godzilla and the Kong plushies are sold out, as are the Kong on Throne, the Heat Ray Godzilla, and the Godzilla vs. Kong figurines. But you never know when Youtooz is going to restock.

Due to licensing restrictions, the Godzilla collection only ships to addresses in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. With Monarch: Legacy of Monsters arriving soon, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire hitting theaters next year, now is the perfect time to stock up on cool collectibles featuring the characters from the Monsterverse. We all need a few more giant monsters in our lives.

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November 3 is a very special day in the annals of history. It’s my wedding anniversary. End of article. Oh, and November 3 is also Godzilla Day, the yearly celebration of Toho Studios’ infamous King of the Monsters. We are all very excited for the release of the next movie in the Japanese film series, Godzilla Minus One, and fans will be able to preorder tickets for it on Godzilla Day. The movie hits cinemas in North America on December 1. But don’t fret! Several other Godzilla offerings are available that weekend, including a one-night-only screening of the first film in the Millennium Era, Godzilla 2000.

Just so there’s no confusion, the Godzilla 2000 nationwide screening actually take place on Wednesday, November 1. It’s anticipatory for Godzilla Day.

After seven movies from 1984 to 1995, Toho relaunched the Godzilla continuity in 1999 with Godzilla 2000. It saw a theatrical release in North America in summer 2000 and was the last Japanese Godzilla movie to have such a release until Shin Godzilla in 2016. The movie depicts a world where Godzilla is a literal force of nature, like hurricanes or tornados, and a government agency tracks his movements. At the same time, an ancient, frozen flying saucer is discovered and suddenly springs to life. The aliens need genetic information only Godzilla possesses. What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object? Kaiju battles! We’re definitely looking forward to Godzilla 2000 returning to theaters for Godzilla Day 2023.

But that is not the only Godzilla goodness in store. Both the Pluto TV Godzilla channel and Shout TV (Shout! Studios’ streaming service) will marathon giant monster movies all day long on November 3. Shout!’s sister channel, TokuSHOUTsu, will likewise stream kaiju movies all week long in the lead-up to Godzilla Day, beginning October 30.

More information on the Godzilla 2000 theatrical screening is at Fathom Events’ website.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. He hosts the weekly pop culture deep-dive podcast Laser Focus. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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You actually have to hand it to Monarch, the fictional clandestine government agency in Legendary’s Monsterverse. They have somehow managed to hide the existence of creatures the size of most skyscrapers from the entire world. Well, until now that is. Dun dun dunnnnnn. In the latest trailer for the Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, we get a little bit more info about the many secrets the group have kept, and the one former soldier ready to blow some whistles. Also Godzilla is there for some boom-boom claw.

As the trailer explains, Anna Sawai’s character Cate was present in San Francisco when Godzilla made landfall in 2014’s Godzilla. A lot of people screamed, ran for cover, or stared in awe. But some filmed, like they expected it. This leads her to a collection of files from her father which contains information about Monarch. She, her brother, and friends eventually meet up with Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell) who once served under Monarch back in the ’50s (when he was played by real-life son Wyatt Russell). Together, hopefully, they can get to the bottom of why this planet isn’t ours like we thought.

The trailer also shows us a bevy of monsters, creatures, and titans of all sorts. We see John Goodman, as his character from Kong: Skull Island, running from long-legged monsters on said water-surrounded landmass. It culminates in Shaw saying they could use some help. The conclusion gives us a gorgeous shot up Godzilla’s scaly back until he gives his iconic roar. Always gets us.

The 10-episode series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will debut November 17 with two episodes followed by weekly episodes through January 12.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The world’s most notorious giant monsters, Godzilla and Kong, are pretty much unstoppable. And woe to any major urban area that’s in their way. So who does one call when the world’s greatest kaiju need to be stopped from rampaging? Why, the world’s greatest superheroes of course. Coming this fall from DC Comics and Legendary Comics is Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, a new limited series that finds Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest duking it out with the King of the Monsters and the Lord of Skull Island.

The upcoming seven-issue series, made in partnership with Toho International, comes to us from the creative team of writer Brian Buccellato (Detective Comics), artist Christian Duce (Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point), and colorist Luis Guerrero. It kicks off next month, but we’re looking further into the future. We have a synopsis of December’s Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #3, as well as an exclusive look at the variant covers for that issue, in our gallery below.

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Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #3 

Written by Brian Buccellato/art by Christian Duce/cover by Drew Johnson/variant cover by Jonboy Meyers/variant cover by Mike Deodato Jr./1:25 variant cover by Simone Di Meo/1:50 variant cover by Arist Deyn   

$4.99 US/40 pages/3 of 7/Variant $5.99 US (card stock)/On Sale on 12/19/23 

Superman and Godzilla have gone head-to-head with devastating consequences in Metropolis as the Justice League scrambles to protect their homes from the monsters—Supergirl encounters Kong on Skull Island and Wonder Woman takes on Behemoth on Themyscira! Lost in the monster mayhem, though, are Lex Luthor and his Legion of Doom… what nefarious connection do they have to everything?

In the first issue, Clark Kent is enjoying a night off with a very important dinner with Lois Lane. Then, the entire city shudders under the weight of the monstrous Godzilla, who emerges from the bay. Soon, the wall between worlds is breached… with Godzilla, Kong, and the Monsterverse emerging on DC’s Earth. In the second issue, the giant beasts threaten cities all over the globe, from Metropolis to Gotham City to Themyscira. So the Justice League scrambles to protect the citizens. We’re not sure what Green Arrow is going to do with a bow and arrow against giant monsters, but we can’t wait to find out!

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #1, written by Brian Buccellato with art by Christian Duce and Luis Guerrero, will arrive at comic shops on October 17.

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The last time we saw the world of Legendary’s Monsterverse, Godzilla and Kong had just fought each other and then Mechagodzilla. And while we know the next movie will continue their adventures in the Hollow Earth, that won’t be the next time we see the King of the Monsters. Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters brings the action back to just after 2014’s Godzilla, the destruction of San Francisco, and the realization that monsters are real. The first trailer for the show is out now, along with the news that it’ll premiere November 17!

The series follows Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell) who, following Godzilla’s skirmish with the M.U.T.O.s, relays the story of Monarch, the secret agency designed to monitor monster activity on the planet Earth. Back in the ’50s, we see a young Shaw (Wyatt Russell) beginning work on the Monarch project. The teaser also gives us a glimpse at John Goodman, reprising his role of Bill Randa from Kong: Skull Island. Older Shaw watches a testimony from Randa from, presumably, the ’60s.

The series synopsis states:

Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco, and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.

Other cast members include Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will premiere November 17 on Apple TV+.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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We know from the movies thus far in the Monsterverse that Monarch, the organization which investigates the various titans on (and in) the Earth, has been around for a good long while. At least as far back as the 1970s, as we learned in Kong: Skull Island. And while the subsequent movies have focused on Monarch’s activities now, the new Apple TV+ series, officially called Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, will give us some backstory. And some frontstory. Plus, in case you were worried, some first-look images from Monarch: Legacy of Monsters reveal Godzilla himself will roar in the show. Take a look!

In a recent release, Apple TV+ confirmed that the title of their Monsterverse series would be Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The official plot synopsis for the series is as follows:

Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch. Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga—spanning three generations—reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.

Yes, you read that correctly. In the Monarch series, Kurt Russell will play the character of Shaw in modern day, while his son Wyatt will play Shaw in the ’50s. That conceit alone is worth a watch, we’d say. Other members of the cast include Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski… And, of course, Godzilla, who is ready to show his teeth in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

This Monsterverse series will consist of 10 episodes. It is co-developed by Chris Black (Severance, Star Trek: Enterprise, Outcast) and Matt Fraction (Hawkeye). Matt Shakman (Wandavision) directs the first two episodes. 

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Hailing from Legendary Television, the Godzilla and Titans live-action series is executive produced by Black, Fraction and Shakman alongside Joby Harold (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, Andy Goddard (Carnival Row, Downton Abbey), Brad Van Arragon (Yellowjackets, Carnival Row), and Andrew Colville (Severance, Star Trek: Discovery). Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character.

While we don’t know yet when Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will release, this fall is looking pretty good. So get ready for a decade-spanning Monarch mystery, with the King of the Monsters in tow.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The two biggest and most popular Titans surely can’t stay dormant for long. Godzilla, the mighty lizard with atomic breath will clomp his way back to the movies soon. Along with him will be none other than Kong, the king of the hollow Earth. After 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong ended in something of a draw, a rematch of legendary proportions is very necessary. Luckily, a big screen follow-up is happening. Here’s everything we know about the Godzilla vs. Kong sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Title

The Godzilla vs. Kong sequel is called Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Plot

The official synopsis is as follows:

This latest entry follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.

Behind the Scenes

Adam Wingard, who directed Godzilla vs. Kong, will return to direct this film. He’ll be the first director in Legendary’s Monsterverse series to helm a second film so far. He’s working from a script by Terry Rossio (Godzilla vs. Kong), Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight) and Simon Barrett (Wingard’s longtime collaborator on movies like You’re Next and The Guest). The film is being produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Eric Mcleod, Brian Rogers, Thomas Tull, and Jon Jashni, with executive producers Josh Grode, Adam Wingard, Jay Ashenfelter, Jen Conroy, Kenji Okuhira, and Yoshimitsu Banno.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Cast

Returning cast members to the series include Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle. All three joined the franchise with Godzilla vs. Kong. New cast members include Dan Stevens, who starred in Wingard’s The Guest. Other new cast members including Fala Chen (Shang-Chi), Alex Ferns (The Batman), and Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok).

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire‘s Release Date

The movie has an expected release date of March 15, 2024.

Originally published on August 26, 2022.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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Godzilla and Kong have fought the greatest kaiju the world has ever seen, not to mention Mechagodzilla and each other. So naturally, the two legendary titans are now taking on the world’s greatest superheroes. The world of DC Comics’ most iconic heroes will collide with Legendary’s Monsterverse in Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong. The upcoming seven-issue series, made in partnership with Toho International, launches in October. The creative team consists of writer Brian Buccellato (Detective Comics), artist Christian Duce (Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point), and colorist Luis Guerrero. You can check out images of this battle of the century in our gallery below:

Click To View Gallery

Here’s the official synopsis from DC Comics and Legendary Comics:

What starts as a routine clash between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom takes a dangerous turn when the wall between worlds is breached…with Godzilla, Kong, and the Monsterverse emerging on DC’s Earth! What ensues will be a brawl of unprecedented scale and destruction!

DC President Jim Lee said in a statement, “As a comics fan, there’s nothing more fun and exciting than exploring those amazing ‘What If’ situations that come up when fandoms cross streams! In this case, it’s a matchup of the world’s greatest Super Heroes who take on not only the King of the Monsters—Godzilla—but the mighty Kong himself!“

SVP and publisher of Legendary Comics Robert Napton added the following, “There have been a couple of classic crossovers since I started reading comics: Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans. And we hope Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong joins that list of unforgettable meetings.”

Here’s a fun fact. This crossover will officially make it so Godzilla has battled not only the League, but also the Avengers. No comic book universe is safe from his atomic breath.

The first issue will have a main cover by Drew Johnson and variant covers by Jim Lee and Scott Williams; Rafael Albuquerque, Francesco Mattina, Dan Mora, and Alan Quah will also illustrate variant covers. Among the variants will be a Godzilla and a Kong “Roar Sound FX” gatefold variant cover. Both of these were drawn by Christian Duce, on sale November 14. Sound chips in the covers will have both Godzilla and Kong deliver actual battle roars when readers open them.

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #1, written by Brian Buccellato with art by Christian Duce and Luis Guerrero, will arrive at comic shops on October 17.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Pluto TV, the free, ad-supported streaming service, has made its name on hyper-specific, 24-hour channels made up of shows and movies on repeat. They have a Mystery Science Theater 3000 channel, for example. They were the first FAST service to have a tokusatsu channel, to my knowledge. It’s good fun, and you’re likely to find stuff there you want to see. Add to that, on July 1, Pluto TV will debut its Godzilla channel, which, among its 30 film library, will have two movies that have been hard to find in North America for a very long time.

The Showa-era Godzilla movies—which span from 1954-1975—are pretty readily available in the USA. Hell, Criterion put out a whole box set of them. But the Heisei-era movies—spanning 1985-1995—have been a bit spottier. A few have gotten disc releases; even fewer have been on streaming. But Pluto TV will include both 1989’s Godzilla vs. Biollante and 1991’s Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, which have been wholly unavailable here for ages. Both movies come from director Kazuki Omori.

Godzilla vs. Biollante, came a few years after the Heisei-era kickoff The Return of Godzilla. For my money, it’s one of the best in the whole series. It follows a scientist working for the government who has to try to make a creature capable of fighting the dangerous king of the monsters should he return. The scientist combines found Godzilla cells with cells of both a carnivorous plant and his own daughter to create a rapidly metamorphosing creature, dubbed Biollante. Biollante’s final form looks kind of like Audrey II with a crocodile head. It’s rad.

The follow-up movie, Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, is an all-out fantasy adventure. With time travel! It features a team of scientists, military guys, and a psychic woman (who recurs throughout the series) who go back in time to WWII where they discover a living dinosaur that, once hit with the atom bomb, became Godzilla. Unfortunately, the Futurians, a group of people who brought the time machine to our heroes in the first place, create a kaiju of their own—King Ghidorah—to subjugate Earth.

These movies are definitely of their time, in a good way. If you’ve only ever seen the OG movies in the series, you may be surprised at the high quality of the effects. Toho did not skimp on the model work here. While my personal preference is for Biollante, both movies deliver on loads of great monster fighting and compelling personal narratives.

Pluto TV’s Godzilla channel will launch July 1. In addition to the 30 aforementioned movies, it will also have the whole 1998-2000 animated Godzilla: The Series. That cartoon, while a spinoff of the ’98 Roland Emmerich movie, is actually very good. Enjoy big lizards and destroyed scale models this July 4 weekend!

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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If ever you needed to know how influential Hideaki Anno is in Japan, look no further. The creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion and its many reboots has more recently ushered in a new, unprecedented collaboration from some of Japan’s most popular cultural icons. Following the success of Anno and Shinji Higuchi’s Shin Godzilla in 2016, he produced and wrote Shin Ultraman and wrote, produced, and directed Shin Kamen Rider. The three of them, along with EVA Unit 1, the iconic main mech from Evangelion, formed the Shin Japan Heroes Project with Bandai.

Now the most ridiculous mashup you could imagine is here, which we first saw on Gizmodo. All four come together like a Megazord to fight a giant alien threat. Even though, chiefly, three of them are already giant sized and one of them is a tiny dude on a motorcycle. I… I haven’t the words.

That’s right; not only is this weird and silly, it’s also a toy advert. This tells you how much money Japan puts into toy advertisements in 2023. At any rate, seeing Godzilla fold open into a torso is breathtakingly strange. For most of the transformation sequence I was thinking “What is Kamen Rider going to do?” Then the Cyclone (his motorcycle) turns into the mecha’s head, and the man himself sits atop it might some kind of cybernetic Paul Atreides. Delightfully ridiculous.

The toy is a premium Bandai number, which will retail for 23,100 Yen. Don’t mortgage your house; that’s only about $170 US.

Very unlikely we’ll ever see this in a real movie, but it is fun to see. Shin Ultraman played the festival circuit last year and will get a Blu-ray release in North America later this summer. Meanwhile the long-awaited Shin Kamen Rider will play as a one-night-only Fathom Event on May 31. After that? Who knows! So soak in the Anno weirdness whilst you can.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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The last battle between Godzilla and Kong in the aptly named Godzilla vs. Kong ended, expectedly, in a draw. Kong took his place as ruler of the Hollow Earth while Godzilla returned to the ocean to continue doing whatever he wants. He’s Godzilla; are you gonna tell him what to do? But we knew a rematch/reteam was on the horizon, we just didn’t know the name. Until now. Coming in 2024, Warner Bros. and Legendary present the ominous Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. There’s even a nifty little animation to go along with it.

The official press release promises a new threat that neither Titan will be able to face alone. Therefore, they’ll have to team up, won’t they? The movie “will transport audiences into the unexplored depths of a brave new world of spectacular new monsters, heroic adventurers, and awe-inspiring set pieces on a scale unlike anything ever seen before. This promises to be a true cinematic spectacle that demands to be seen on the biggest screens possible.” The MonsterVerse is looking good.

Adam Wingard returns to direct Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire with his longtime collaborator Simon Barrett writing the screenplay. Returning cast members include Rebecca Hall as Dr. Ilene Andrews, Brian Tyree Henry as fan-favorite Bernie Hayes, and Kaylee Hottle as Jia. Also joining the cast of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is Dan Stevens, Fala Chen, and Rachel House. 

The two Titans team up when Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire hits theaters March 15, 2024.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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It’s one of the greatest rivalries in all of pop culture. And we’ve seen it play it on film (twice), in comics, in board games, and, of course, in video games. We’re talking about Godzilla vs. Kong. Now, the ultimate battle of Titans is getting the digital pinball treatment. Zen Studios, the makers of the Pinball FX franchise, together with Legendary Entertainment, have joined forces to create the new Pinball FX Godzilla vs Kong Pinball Pack. You can check out a trailer for the game right here:

Players can take on three monstrous tables, including Kong Pinball, Godzilla Pinball, and Godzilla vs Kong Pinball. The pack joins Zen Studios’ robust library of over 100 pinball tables. These include games inspired by everything from Star Wars to the Addams Family. You can read a statement from Zen Studios on this latest iteration of the epic battle between the King of the Monsters and the ruler of Skull Island.

We take pride in working with top tier companies like Legendary Entertainment, and it is really special to bring their beloved characters and worlds to life in unique and innovative ways on the pinball table. We are thrilled to establish our partnership with Legendary with three amazing pinball tables based on Godzilla vs. Kong. We are not stopping here, as we have more exciting pinball projects in the pipeline that we can’t wait to share with our players.

Godzilla vs Kong Pinball Pack is also simultaneously releasing on Pinball FX for PlayStation, Xbox, and the Epic Game Store on April 13, 2023. And all of you gamers out there looking to enjoy Pinball FX tables? You can subscribe to Pinball Pass for $14.99 per month. This offers unlimited access to almost 80 tables in the Pinball FX library. We expect Pinball FX to release Godzilla vs. Kong for Nintendo Switch in July of this year.

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Despite their tendency to stomp on major cities and cause billions in property damage, people just love Godzilla and his fellow kaiju. In fact, we love them so much that we kind of wish we could have them as pets. Pets that happen to have the ability to spit atomic fire on everyone who annoys us. Well, we might not be able to have any kaiju as pets in real life. But now, we have these adorable, squishable mini versions, and they’re really the next best thing. Yes, Godzilla Squishmallows are now available, and you can own Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla.

Thanks to US Today News (via Comic Book), we’ve seen the first images of Godzilla and his pals from their own collection of 8″ Squishmallows. The four-part line was announced this week, and Toy Drops is overseeing the distribution of these adorable little beasts. Along with the King of the Monsters, the first wave of four includes Rodan, Mothra, and Mechagodzilla. You can check out several images right here.

Squishmallows Godzilla actually looks a lot like adorable nephew Godzooky from the old 1970s Godzilla cartoon. Mothra looks like some kind of lost Pokemon character from the ’90s. Little Mechagodzilla looks like what would happen if R2-D2 and BB-8 had a very angry baby. And Rodan looks like “what if a Cabbage Patch Kid was also a dinosaur?” Which is not a bad thing at all.

Godzilla and pals follow other licensed Squishmallows toys like Pokemon, which had Gengar and Pikachu selling out almost instantly. The Nightmare Before Christmas characters like Jack and Sally have some Squishmallows too, and even Spider-Man Miles Morales has one. But we think that the Japanese kaiju are the cutest ones so far. Sorry about it, Jack Skellington. There’s just nothing cuter than a tiny cuddly version of a deadly prehistoric monster that breathes fire and really hates Tokyo. You can order these precious monsters right here and here.

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It’s always a joy when you learn people who make things you love also love other things you love. Speaking for myself, the great John Carpenter has made at least 10 of my all-time favorite movies. From Halloween to The Fog to The Thing, Carpenter has earned his nickname as the Master of Horror. So it’s a delight to hear he also loves Godzilla movies! We obviously think very highly of the giant lizard too. Not only is Carpenter a ‘zilla fan, but he’ll host Shout! Factory TV‘s Masters of Monsters weekend in November.

Beginning November 3, Carpenter will sit down to present his four favorite monster films directed by Ishiro Honda: Godzilla, The Uncut Japanese Original (Gojira), Rodan, Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster, and The War of the Gargantuas. John Carpenter will make appearances throughout the Masters of Monsters marathon to discuss his great love and admiration for the franchise.

As Carpenter fans will know, he’s a very accomplished musician and composer. Hell, he’s composed some of the most iconic themes of all time. So he knows a thing or two. In our below exclusive clip, Carpenter discusses the brilliant work of composer Akira Ifukube. Ifukube composed music for nearly 300 films (wow!), including a truly staggering number of Godzilla and other kaiju films. He also, chiefly, came up with Godzilla’s distinctive noises.

Masters of Monsters kicks off Thursday, November 3, at 6pm and 8pm PT with the original Godzilla. On subsequent nights at the same times, tune in for Rodan, Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, and The War of the Gargatuas. That last one is Brad Pitt’s favorite movie, fun fact. The watch party for Gargantuas takes place on TokuShoutsu’s Twitch, while the watch party for Ghidorah will be on Scream Factory TV. Shout! Factory TV, TokuShoutsu, Scream Factory TV, and Shout! Cult will all be streaming the original program. For more information about the Masters of Monsters Godzilla movie marathon, please visit MastersofMonsters.com.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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It appears actor Dan Stevens will be the next Hollywood star to take on a giant lizard and a big ol’ gorilla. According to a press release on Thursday, the Legion star will reunite with director Adam Wingard on the next Legendary MonsterVerse film, which will be a direct sequel to 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong. The actor-director combo previously worked together on the excellent 2014 thriller The Guest, for which Stevens got ripped as all hell. The currently untitled film will release on March 15, 2024.

Stevens will join other new cast members including Fala Chen (Shang-Chi), Alex Ferns (The Batman), and Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok). Returning cast members from Godzilla vs. Kong will include Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and Kaylee Hottle.

The movie will be “an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own.” The press release goes on to say the new movie will “delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins, and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever.”

Godzilla vs. Kong was the first in the franchise to pit the two titans against each other. Godzilla previously starred in Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla and Mike Dougherty’s 2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters; Kong had previously led Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ 2017 movie Kong: Skull Island.

Stevens has worked a whole lot in the past few years, from Disney’s Beauty in the Beast live-action remake to Netflix’s Eurovision Song Contest. You can currently see him as White House Counsel John Dean in the Starz limited series Gaslit. Prior to Godzilla vs. Kong, Wingard also directed 2016’s Blair Witch and 2017’s Death Note.

More news of the two big battlers and their Hollow Earth exploits as we hear them. Who knows what other massive beasties might show up in the next installment. (We’re holding out hope our girl Mothra comes back. We need her in our lives, please. #Justice4Mothra) As mentioned, the untitled MonsterVerse film will reportedly release in 2024.

Originally published June 30, 2022.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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We cannot get enough of big ol’ monsters doing monstery stuff. Fighting each other, climbing on stuff, breathing fire and the like. And in the case of Legendary’s Monsterverse titles, we add “interact with very good actors” to that list. Throughout the series of movies, monsters like Kong and Godzilla have equally titanic human costars. We’re talking Bryan Cranston, Brie Larson, and Kyle Chandler. But for the upcoming Apple Original untitled monster series, it will require a father-son acting dynasty to go toe-to-toe with the monsters. That’s right, Kurt Russell and his equally talented son Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) will costar in the show.

Apple TV+ today revealed that the Russells have joined the cast of its upcoming Apple Original live-action monster series. The show is a Legendary Television production based on Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise. They will star alongside an expanding ensemble cast. Previous announcements include Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons, Joe Tippett, and Elisa Lasowski. 

Emmy Award-nominated director Matthew Shakman (WandaVision) will direct the first two episodes and serve as executive producer on the untitled series, which is produced for Apple TV+ by Legendary Television and executive produced by co-creators Chris Black (Star Trek: Enterprise), who serves as showrunner, and Matt Fraction (Hawkeye).

While the show does not have a title yet, we know it will take place some time after the events of 2014’s Godzilla when the titular lizard flattened San Francisco during a battle with Titans. Now that everyone knows monsters exist, what will happen? Well, as the show’s official synopsis says, “the untitled series will explore one family’s journey to uncover its buried secrets and a legacy linking them to the secret organization known as Monarch.” Fun!

We love the idea of a family-focused drama to use real-life family members. Adds some verisimilitude. Not that giant monsters aren’t super real.

Legendary’s untitled Monster Series on AppleTV+ will stomp onto our screens soon.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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After leveling San Francisco in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, you might assume the King of the Monsters would want to take a bit of a breather. Not so! Godzilla and the other titans, along with the exploits of monster-tracking organization Monarch, will return in a brand new series heading to Apple TV+. According to a release by Apple, the series will follow on from GvK and “explores one family’s journey to uncover its buried secrets and a legacy linking them to the secret organization known as Monarch.” And we now know exactly who will make up this cast.

According to its release, alongside Godzilla, the Apple TV+ series will also star:

Anna Sawai (“Pachinko,” “F9”) as ‘Cate,’ a former schoolteacher and a G-Day survivor, she travels to Japan to settle family affairs but instead uncovers a family secret. Tired of running from her problems, she is determined to find answers.

Newcomer Ren Watabe (“461 Days of Bento”) as ‘Kentaro,’ an intelligent, creative and curious young man who has yet to find his own path. He will embark on a quest to learn more about his revered yet mysterious father and discover his own talents in the process.

Kiersey Clemons (“Hearts Beat Loud,” “The Young Wife”) as ‘May,’ an American ex-pat with a roguish exterior that she uses to protect herself as well as others. Whether it be deciphering a code or finding the loophole, she is always three steps ahead of everyone around her.

Joe Tippett (“Mare of Easttown,” “The Morning Show,” “Rise”) as ‘Tim,’ an office drone who dreams of secret agent adventure. His overconfidence gets him in trouble in the field, but he is determined not to fail his organization.

Elisa Lasowski (“Versailles”) as ‘Duvall,’ an expert operative with unwavering confidence in herself and her skills. She also possesses a wry sense of humor, which she uses to guide her less field-oriented colleague. 

Variety has also revealed that Anders Holm will join the show in an unknown, recurring role.

The series will be produced by Legendary Television. Co-creators Chris Black and Matt Fraction will executive produce. Fraction is, of course, the writer of a million great comics, including the run of Hawkeye that inspired the recent Disney+ series. Black, who will also serve as showrunner, has written for and produced a number of series. They include Star Trek: Enterprise, Mad Men, and most recently Outcast, based on the Robert Kirkman comic. Matt Shakman (WandaVision) will direct the first two episodes of the Monsterverse series.

Safehouse Pictures’ Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell will also executive produce along with Toho Co. Ltd. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita will executive produce for Toho. Toho owns the Godzilla character and has licensed the rights to Legendary for this series. It’s a natural byproduct of their long-term relationship on the film franchise.

Since 2014, the ever-growing Monsterverse has included the movies Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). An upcoming anime series, Skull Island, is also on the way.  We’ll keep you in the loop about any further news for the Godzilla series but for now, we’re just excited to see the big boy and his court of giant monsters on our screens more often.

Originally published on March 19, 2022.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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The King of the Monsters is back. But for once, it seems the city of Tokyo is safe. This time, the one and only Godzilla is hitting the British coast. But he’s here to save the day from a possibly more deadly monster than himself, the deadly Battra. And it’s just in time for Battra’s 30th anniversary too, as the winged kaiju first appeared in 1992’s Godzilla vs. Mothra. The action takes place in Godzilla Rivals: Battra from IDW Comics, written by Nerdist’s very own Rosie Knight, and illustrated by Oliver Ono.

You can check out the first six pages of Godzilla Rivals: Battra, along with all three variant covers, below. Series artist Oliver Ono illustrates Cover A, while Mark Martinez does the honors for Cover B. Tradd Moore handles the art on Cover C. And you can read the official synopsis for the one-shot premiere issue right here:

In a quiet beachside town ravaged by constant sewage spillages and toxic waste dumps, something is stirring. Deep under the rolling hills that surround Hackney-on-Sea, Battra is awakening, driven by a single goal: to destroy mankind and save planet Earth. The only thing that can stop the monster is Godzilla, but he hasn’t been seen in decades and has never ventured to the cold shores of the English coast…until now.

Robbie runs a small bookshop, but her real passion is monsters. She’s spent years researching the myth of Godzilla and his fearsome foes, and now that hypothetical experience is about to become a life-saving tool. Can Robbie locate Godzilla? Will Godzilla alone be enough to defeat Battra? Is Battra really wrong? And will the goddess Mothra make an appearance? Godzilla Vs. Battra will reveal all. 

Click To View Gallery

Godzilla Rivals: Battra arrives on August 3, with a cover price of $7.99 U.S./ $10.00, Canada.

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No matter how realistic and made to scale modern geek toys for adult collectors get, we’re never getting a life-size Godzilla figure. No one has shelf space or a rec room that can hold a figure that’s 984 feet tall. (At least not yet). But, they can still make some pretty huge toys based on the world’s premiere kaiju. And this latest collectible statue of the undisputed King of the Monsters puts all others to shame.

Prime 1 Studio is releasing a new, ginormous Godzilla statue, based on his most recent appearance in Godzilla vs. Kong. And you can see the first images of this incredible collectible from Prime 1 Studio right here. You can just hear that familiar roar looking at all of these images.

Standing over 34 inches tall, Prime 1 Studio’s Gigantic Masterline Godzilla is a full 10 inches taller than their previous Godzilla statue, the UDMGVK-01 Godzilla Final Battle. The immense size of this version allows for unbelievable crisp detailing and realistic textures. Prime 1 Studio’s artists have given life to Godzilla’s hyper-detailed scales, dorsal fins, and Kaiju anatomy.

Godzilla’s paint job renders realistic colors faithful to his most recent film appearance. Godzilla stands on a polystone base, covered in the debris of a destroyed cityscape that he no doubt angrily stomped on. Just look at all that collateral damage our favorite big mean atomic-powered lizard has done.

So, how much will this incredible statue cost you? It’s a mere $2,499. But we know that there’s a very well-off Godzilla superfan that is going to want to put down the cash for this bad boy. Now, the real question is will Prime 1 Studio release a King Kong statue of the same size? This version of the lethal lizard is from Godzilla vs. Kong after all, so it stands to reason that he’s next. They’ve already released Ultimate Diorama versions of the battling Titans, so anything is possible.

You can click here to pre-order your Prime 1 Studio’s Gigantic Masterline Godzilla. He comes in both a regular version, as well as a heat-ray version.

The post Make Some Space on Your Shelf for Largest Godzilla Statue Yet appeared first on Nerdist.

It’s a long tradition. The “cute baby version” of a popular cartoon character. Sometimes it’s junior versions of Fred Flintstone or the Muppets. And sometimes, it’s Scrappy-Doo. But did you know that the King of the Monsters, Godzilla, also had an adorable baby version of himself in his own ’70s cartoon series? He sure did. And his name was Godzooky.

But half of the animated adventures of Godzilla and Godzooky have been unavailable to the public for decades, for unknown reasons. But just announced by Toho, the long-lost second season of Godzilla is coming exclusively to their Godzilla Official YouTube channel, starting on June 6. You can watch the trailer for Godzilla season two right here:

Godzilla premiered in 1978, and was created by Hanna-Barbera, the kings of Saturday morning cartoons in the ’70s and ’80s. In the cartoon, Godzilla was in full “good guy mode,” helping the crew of the Calico, a hydrofoil research ship. Whenever bad kaiju reared their ugly heads out of the water, the Calico crew had a signal with which they could summon Godzilla. And he’d always bring his little nephew along, Godzooky.

Hanna-Barbera never answered who the heck Godzilla’s sibling was that spawned this nephew, figuring kids wouldn’t care where he came from. (Spoiler alert: We DID want to know). Godzooky had little wings and always tried to breathe fire like his Uncle, but they were usually just smoke rings. Honestly, Godzooky kind of got in the way, but we loved him anyway. Who wouldn’t love a baby Godzilla?? Hanna-Barbera knew their audience.

The show ran for two seasons on NBC, with its final episode airing in 1979. It also ran on Tokyo Channel 12 in Japan. Twenty years later, in 1998, there was another Godzilla cartoon show. But that one was tied into the 1998 movie, which had the totally wrong-looking Godzilla. Also, there was no Godzooky, which instantly made the 1978 series superior. Fans will soon be able to binge the original (and best) Godzilla toon in its entirety on June 6.

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It’s not exactly a boon to have Godzilla show up in your city. Even when he’s fighting on the side of good there’s always a whole lot of collateral damage. However, there are two places we always love to see our favorite sea monster. One is on the big screen. The other is when he arrives in our home with some great new merchandise. And now the iconic kaiju can adorn your home’s walls—without destroying them—in style, thanks to Mondo’s new Godzilla prints celebrating classic films in the franchise. Two versions of the print release in April and third is set for later in the year.

At noon ET on April 7, Mondo will have two new Godzilla prints for sale at The Drop. The first celebrates director Kazuki Ōmori’s 1989 film “Godzilla vs. Biollante.” Artist Tom Whalen’s colorful piece features Godzilla in battle with the memorable foe. The piece captures Biollante’s unique makeup, which includes plant DNA, Godzilla chromosomes, and cells from the dead daughter of Biollante’s grief-stricken creator.

There will initially be two versions available. The more colorful original ($55) measures 36 x 24-inches and features nine metallic inks. It’s limited to just 275 prints and we doubt it will last long. Neither will the English red-themed version ($75). It comes in at the same size, but will only have 150 copies for sale. If you miss either or want to collect them all, Mondo says it will release “a special third version” of the print later this year.

But you don’t have to wait to grab their second original new Godzilla print. Mondo is continuing what it calls its line of “titanic exploration of Godzilla’s Showa Era” with another work from artist Attack Peter. The 20 x 30-inch, single-color linocut print comes on Lokta paper. It pays homage to the 1955 movie Godzilla Raids Again. Only 120 prints will be available ($100). Each comes signed and numbered by Attack Peter himself.

We never want to see Godzilla show up in our city unless it’s on a screen or poster. But with the limited number of copies these prints will have we’ll still have to be on high alert if we hang one up. We’re not the only ones who love Godzilla. And we’ll definitely keep on the look out for the third print coming later in the year.

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When you’re a nerd in science, you have to take the opportunities you see to work in your fannish love. And that’s exactly what a group of biologists did when they discovered a new species of worm. This recently discovered branching worm was named Ramisyllis kingghidorahi. Kaiju lovers among us will recognize the reference to Godzilla’s famous foe. All hail the mighty King Ghidorah worm.

King Ghidorah made a recent cinematic appearance in 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The titan, of course, has three heads, two tails, and a dragon-like form. While this new species of branching worm has only one head, its body can split into different branches. Thus, evoking the legendary King Ghidorah.

In a release, the study’s co-author Professor M. Teresa Aguado further shares:

King Ghidorah is a branching fictitious animal that can regenerate its lost ends, so we thought this was an appropriate name for the new species of branching worm.

We could not agree more.

The name makes further sense because the new worm lives on the island of Sado in Japan. And, as the release notes, Godzilla and his arch-enemy King Ghidorah are “both characters based on Japanese mythology and folklore.”

Scientists had only discovered two species of branching worms before this new King Ghidorah worm variant. The worms are marine creatures that have only one head but a body that seems to branch continuously. Aguado goes on to note, “We were astonished to find another of these bizarre creatures with only one head and a body formed from multiple branching. The first worm was thought to be unique. This discovery reveals a higher diversity of these tree-like animals than anyone expected.

As if they didn’t look creepy enough, the branching worms “live inside the internal canals of sea sponges.” According to the release, no one knows the exact nature of the relationship between the branching worms and the host sponges. Could they share a symbiotic relationship? Or a parasitic one? And the biggest question on the minds of the researchers is “how do the worms manage to feed to maintain their huge bodies having just one tiny mouth in their single head?”

That’s a good question. Could it have something to do with their true identities as monstrous space aliens? Or perhaps they thrive because they happen to have elemental magic? Maybe we’ll find out in the new Godzilla live-action series coming to Apple TV+. This creature looks like it could fit right into the fray. For now, you can enjoy the full study detailing this King Ghidorah branching worm.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Both of these properties began in Japan, eventually extending globally, becoming pop-culture sensations. (With sometimes questionable English language dubs for both). We’re talking about Godzilla, King of the Monsters and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. And now, these two titanic franchises are going to collide. The fight begins in a brand new comics mini-series from IDW Comics with BOOM! Studios. The epic five-part Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers debuts in March 2022.

Writer Cullen Bunn (Deadpool) teams up with artist Freddie Williams II for this series. Williams is no stranger to big IP crossovers, having illustrated Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as well as He-Man/ThunderCats. This is much bigger than either previous series though, since Godzilla measures 984 feet tall and all. And for those wondering, this is classic Godzilla and old-school Power Rangers. You can read the official description below:

“When Rita Repulsa uses an ancient artifact to transport herself to a universe without Power Rangers, she finds herself in a world with aliens, kaiju, and… Godzilla! Hoping to annihilate this new foe, Rita hurls her own terrible creatures into battle. But she never expects that the Rangers have followed her to this alternate reality, pitting the Dinozords themselves head-to-head with the King of the Monsters!”

In a statement, Williams II said, “This will be the biggest, most stratospheric crossover I’ve ever drawn! It’s the combination of so many big genres. Giant Monsters vs. Mechs. Martial arts vs. science and magic. With lots of collateral destruction!”

Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ first issue features multiple cover variants. One of these comes from Freddie Williams II, while a second one comes from Transformers’ E.J. Su.  Coolest of all, the covers for issues #2-5 combine like Voltron to make a panoramic fight scene image. (But no, Voltron isn’t in this series that we know of). Issue number one of this epic crossover event hits comic shops and digital in March. As Ken Watanabe said in 2014’s Godzilla, “Let them fight.”

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Nobody throws down quite like Godzilla. Whether destroying Tokyo (and environs) or protecting it from alien invaders, the radio active lizard king is the undisputed champ. Even after 67 years, Godzilla has kept his title belt for almost all of it. An impressive record for any combatant. The good folks at TokuSHOUTsu and Shout! Factory TV want to help all you Godzillaphiles out there relive some of the big guy’s best moments. This Wednesday, November 3, 2021, enjoy a 48-hour kaiju marathon, followed by four-movie marathons every Friday. They’re calling it Friday Night Kaiju!

TokuSHOUTsu will stream 17 classic kaiju films, most of them featuring Godzilla. Beginning Wednesday, November 3 (which is Godzilla’s birthday, don’t ya know), at 12 midnight, you can enjoy two days straight of kaiju antics and mayhem. Beginning with the original Godzilla, subsequent films, including Godzilla Raids Again (1955), will air in chronological order. In addition to 15 Godzilla movies, the marathon will also include the 1956 feature Rodan and the 1966 film The War of the Gargantuas, one of Brad Pitt’s favorite movies. Fun fact.

TokuSHOUTsu

Then, starting Friday, November 5, enjoy four-movie marathons. Beginning at 4pm PT/7pm PT, watch four back-to-back kaiju flicks. Not a bad weekly movie night, eh?

Godzilla vs. TokuSHOUTsu: Friday Night Kaiju Lineup

11/5/21

Godzilla, The Uncut Japanese Original (Gojira) (1954)

Rodan (1956)

Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster (1964)

11/12/21

The War Of Gargantuas (1966)

Invasion Of Astro-Monster (1965)

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

11/19/21

Ebirah, Horror Of The Deep (1966)

Son Of Godzilla (1967)

Destroy All Monsters (1968)

All Monsters Attack (1969)

11/26/21

Godzilla, King of The Monsters! (1956)

Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

Terror Of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Don’t worry if you can’t make the marathons (hey, everybody has their own schedules, right?). All 17 of the movies are also available on-demand to watch any time you want via ShoutFactoryTV.com or on the Shout Factory apps. Do you mostly watch stuff on Tubi? Well you can find them there too.

Go Godzilla wild all November long!

Featured Image: Toho

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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It’s always the perfect time to look back at the storied history of the giant monster movie icon known as Godzilla. Since 1954, Godzilla has been running amok. He’s been creating memories, starring in many movies, and becoming a pop culture staple on the way. We’ve revisited all the 30 plus movies in the series and ranked them from least good (because there’s literally no such thing as a bad Godzilla movie) to best for your reading pleasure!

33. Godzilla (1998)

Sorry Matthew Broderick, but this ’90s American take on Gojira is a bit too Hollywood for us. Still, we were really into the fact that here Godzilla is a (maybe) girl. If you like spectacle blockbusters this relatively tame CG-filled offering is still a whole bunch of fun.

32. Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2018)

Though Netflix’s series is a very entertaining trilogy of monster anime, as standalone Godzilla films they can’t compare to the men-in-suits madness of classic Toho. But if you enjoy hard sci-fi and gorgeous animation, it’s still definitely worth checking out. These are the only animated canon flicks.

31. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1964)

An epic B movie masterpiece, this was originally meant to be a King Kong film. Rankin and Bass rejected it though, so it was repurposed as a Godzilla movie. Centering on the titular sea creature, this Pacific Island-set monster movie features some bank robbers on the run who end up helping the locals free themselves from the grip of a terrorist organization and a giant shrimp.

30. Terror of Mechagodzilla (1978)

This sequel to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla has a whole lot of good monster fun as the heroic reptile faces off with his robotic rival. Notable mentions here go to the brilliant aquatic Titanosaurus, as well as the inexplicable alien subplot.

29. Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)

This millennium’s take on Godzilla rewrote the monster’s history whilst paying homage to the original 1954 classic. It also has one of the coolest and most sci-fi-heavy origins for its titular antagonist. He’s spawned after a wormhole opens up and a magical ancient dragonfly appears and births the egg that will become Megaguirus.

28. Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)

The ’00s Godzilla movies knocked it out of the park when it came to wild plots. In this 50th anniversary flick, Godzilla is trapped under the icy wilds of the Antarctic, and humanity turns to an army of mutated monsters to protect them. This also signifies our first list appearance of Minilla, Godzilla’s beautiful chonk (adoptive) son who turns up at the end of the film to convince his dad to show mercy on his fellow Titans.

27. Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1995)

A definite inspiration for TriStar’s ’98 offering, this is the ultimate cheesy popcorn entry from the original Godzilla canon. It’s essentially about Godzilla battling a UFO discovered deep under the sea, and it’s as good as it sounds. It’s also worth a watch for fans of the MonsterVerse as it gets deeper into the concept of studying monsters and shares thematic resonance with Monarch and their mission.

26. Son of Godzilla (1967)

This one features the first appearance of the beautiful chubby baby Godzilla known as Minilla. The best part of this very lovely movie is the sequence where Godzilla tries to train his young charge on how to use his radioactive powers! It’s very cute and we will protect Minilla with our lives.

25. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)

Probably one of the better known later Godzilla films in America due to its distribution on PPV by Sony, this is a prime example of a Godzilla flick delving so deep into lore and in-universe science that it becomes a little dense. But it also includes a rad Godzilla/Rodan team-up and a new baby Godzilla!

24. Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

One of the darker entries in Godzilla canon, this film relies heavily on the anti-nuclear messaging that was a vital theme throughout the series, though it’s a far cry from the more colorful flicks of the ’90s. Godzilla vs. Biollante features some Silent Running-style hard sci-fi and a wild gardening/soul transference subplot.

23. Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

This brilliantly entertaining entry sees a young woman, Lieutenant Akane Yashiro, made a scapegoat for the failures of the government after she fails to kill Godzilla. Years later, a remote-controlled version of Mechagodzilla is presented as an alternative to human fighters, but when the new weapon goes wild, only Akane can save the day.

22. Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is emblematic of Toho’s turn towards more family-friendly movies featuring huge monster battles with iconic creatures. Here we see the reptile face down a group of mutated creatures who kill his other child, Godzilla Jr. Sad times.

21. Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

With a wacky theme park-centric plot, Godzilla vs. Gigan is one of the weirder offerings from the six-plus-decade franchise, and it’s totally splendid. If you enjoy organized monsters, peaceful tourist attractions, and lots of aliens, then this is a must watch.

20. Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla (1994)

It was hard not to make this number one just because of the name and concept, as well as the fact that Spacegodzilla is just so cool. This outrageous sci-fi romp sees Mothra and Biollante mysteriously choose to take some Godzilla DNA into space where the new titular iteration is created. It doesn’t end well, as you can imagine.

19. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1976)

The introduction of Mechagodzilla is a monumental moment and offers up a super fun flick with some particularly impressive suit work. Leaning into the more spiritual and mythic elements of Godzilla lore, this entry includes priestesses, visions of the future, robot-Godzilla, and even a cruise ship. Basically, it’s very, very good.

18. Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)

An egg-filled extravaganza, this is a rad reimagining of Mothra lore that added a whole bunch of cool canon regarding the history of the protector of Earth and her battle against the human-created Battra. Unexpected monster team-ups abound!

17. Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

An interesting addition to Godzilla canon, this film focuses on an author who, while writing a book about the beast, makes a startling discovery about his origins. Without spoiling all of its secrets, there’s also a very fun time travel subplot as well as some very good dinosaur content.

16. King Kong vs. Godzilla (1956)

The third Godzilla film to grace our screens was a crossover mashup between two of cinema’s biggest monster icons. It’s an iconic battle that was repeatedly shown on network television all over the world and is an interesting film to revisit in the lead up to Godzilla vs. Kong.

15. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

Dethroning the original monster mashup, Adam Wingard’s wickedly entertaining 2021 flick is a true monster masterpiece. It’s fun, frantic, and full of action. It follows Kong as he’s sent to help stop Godzilla but quickly ends up on wild Journey to the Center of the Earth style romp. There’s also an epic final act battle that will please even the most traditional Kaiju fans.

14. Return of Godzilla (1984)

This is a rad first offering from the so-called Heisei era of the series, which sees Godzilla appear out of a volcano only to terrorize Japan once again. This is a rare later Godzilla movie where the monster is primarily an antagonist rather than a hero, and it ends with the good chonk boy back in his Volcano.

13. Godzilla (2014)

The first entry into Legendary’s MonsterVerse, Godzilla was a more serious attempt at adapting the Japanese creature feature for Western audiences. Centering on the human dynamic and teasing the more monstrous aspect until the third act, the big reveal is worth the wait and this gritty Godzilla paved the way for the studio’s crossover monster-mash shared universe.

12. Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Some very good Godzilla-vs-tentacle-monster action here as a tiny sea organism feasts on Earth’s pollution and becomes a monstrous-size beast, wreaking havoc on the world with its poisonous menace. Things are looking dire until Godzilla appears.

11. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

The fourth Godzilla film is a marvel of Japanese sci-fi and is filled with solid Godzilla action as well as a great new suit design. And, of course, the wonder of Mothra. It’s a great film to check out before or after you’ve watched King of the Monsters so you can truly understand the power of the Queen of the Monsters, Mothra.

10. All Monsters Attack (1969)

Disclaimer: this is often seen as one of the lesser Godzilla movies, but the wild story about a young boy who is kidnapped by monsters only to create an imagined scenario where he can communicate with Godzilla’s son Minilla makes this one of our top 10 faves. It’s weird, wonderful, and showcases the narrative ingenuity of the series. Plus, Minilla is the best.

9. Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)

This space exploration movie sees astronauts discover an alien planet that’s being ravaged by the mysterious Monster X, who Godzilla fans will immediately recognize as Ghidorah. Lots of space monster goodness here as Godzilla and Rodan are transported to Planet X to help the inhabitants deal with their three-headed dragon problem.

8. Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)

If you’ve ever wondered about the origin of King Ghidorah rather than his alter-ego Ghidorah, this ’01 entry is perfect for you. Not only is it filled with rad big boy battles but it also explains how that good ol’ gold three-headed monster gets its wings! Spoiler alert… Mothra is involved.

7. Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

The dream for any Tokusatsu fan, Godzilla vs. Megalon offers up not only Godzilla fighting the titular creature who was created by a race of peaceful underwater sea-dwellers sick of humanity, but also features Jet Jaguar, a giant robot who was originally going to be a standalone hero and was designed by a kid who won a Toho art competition.

6. Destroy All Monsters (1968)

One of the key parts of Godzilla lore is cemented here with Monster Island playing a major role as the Japanese government collects the monsters and places them there for the protection of the human race. Sadly for those very humans, some hot female aliens have turned up and brainwashed those in charge of the monster-prison, leading to all-out monster fight madness.

5. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

King Ghidorah is a key part of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and he was first introduced in this mid ’60s entry that established the three-headed beast as a formidable foe for the franchise star. Just like the newest movie, here Ghidorah stars alongside Rodan, Mothra, and Godzilla, but this story focuses on his origin as well as the Japanese monarchy.

4. Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

The second film in the series, this is an epic sci-fi flick that introduces one of Godzilla’s original enemies turned ally, Anguirus, as well as showcasing Toho’s talent for expansive storytelling. It also introduced the trope of freezing Godzilla as a way of stopping the marauding beast.

3. Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)

Easily one of the best monster-mash movies of all-time, Tokyo S.O.S. shares a lot of DNA with Godzilla: King of the Monsters and is just as much fun. After creating Mechagodzilla in 1974, it’s revealed that the reason Godzilla can’t help but return to Tokyo is due to the Japanese government using his bones to create their robotic weapon. Mothra threatens humankind and basically tells them to fix up. Sadly, humans never do, so an all-out war begins.

2. Shin Godzilla (2016)

This 2016 reimagining of the cult figure was a powerful meditation on natural disaster, ecology, and trauma. Plus, it featured a badass new Godzilla design that reinvigorated the franchise and seems as fresh and vital as the first film despite being the 31st in the series.

1. Godzilla (1954)

The original and still the best. A monumental monster movie that took inspiration from the greats whilst still creating something entirely new, it’s hard to top the film that started it all. If there’s one classic film to check out before you watch King of the Monsters, this is it.

Images: Toho/Legendary

Originally published June 3, 2019.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

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Stern Pinball has partnered with Toho International for an all-new line of pinball machines based on one of cinema’s most iconic monsters. And that classic big lizard is coming with a big modern twist. The Godzilla games also mark the debut of Stern’s new Insider Connected system. Each machine comes with a QR code reader. It lets players interact with the pinball machine and lets store owners maximize play for customers. From Stern’s August announcement for the new feature:

“The platform is designed to enhance and extend player engagement with the games across both home and commercial environments. It also presents professional operators of the pinball machines with a robust set of tools to drive location play, build player loyalty, analyze performance, make adjustments remotely and maintain the machines.”

Unlike the pinball machines themselves, the Insider Connected system is free to use. We doubt fellow Godzilla fans will have any qualms about pumping quarters into them though. Available in three models—Pro, Premium and Limited Edition—they don’t need an interactive feature to make them a must-play for movie monster lovers.

From fighting an invading alien force intent on controlling Earth, to bringing down bridges and buildings, to facing Mechagodzilla, there’s plenty of in-game stories to enjoy.

Stern Pinball

Godzilla pinball machines and accessories are available to order from authorized Stern Pinball distributors all over the world. The base Pro Model can be yours for $6,899 US. The Premium Model for $8,999. And the Limited Edition for $10,499. If you want a Limited Edition machine don’t delay. They are limited to just 1,000 machines.

And if Godzilla happens to destroy any city with one of them, they’ll be even harder to find.

The post New GODZILLA Pinball Games Offer Interactive Play Options appeared first on Nerdist.

By the mid-’60s in Japan, television was destroying movies in a big way. Since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, almost every Japanese household had a TV, and they were watching it nonstop. Some stations started paying top dollar for movie-style spectacle for the small screen. This led to Tsubyraya Productions’ Ultra Q and Ultraman, both in 1966. Toho’s Godzilla franchise had to promise bigger things on smaller budgets. Meanwhile, rival studio Daiei’s little franchise that could, Gamera, was only just beginning. And yet Daiei weren’t content with their hyper violent kids monsters movies; for a brief and fascinating span of about eight months, the Daimajin trilogy reigned supreme.

The Daimajin trilogy has been something of an oddity since its creation; the new Arrow Video Blu-ray release is the first official release in the UK and one of only three ever home releases in the US. The titular monster—a giant statue of a god which comes to life to defend those who worship it—is an impressive sight. I’d never seen these movies prior to this release, and I was surprised at how much they held my attention in the lead-up to Daimajin’s eventual awakening. These are proper period samurai dramas… and then a monster shows up. What? And how?

Up to now, the kaiju films all dealt with monsters borne out of atomic mutation or the lone remnant of some long-extinct species. They may have had mystical or alien aspects to them, but they were very clearly animal. Daimajin, by contrast, is a demon god from the mountains in Japanese folklore. It’s an idol that comes to life only to exact revenge on those who profane his name and his followers. And, chiefly, all of the Daimajin movies take place in the past, unlike the very modern Godzilla or Gamera movies.

Daiei/Arrow

The first movie, Daimajin, sets up a struggle between an enslaved village and the tyrannical warlord who overthrew their previous ruler. The warlord’s legions, in an effort to quell a growing unrest and potential revolt, deface the statue of Daimajin. When one of the young peasant girls prays to the demon god for help, the statue comes to life and crushes the warlord with ruthless swiftness, and a fair amount of collateral damage to the town.

The movie is only 83 minutes long, and—true of many kaiju movies—the titular giant doesn’t awaken until the last 10 minutes or so. This obviously lessened the cost of the effects work and maximized what director of photography Fujio Morita and effects wizard Yoshiyuki Kuroda could do. The effects and trick photography are truly some of the best of the era. The rest of the story plays out like a typical samurai or Edo-period drama. Very well done, naturally, but not what you’d expect for a big spectacle kaiju parade.

Daiei/Arrow

But this was more about what Daiei had available to them. They made a lot of samurai movies in the period, had many directors and actors under contract, and could easily pluck whoever wasn’t working on anything else to make these three films. The original Daimajin‘s director, Kimiyoshi Yasuda, was a veteran of sword pictures; he directed six films in Daiei’s now beloved Zatoichi series. The studio as a whole made these movies like crazy, so why not merge them with the kaiju movie, one of the few things (at the time) that people couldn’t get on TV?

Daiei/Arrow

It’s clear Daiei and its president/the trilogy’s producer Masaichi Nagata wanted to get in on the craze before it started to go bust. They had only just made the first Gamera movie in 1965 and had a sequel, Gamera vs. Barugon, in the works. Daiei produced Daimajin to be GvB‘s backup feature for a kaiju double-bill. On April 17, 1966, both films debuted in Japanese cinemas… and flopped pretty hard. It would be a whole year before the third Gamera movie would come out.

Luckily, they already had two more Daimajin movies in the works. See, what is so especially strange about this trilogy is they were, effectively, produced back-to-back-to-back. Each movie had a different director, each of whom was an absolute pro. After Yasuda wrapped up the first one, duties for the sequel went to Kenji Misumi. Misumi was also a veteran of the Zatoichi series (he even directed the first one), and would go on to direct the majority of the Lone Wolf and Cub movies in the ’70s. Kazuo Mori, another stalwart director of Zatoichi and samurai fare, would direct the third Daimajin film.

Daiei/Arrow

Return of Daimajin, which came out in August 1966, had a completely different cast to the predecessor, but followed a very similar story. Peaceful villages fall under the thumb of an evil lord; the peasants flee to the Daimajin statue (in this one, it’s an island); they pray to it; it comes to life at the end and kills the baddies. Wrath of Daimajin from December 1966 focuses predominantly on a cast of children on a journey to ask Daimajin to free their (you guessed it) peaceful village from the evil lord who has enslaved all the fathers for slave labor.

The screenwriter for all three movies was Tesuro Yoshida, all he basically did variations on a theme. While I didn’t particularly care for the third movie (little kids, get out of here), the other two are very compelling dramas. And in each movie, the sequences of Daimajin’s attack are chilling and spectacular. Daiei may have been trying to catch up to Toho, but they made the smart decision to hire legendary composer Akira Ifukube—who did the music for all the Godzilla movies at the time—to score the Daimajin movies.

Daiei/Arrow

I should absolutely call out actor Riki Hoshimoto, who played the titular monster in each of the three movies. The costume was reportedly incredibly heavy, but his movements, his poise really make the character feel real. Not to mention his eyes! In the creation of the costume, they specifically wanted to utilize the real human eyes of the suit performer behind the grotesque mask. It adds a level of intensity that the puppet eyes of other kaiju could never match.

And then they were done. No more Daimajin movies. Three movies, all in the same calendar year, all of a very high quality of production, came, did their thing, and left. While the first movie made it to US theaters, the sequels only ever made it overseas as part of the same AIP television package that redubbed the Gamera movies. They even screwed up the titles of them, confusing people as to which they were actually watching.

Daiei/Arrow

Daimajin wouldn’t make a return of any sort until 2010 for a Japanese TV series called Daimajin Kanon, a modern-day retelling of the first one’s story. Takashi Miike has also included Daimajin in his upcoming film The Great Yokai War: Guardians, which is the sequel to a remake of Daiei’s earlier The Great Yokai War. It’s a very strange trajectory for a very cool and certainly unique kaiju monster.

The Daimajin trilogy is a fascinating and thoroughly entertaining diversion from the Showa era kaiju boom. Now thanks to Arrow, who’ve yet again absolutely nailed the presentation and extras, you can watch all three movies in their full glory. I’d highly recommend them, even if I’m still not entirely sure what and why and how and why but also why?

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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Godzilla vs. Kong… why must they fight? 

Legendary Pictures

Instead, Godzilla and King Kong might compete in a track meet of sorts; think Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games except with the two most famous beasties in cinematic history. Each contest will test a different heroic quality that’s essential for Earth’s supreme prodigious protector to possess. The monster who wins the most contests will ultimately earn the title—no punches necessary.

Legendary Pictures

Godzilla vs. Kong Pacifist Tournament for Earth Supremacy

1. Aquathlon

To kick our hypothetical Olympiad off, Earth’s would-be-champions might deign to start simple, with a race. What if Godzilla is nestled deep in the Pacific while Kong is taking care of business on Skull Island when, suddenly, an existential, planetary threat pops up on the other side of the world? If humanity is going to pin its last hope to one kaiju, it should be the one who can get there first. So, naturally, the duo could race to determine which monster is fastest. Of course, Earth is 71% water which means the race would have to cover both land and sea.

Ultimately the aquathlon favors Monster Zero One himself: Godzilla. He lives in the ocean and is an expert swimmer. Kong may have an advantage on land, but the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer shows humans helping the big gorilla stay afloat with a boat, implying that the poor ape can’t swim too well. If Godzilla and Kong competed in an aquathlon for the ages, Godzilla would come out on top.

Winner: Godzilla

Legendary Pictures

2. Naked and Afraid

As the hypothetical pacifist tourney to determine Earth’s ultimate protector continues, it’s important to shift gears a bit. There’s more to defending humanity than pure physical supremacy, so we must consider different sorts of contests to better test Godzilla and Kong’s more intangible qualities. At the NFL Scouting Combine, for example, aspiring players are asked weird, outlandish questions in order to figure out how they act when they’re caught off guard. Since our monsters aren’t necessarily talkative types, they must be thrown into uncertain scenarios. Humans can then gauge what the monsters’ reactions say about how they’d handle an entire planet’s reliance. For example, Godzilla and Kong might show their true colors in a Naked and Afraid-style survival situation to determine which is the most adaptable.

…

Okay wait, actually, both beasts’ entire existences could be described as “Naked and the Top of Any Conceivable Food Chain,” so maybe this one just proves they’re both up to snuff in that category. It’s a tie.

Winner: Tie

Legendary Pictures

3. Bobbing for apples

King Kong and Godzilla may both be able to take care of themselves out in the wild, but humanity’s champion must also care for humanity. Clearly there is only one contest to determine which is the better provider: the monsters would have to bob for apples. To make this work, humanity would have to collectively agree to dump the planet’s entire apple supply into one ocean. This is an easy task to coordinate; humans famously get along so well. Then it would be up to Godzilla and Kong to return the apples to the humans.

This goes without saying, but the monster that could bring back the most apples would inherently care about humans more. That monster would also prove to judges that they possess more physical aptitude for  taking care of their teeny human charges. Our hypothetical aquathlon has already determined Godzilla’s naval superiority—plus the dude has the largest maw that anyone has ever seen. Godzilla could fit so many apples in that thing.

The lizard runs away with this one; the bobbing for apples belt must go to the Primeval Champion himself.

Winner: Godzilla

Legendary Pictures

4. Monopoly

If there’s a big fate-of-the-planet battle and one of these monsters manages to defend all of humanity, that battle is going to inevitably decimate whatever economic infrastructure exists in that part of the world. Because of this, the Pacifist Tournament must determine which monster hypothetically possesses the financial acumen to help humanity rebuild. This contest would test the fiscal responsibility of these two legendary cinematic powerhouses utilizing the same method friends and families have used to test their own economic mettle for almost a century: Monopoly.

Of course, no board game could ever be large enough for our mighty beasts to conceivably play. Instead, rather than passing “Go” on a piece of binding board, Godzilla and Kong would scale the game to the Big Apple and play using New York City itself. Surprisingly, the monster-sized version of Monopoly would take hardly any time at all—likely because no one would have the courage to tell Godzilla that he’s supposed to build hotels, not destroy them. Through a Monopoly board game lens, Godzilla’s hotel destruction could be considered the same as mortgaging all his properties—an obvious white flag. Coin-Kong (his nickname on Wall Street) takes this one.

Winner: Kong

Legendary Pictures

5. Health Class Fake Baby

The final contest tests perhaps the most important quality that a monstrous protector of the planet should possess: emotional intelligence. What good is it to have a champion that can punch a hole in a skyscraper if humans can’t talk to them about how the battle makes everyone feel? To really see whether Godzilla or Kong have humanity’s collective back, they must undergo the same emotional trial as teenagers across the United States. They must care for that tiny fake baby from health class.

Godzilla’s hulking frame and indelicate disposition would immediately put him at a disadvantage. People don’t call him “The God of Destruction” for nothing, and Godzilla’s approach to caring for this small fake child would be that of an estranged uncle desperately trying to impress his nibbling. Unfortunately, the “cool trick” Godzilla would use to amaze the child is just his atomic breath. The health class baby doll wouldn’t stand a chance. On the other hand, Kong’s loyal and protective nature has long been established. This sympathetic behavior is further fleshed-out in the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer due to his relationship with a little girl named Jia. Much like that trailer, Kong would lock eyes with the small, fake baby doll and know, fundamentally, that they are one and the same.

Kong would obviously come away with this one playing the part of the fussy parent; carrying the doll on his large back, cradling it as he swings across Skull Island, and making sure it gets fed and burped at the appropriate intervals.

Winner: Kong

Final Score:

Godzilla — 3, Kong — 3

It turns out, this entire thought experiment leaves humanity no closer to peacefully determining which kaiju should be our champion. Godzilla and Kong must fight because they’d be equally matched in a scientifically sound, peaceful super contest. The only way to break the tie is to have Godzilla and Kong slug it out anyways, and nobody will know who comes out on top of that bout until Godzilla vs. Kong premieres on March 31.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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Who doesn’t love to watch giant monsters battle it out on the big screen? Creature features have long been a stalwart of Hollywood for good reason. This year, two of the biggest boys around are going to face down in Godzilla vs. Kong. Big-screen creature features are somewhat of a rarity these days with made-for-TV and home-video films taking up the majority of monster movie releases. That means this is a huge moment for fans of the genre. But as monster lovers everywhere know, this isn’t the first time that the two Titans have duked it out.

While we’re all waiting for Godzilla vs. Kong, it seems like a great time to look back at their original matchup. Back in 1962, Godzilla auteur Isihiro Honda took on the third film in the burgeoning franchise. But in the US, a strange team-up was stirring, one that would change the shape of cinema forever. Stop-motion icon Willis H. O’Brien, who’d overseen the King Kong effects in the groundbreaking original film, had a plan. He wanted King Kong to fight a giant foe, one who could only be imagined by the most nightmarish of brains: Frankenstein. Yes, the film that would become King Kong vs. Godzilla began as something even stranger, named Kong vs. Prometheus. Sadly, that movie would never come to be. O’Brien’s idea was stolen and sold to Toho, who replaced Frankenstein with Godzilla and history was made.

A giant monkey fighting a giant reptile makes a lot of sense in an era where stop motion and suits were the norm. Especially in a landscape where spectacle sells and audiences were hungry for movie monsters. Ironically, the story also aims to satirize the nature of shock TV and movie choices made by desperate execs. It all begins with a pharmaceutical company that wants to bring more attention to the shows that he sponsors. Of course, the only logical answer is to steal a massive monkey and bring it to Japan. There’s plenty of commentary here as the nefarious CEO gets jealous that Godzilla gets more press than his shows, so he attempts to usurp him with his new huge creature that he’s procured from the far-off Farou Island. But as we all know, humans can never control the beasts they capture and all hell breaks loose.

Toho

Just like the 1954 Godzilla, which sparked the longest-running franchise of all time, there are two distinct cuts of King Kong vs. Godzilla. There was, of course, the original Japanese one. And then there was the badly Americanized version which was extensively recut and supplemented with unnecessary new scenes. The US version cuts some of the drama and satire around the notion of ratings and shock tactics to draw in audiences. It also included new segments focused around news reports. It’s an echo of the documentary-style retelling they used for the recut 1954 Godzilla film. There were other changes, too, with the dub varying distinctly from the topics of conversation featured in the Japanese version, as well as the fact that the US release completely disregarded the original score, instead using archival tracks from the Universal catalog.

The one thing that both versions of the film share, though, is virulent racism. No matter which one you watch, you’ll find that to be true. It all comes down to Skull Island. The inhabitants of the island from where Kong hails are all portrayed by actors in brownface. The sequence plays into the nastiest and most racist “savage” stereotypes. And it’s a disappointing reminder that this kind of racism is global. When adapting the film for American audience, the studio never considered cutting out the racist sequences. Even as they cut around the rest of the film. This is one of the things that the new film will hopefully reckon with as they head back to Skull Island.

Legendary Pictures

Despite there being two cuts, one of the most resounding urban legends around the film is untrue. For years it was rumored—and exacerbated due to lack of access—that in the US version Kong won and that in the Japanese cut Godzilla took the victory. In fact, in both versions Kong is the victor, leaving Godzilla’s fate unclear as he disappears under the ocean. It became such a huge pop culture legend that many thought it was true. But with both versions now available to monster-movie fans everywhere, you can see the less interesting truth for yourself. After all, who really believes that Kong could beat Godzilla? Not this writer! But that’s exactly what happened in the original matchup.

No matter which one prevails this time around, their history is a storied one. And this strange third entry into the Godzilla franchise is where it all began. Let the big boy battle (re)commence!

Godzilla vs. Kong hits HBO Max and select theaters on March 31.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

The post Looking Back at KING KONG VS. GODZILLA’s Weird ’60s Matchup appeared first on Nerdist.

Luckily, the relevant information became quickly clear. That’s thanks in large part to the film’s characters, whose motivations and arcs give Godzilla vs. Kong a sense of momentum and clarity. Yes, the film centers on the epic showdown between the eponymous Titans. But the human journeys inform what we need to know about everything going on in the world after the events of King of the Monsters. The cast is also conveniently split into two camps, as director Adam Wingard recently explained to us over Zoom. There’s Team Godzilla and Team Kong.

We happened to be on set during a Team Godzilla day. That meant spending time with actors Brian Tyree Henry, Millie Bobby Brown, and Julian Dennison. (We also got to chat with Shun Oguri, whose allegiances are a little less clear—but more on him in a bit.) We learned about how their characters fit into the plot, what’s led them together, and how their storylines inform the larger story of Godzilla vs. Kong. We were also given some insights into characters we didn’t get to watch in action, thanks to producer Alex Garcia, who walked us through the film’s story.

Here’s what we learned on the set of Godzilla vs. Kong about the film’s characters. And why they provide a unique spin on what we’ve seen thus far in the MonsterVerse.

Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Where Godzilla vs. Kong begins

When we arrived on set, Garcia gave us a brief rundown of Godzilla vs. Kong‘s plot. (Or at least, of the things he could tell us—I have a feeling there’s another layer to this film that will only be revealed when it premieres.) Essentially, we start on Skull Island. It’s five years after King of the Monsters, where we learned that there many Titans on Earth, and that Godzilla is the apex predator. But Godzilla has been acting erratically for the last few months, and no one knows why.

Monarch, the scientific organization introduced in the Legendary films, is reacting to the global fear of the emergence of these creatures. It’s spent a lot of time and money creating entrances into the Hollow Earth, in the hopes of drawing the creatures back to where they came from. This mission doesn’t exactly go according to plan, which kicks off the events of Godzilla vs. Kong.

Chuck Zlotnick/Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Madison, Josh, and Bernie

One of the major returning characters in Godzilla vs. Kong is Millie Bobby Brown as Madison Russell. In King of the Monsters, Madison’s mother Emma (Vera Farmiga) sacrificed herself to save Madison and her father Mark (Kyle Chandler) from Ghidorah. When the story picks up, Madison is living with her father, but carries her mother’s memory with her.

“Five years have gone by and Madison has grown up,” Brown explained to us. “It’s definitely a coming-of-age story for her. Her storyline has evolved greatly in the way she deal with things, her attitude towards life. […] [She’s] really trying to follow in her mother’s footsteps, and strength-wise she’s become more strong, more independent, and understands what she needs to do. […] She’s basically a badass.”

Garcia described Madison as an “advocate” for Godzilla in the film. She spends her time trying to vindicate the Titan. This leads her down a path of discovery, especially when she learns of Monarch’s Hollow Earth plan. She’s afraid for Godzilla’s life, and goes on a “fact-finding” journey to uncover what she believes to be a conspiracy caused by a mysterious organization called APEX. Madison is joined by her good friend Josh Valentine (Julian Dennison), who Dennison called the “realist in the duo.” They also cross paths with Brian Tyree Henry’s Bernie Hayes, a former employee of APEX who hopes to expose the group for what it really is.

Henry described Bernie as an “inside conspiracy theorist” who runs his own podcast. “He just really wants to do what’s right for mankind and do what’s right for these kids and do what’s right for what he believes in, because he kind of saw this coming,” Henry explained. “He wants to make sure he kind of leaves a legacy for himself, because he doesn’t want his work to be in vain. I feel like it’s easy to call him a crackpot, it’s easy to call him a crazy guy—which he is, he is. But at the same time there’s heart to him. There’s this loyalty he has. He just wants to make sure the world doesn’t get destroyed.”

Like Madison, Bernie’s also reeling from the loss of a family member. Because of this, the trio forges an emotional bond. One that clearly translated to life. We watched Henry, Brown, and Dennison film a scene together, where their comedic chemistry jumped out. They have a really playful bond—also witnessed in our joint interview with Brown and Dennison, who are hilarious together.

“I get a little nervous sometimes when I think about working with teenagers in this capacity because what they have to do and what they’re called upon is so difficult and so hard,” Henry explained. “And especially with Millie, there’s an emotional center for what [Madison’s] lost from the previous movie. So my duty is just to be there to nurture them, and just protect them in this way. I kind of refer to myself as the Brienne of Tarth of this movie.”

Vince Valitutti/Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Ren Serizawa and APEX

We also got to spend a few minutes with Japanese actor Shun Oguri, who plays a character named Ren Serizawa in Godzilla vs. Kong. If that last name sounds familiar, it’s because Ren is the son of Dr. Ishirō Serizawa, played by Ken Wantanabe in Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Ren Serizawa is an employee of APEX; he’s a scientist who works under Demián Bichir’s Walter Simmons. Oguri couldn’t tell us much about his role, but said that Ren “is a character who wants to protect Earth.” He also said that Ren’s goal is a little different than that of his father.

Oguri also mentioned that APEX is “trying to solve the Titan problem.” So how does this mission conflict with—or fit into—Monarch’s plan? That’s the big question, and feels just as pertinent as who will win between Godzilla and Kong.

Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures

Team Kong

We didn’t spend any time with the “Team Kong” side of the Godzilla vs. Kong cast. But Garcia and Wingard filled in a bit of information about these characters, as did costume designer Ann Foley. Alexander Skarsgård plays Nathan Lind, a geologist affiliated with Monarch who spearheads the initial Hollow Earth mission. He wants to use Kong to aid in his goals as a means of survival. There’s also Rebecca Hall as Ilene Andrews, another figure instrumental in Kong’s storyline. In the trailer, we see her help a young girl named Gia who’s emotionally connected to Kong. According to Foley, Andrews is Gia’s adoptive mother.

Eiza González also stars as Maya Simmons. She previously referred to her character as “comedic,” so she’ll likely add another layer of humor to the project.

Of course, the real stars of the show are the characters in the title. The humans are mostly conduits to the story between Godzilla and Kong. The Titans have their own emotional journeys to go on in the film. So, how will all of these people—as well as organization like Monarch and APEX—factor into their showdown? And is there more going on to the story, perhaps involving mechanized versions of the MonsterVerse characters?

We don’t have to wait long to find out. Godzilla vs. Kong arrives in theaters and on HBO Max on March 31.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks. 

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We’re pretty dang excited for Godzilla vs. Kong here at Nerdist. The first trailer for the upcoming film really has it all. A giant lizard and giant ape in combat. Neon lights aplenty. And epic music to sell the whole big, ridiculous, exciting project—the culmination of several new movies set in the MonsterVerse. But there’s one thing the Godzilla vs. Kong trailer didn’t have: a cat. Until now, that is.

A YouTuber that goes by JKK Films put his cat, Wayne, into the trailer, and it’s incredible. There’s something so special about a giant super-imposed kitty yawning in the background while the big monster boys fight. It’s perfectly in keeping with cat logic. Even giant cats are pretty unfazed by major things going on around them.

JKK Films

There’s no logical reason for Wayne to be in this Godzilla vs. Kong footage. The YouTuber didn’t really bother to factor him into the story. In some scenes, he replaces footage of Godzilla storming through the city. But this isn’t a video where logic matters all that much. The important thing is that Wayne is just hanging out, majestic as a cat can be, an anecdote to the explosive action going on around him. Nothing better than that.

JKK Films’ trailer remix is also just another way to pump ourselves up for Godzilla vs. Kong. That film, directed by Adam Wingard and featuring a sprawling cast (Alexander Skarsgård! Millie Bobby Brown! Kyle Chandler! Bryan Tyree Henry!), comes out just next month, on March 31. Even better? It’ll be released in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. So if you’re worried about venturing to the nearest multiplex, you can enjoy the big action from the safety of your own home.

We can’t wait to see Godzilla vs. Kong, even though we’ll miss Wayne’s presence.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

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The full trailer for Godzilla Vs. Kong recently hit, and it was the big dose of big boisterous fun we all needed right now. We imagine for a lot of younger folks who saw it, they might think this is the first time the two legendary monsters went toe to toe. (Or is that paw to claw?) But nearly 60 years ago, Japan’s finest kaiju and the Big Apple’s favorite ape duked it out in King Kong Vs. Godzilla.

Things were a little more low tech back then, but it didn’t stop kids the world over from eating it up. Now, a YouTube channel named Long Live The King, which is dedicated to all things Godzilla, has uploaded a side-by-side video of the 1962 movie and the 2021 trailer. You can see just how similar (and not similar) they are.

We imagine there will be a lot of differences between the original and the new version. For starters, the original had Kong getting his name first in the title. He subsequently won the big battle. Despite rumors for years, Kong won in both the Japanese and English versions of the film. With Godzilla’s name coming first in this new movie, could they be tipping their hat that the atomic lizard is the victor this time? We’ll have to wait and see. But I have a sneaking suspicion the two will team up to fight a third kaiju. Mechagodzilla perhaps?

Long Live the King

Regardless of who wins in Godzilla Vs. Kong, both cinematic behemoths will always be the rulers in their own right. Godzilla will always be “King of the Monsters,” and Kong will always have the title of “King” preceding his name. But perhaps the greatest kaiju monarch is actually Mothra, who is female. Go fight over who gets to be king boys, nobody is going to take Mothra’s crown as Queen of all Kaiju away. And women tend to outlive men anyway. We’ll see who’s last monster standing in the end.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Featured Image: Long Live the King

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It’s the cinematic rematch giant monster fans have wanted for nearly 60 years. The behemoth ape Kong taking on the gargantuan lizard Godzilla. The wait is finally almost over for Godzilla vs. Kong, and we finally got our first real look at what’s sure to be a grudge match of (possibly) Earth-shattering proportions. How many more euphemisms for “big” can I use? Well, watch the trailer and then tell me.

Not pulling any punches, are they?

The trailer begins with Kong. He’s gotten much larger in the time since Kong: Skull Island, but he’s nevertheless still a recognized world-saver. And apparently something very bad is going on because Alexander Skarsgård is dead set on bringing Kong to the mainland. To do so, Monarch will need to take a small girl to whom Kong has a bond. Rebecca Hall is exploiting Kong’s inherent empathy, which is at Kong’s very core as a character.

Legendary

But wait, if Kong is our hero does that mean…? Well, we don’t have to wait long for the answer. Godzilla attacks the vessel, seemingly hunting Kong. We learn from dialogue later in the trailer that Godzilla has been harming people all over the world. As Millie Bobby Brown and Kyle Chandler point out, that’s very unlike him. Something is apparently influencing and manipulating Godzilla for its own nefarious, apocalyptic purposes.

Something that stands out immediately is the color on display in the trailer. This version of Godzilla finally gets to demolish a neon-lit Tokyo. We also see several bioluminescent creatures. These are likely primordial critters from inside the Hollow Earth; as Hall mentions, it seems like there was a war and only Kong and Godzilla are left. This would suggest the war took place within the Hollow Earth.

But Godzilla can’t be the villain of the whole movie! That doesn’t track. Though the clips in the trailer show him fighting Kong a few times, it’s very likely those are all from the early part of the movie. Then who’s the main villain? Well there’s also a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot around 1 minutes 41 seconds of Shun Oguri’s character standing in front of a light-up schematic that says “Maximum Charge.” You can see what appear to be robotic lizard legs below the words. So… are we thinking Mechagodzilla here?

Even if the movie ultimately ends up with Kong and Godzilla teaming up, the tagline “One Will Fall” definitely has us worried. Godzilla is the king of the monsters. But, “Kong bows to no one,” so…

Godzilla vs. Kong will hit theaters and HBO Max very soon.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

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With three movies leading up to the epic battle between Godzilla and Kong, audiences have seen just how formidable each grand Titan can be. In Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the massive prehistoric reptile took on foes both new and old. In Kong: Skull Island, the enormous gorilla fended off skullcrawlers of all sizes, and the U.S. military. So when the two finally meet in Godzilla vs. Kong, would you expect anything less than the fight of the century? From the movie’s first key art, it looks like that’s exactly what we’ll get.

Legendary

Boldly claiming “one will fall,” the poster depicts Kong, much, much larger than he was in Skull Island, already in a major city. Half the city is engulfed in flame, bathing him in the emblematic colors of both monsters. He stares out into the harbor to see Godzilla’s familiar spines cutting their way through the water. If we worried this movie wasn’t going to “let them fight,” we needn’t have. We’ll find out for sure when the first trailer drops Sunday, January 24.

This does, of course, offer a bit of a dilemma; they’re both heroes, we don’t want one of them to fall! We absolutely know they throw down given that brief snippet from HBO Max’s 2021 trailer, but unlike a lot of “versus” movie, taking sides in this fight seems a lot more fraught. Can they both win? That’d suit us just fine.

Godzilla vs. Kong will make its debut in theaters and on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release. It’ll be here March 26, so we don’t have very long to wait. In addition to the two main guys, the cast includes returning faves Kyle Chandler and Millie Bobby Brown. Alexander Skarsgard; Rebecca Hall; Bryan Tyree Henry; Shun Oguri; Eiza Gonzalez; Lance Reddick; and Demian Bichir also star.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Twitter!

The post GODZILLA VS. KONG Key Art Sets Up a Titanic Battle appeared first on Nerdist.

If you’ve ever wondered what the inside of Godzilla looks like, a new theme park attraction in Japan is giving you the chance to find out firsthand! Nijigen no Mori, a theme park located on an island close to Kobe, Japan, is opening a new Godzilla themed attraction this weekend. It’s the only place on Earth you can jump feet first into a life-sized Godzilla’s toothy mouth… and come out the other end in one piece. (Don’t think about that part too much.)

Toho Co. Ltd.

Nijigen no Mori on Awaji Island is a theme park already home to one-of-a-kind attractions like a colorful village based on beloved anime Naruto and Boruto. On October 10, the newest attraction, “Godzilla Interception Operation Awaji,” opens its doors to kaiju fans everywhere. Attendees take on the roles of researchers and embark on a journey to learn more about the invading creature. It culminates in staring down a 75-foot-tall Godzilla replica at the other end of a death-defying zipline ride.

Like all good theme park rides, the attraction begins with an in-universe movie that informs the public that the kaiju invasion has started. From there, visitors can check out a kaiju museum and shooting gallery game before moving on to the half-buried beast. A very excited and slightly nervous reporter for Sun TV had the chance to film his flight into Godzilla’s mouth.

And a theme park wouldn’t be complete without an appropriately themed menu! We can’t get over the Mothra Curry and the Godzilla Cream Puff.

Nijigen no Mori

Tickets for adults are ¥3,800 and kids are ¥2,200, and just those menu items are worth the price of admission. The next time you’re planning a trip to Japan, take some time to visit this slightly out-of-the-way island to live out your dreams of becoming a ninja and fighting Godzilla.

Kelly Knox is a freelance entertainment writer in Seattle, WA who writes for Star Wars, DC Comics, and more. Follow her on Twitter.

The post Ziplining Straight Into Godzilla’s Mouth Is Peak 2020 appeared first on Nerdist.

Netflix has some big plans for it’s next project. And we do mean big. One of cinema’s largest, most iconic monsters is returning to the streaming giant. He’ll roar back into action in the all new anime series Godzilla Singular Point. The best part, though, is that everyone’s favorite chonky boi is coming with an entirely new story and cast.

Following the success of its Godzilla anime films, Netflix is bringing back the beloved kaiju for his very own series. But Godzilla Singular Point will not be a continuation of the previous movies that have debuted on the streaming site. The series will not be connected to Planet of the Monsters, City on the Edge of Battle, and The Planet Eater. The show will instead feature an original storyline, along with a brand new cast.

Netflix

Atsushi Takahashi (Doraemon the Movie 2017: Great Adventure in the Antarctic Kachi Kochi) will direct. From Netflix’s official announcement, the show’s creative team also includes:

“Kan Sawada, composer for countless Doraemon films and series such as Yowamushi Pedal, Japanese science-fiction novelist Toh Enjoe making his TV debut as editor and writer for the series, Kazue Kato creator of Blue Exorcist and the hit comic currently serialized in Jump Square will serve as the character designer, and animator Eiji Yamamori from Studio Ghibli films including Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away and The Wind Rises will do the Kaiju design.”

The anime studio bones (My Hero Academia) will produce the series in partnership with studio Orange (Beastars, Land of the Lustrous). The show will combine “hand-drawn and CG animation styles.” Netflix provided some early artwork for the seemingly large cast of characters. We already have some guesses as to which ones we’ll root for, and which ones we’ll be okay watching Godzilla step on.

Netflix

We don’t trust that guy in a suit. We hope Godzilla feels the same way. Godzilla Singular Point is set to make it’s big, big, big premiere globally on Netflix in 2021.

Featured Image: Netflix

The post Netflix Announces Original GODZILLA Anime Series appeared first on Nerdist.

Every kid wants to go toe-to-toe with giant monsters. That’s why Titans like Godzilla and Kong became icons in the first place. There’s something about seeing the massive creatures smashing through buildings, or protecting them from other such Kaiju, that remains magical, even decades later. But since kids can’t actually meet Kong or Godzilla in real life, at least they can play with scale versions of them in the form of toys. A new batch of Godzilla vs. Kong toys from Playmates gives kids (or you, let’s be real) the opportunity to get their hands on the power of these titular titans.

Fittingly the Playmates Godzilla vs. Kong action figures come in two playable sizes. The first is the standard 6” scale, perfect for play opposite all your other action figures. This size features two different versions of Kong and Godzilla. For Kong, one has a battle-axe and the other a helicopter accessory; for Godzilla, one has its signature Heat Ray and the other has a radio tower. It’s up to you whether you want the battle-ready versions or the city-stomper versions. But if you’re anything like us, you probably want both.

Also in the 6” scale are some foes for the Kong and Godzilla to fight. First you have a Skullcrawler, as seen in the best sequence in Kong: Skull Island. Kong does not like those Skullcrawler fellows, which makes for great monster playing. The final 6” figure is a Warbat, which is kind of a serpent thing with wings. It’s awesome.

But for fans who want a little bit more mass in their massive monsters, Playmates also has Godzilla and Kong in big ol’, hefty 11” Giant XL versions. The movie Godzilla vs. Kong might not be coming out until 2021, but at least you can stage your own enormous battles now that the toys are available.

Playmates’ Godzilla vs. Kong action figures are based on the film from Legendary and Toho.

This post is sponsored by Playmates Toys.

The post Pit GODZILLA VS. KONG With These New Playmates Toys appeared first on Nerdist.

Pride Month may be over, but celebrating and accepting the LGBTQIA+ community transcends a singular month. That said, we’re always happy to see how everyone celebrates Pride and we couldn’t be more thrilled about this adorable new video posted on the official Toho Godzilla Twitter account.

The short film was created by stop motion animator Cressa Maeve Beer and shows Godzilla’s young child struggling with their identity. She eventually comes out to her father, the big and lovable kaiju, as a trans girl. And, because Godzilla is every bit the supporting parent you’d expect, he accepts her without question and shows her love.

Godzilla even knits his daughter a trans flag, prompting her to tears. And us to tears, too!

Cressa Maeve Beer/Toho Godzilla

This touching short film may seem simple, but the message is overwhelmingly powerful and positive. Simply accepting our children for who they are is easy—and giving them the love they deserve even easier. Godzilla, with his unconditional and unquestioning support, is a model for the exact way to deal with a transitioning child. Love, support, kindness, and even a little creativity to make them feel extra special.

There are so many lovely details in the short, too. Like Godzilla’s daughter watching Sailor Moon and feeling seen.

We really love this short and we really love that the official Toho Godzilla account shared it for Pride. The more we normalize trans stories, the more we help that community. And the more we erase the toxic stigma that certain famous celebrities are trying to spread at a time when we need love and acceptance more than ever before.

Pride Month may be over, but every day is Pride when you live and love with an open heart and an open mind. Just like Godzilla.

Featured Image: Cressa Maeve Beer/Toho Godzilla

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Or we could just show you the Godzilla HugMe Vibrating 16-Inch Plush. We choose the plush.

Crunchyoll / Toho

Okay, we’ll tell you about the amazing new clothing, too.

Crunchyroll is back with another fantastic CR Loves streetwear collection, this time featuring the King of Monsters himself. We’re big fans of the eye-catching colors. Three long-sleeved shirts, two t-shirts, three hoodies, and a tote with designs inspired by panels in manga and comic books make up the streetwear collection. The nine pieces, exclusive to CR Loves, proudly show off an edgy and unmistakable homage to Godzilla and his friends.

Crunchyroll / Toho

There are also a few collectible plush and glow-in-the-dark vinyl toys available to pre-order—including the aforementioned vibrating plush. (We are mesmerized by it.)

The latest CR Loves collection celebrates Godzilla terrorizing audiences since 1954 through his appearances in more than 30 films, in both Japan and the U.S.

“It has been such a fantastic experience collaborating with Crunchyroll on the designs seen in the brand-new Godzilla collection, and we’re excited to bring our fans new, everyday ways to celebrate the King of the Monsters,” said Lora Cohn, Managing Director at Toho International.

Streetwear prices range from $19.95 to $54.95. The collection is available for pre-sale now exclusively on the Crunchyroll Store. Pre-orders are only open through June 22, though. And once the pre-order comes to an end, this collection will no longer be available.

So don’t delay. You want this amazing Godzilla plush in your life, right?

Featured Image: Crunchyroll / Toho

Kelly Knox is a freelance writer in Seattle, WA who writes for Star Wars, DC Comics, and more. Follow her on Twitter.

The post We’ve Got Our Eyes on the New CR LOVES: GODZILLA Collection appeared first on Nerdist.

Long Live the King! For the past three weeks, we’ve been taking a trip through the world of Legendary’s MonsterVerse. First, we watched 2014’s Godzilla with director Gareth Edwards. Then we joined Jordan Vogt Roberts on a mission to Kong: Skull Island. We rounded out the the trilogy with a jam-packed tweet-along with Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ Mike Dougherty. The director gave us an incredible two-hour-plus tour of his movie, including a bunch of amazing easter eggs, beautiful concept art, rad classic Godzilla homages, and a load of other treats.

Warner Bros. 

Dougherty started off strong with this awesome little explainer.

We love this sentiment and it comes across so well in the film.

The director also confirmed one of our favorite fan theories.

The director put great consideration into every element—even the hench people!

Please take our money and make this movie!

Dougherty also opened up about the relationship at the core of the film.

A lot of what made it to the screen came from the director’s own fandom.

Here’s why the Hollow Earth theory came into play for King of the Monsters.

Dougherty brought a lot of the natural world to his iteration of the massive creatures.

Turns out that Ghidorah is just an evil fellow…

Vera Farmiga is a goddess!

In case you were wondering where Emma got her ideas…

We weren’t the only ones who found parallels in King of the Monsters and 2020.

Dougherty also revealed his thinking behind making Madison and her mother the antagonists.

In earlier versions, we would have gotten a look inside Outpost 56.

The director’s own experience with the 1956 Rodan movie shaped his version of the monster.

This original sculpt of Rodan is one of the coolest things we’ve ever seen.

Dougherty also talked about the process that went into Rodan’s unique and terrifying design.

Get ready for some serious cameos!!

We also got a little more info on what drew Dougherty to each of the monsters.

DARN HUMANS!

Please tell us more about this handsome fellow on the left.

Mothra twins assemble!!!

In a shocking twist, we almost didn’t get Mothra…

We also happen to be huge fans of this gorgeous scene.

The director expanded on one of the biggest connections to Kong: Skull Island.

The film is stacked with rad literary nods which Dougherty highlighted.

It’s clear that Dougherty is a huge fan of the Toho world.

One of the coolest easter eggs was this quote paying homage to one of our fave Kaiju flicks, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.

Dougherty also revealed his favorite track from the score.

We got insight into why the director introduced Godzilla’s lair.

He shared some cool details about the giant’s monster’s secret space.

One of our favorite moments of the whole movie has a deeper meaning.

We can’t get over this cool reveal, which shows just how much care went into the score.

Dougherty clearly had a philosophical bent on the King of the Monsters.

Ahhh, so that’s why it was set in Boston!

There were plenty of gorgeous concept art reveals, too.

Like this…

Looks like Godzilla might have a few more secret hideouts to call his own.

Turns out that we almost got a Rodan, Mothra, and Godzilla team-up from the start.

That badass Mothra stinger—you were right… it’s new?

This Mothra take definitely makes us feel better about her sacrifice.

There were also plenty of reveals about character beats, like this deep one about Emma.

We love the final fight, but this would have also been really great.

Dougherty shared this tidbit about the iconic moment where the Titans bow to their king.

We 100% back this statement.

Dougherty gave a much deserved shoutout to the SFX crew.

The final credits are stuffed with Easter eggs, and Dougherty shared a fave.

The director shared this beautiful clip of the score being recorded.

He even teased what that post-credits sequence could mean…

If you want to get involved our next #NerdistFromHome, watch along is in conjunction with our amazing Nerdist Book Club. At Tuesday, April 28 5PM PT, press play on the classic animated Hobbit movie, and then on Wednesday, April 29, the Nerdist Book Club airs its final Hobbit episode on Nerdist & Geek & Sundry YouTube and G&S Twitch!

Feature Image: Warner Bros.

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

The post 50 Facts We Learned About GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS appeared first on Nerdist.

There’s literally nothing cooler than seeing storyboards from movies we love.

Vogt Roberts was full of praise for his amazing collaborators.

If you were looking for any more concrete connections to Godzilla, you’ll be pleased.

One of our favorite lines gained an extra importance.

We got a lot of cool glimpses at rad production art.

The director also shared a personal story behind a super cool easter egg.

Asking the big questions here.

One of the most iconic shots was also one of the earliest to be brought to life.

The director unveiled some really cool tidbits about shooting.

Turns out that Vogt Roberts loves anime as much as we do.

Take our money!!!

Vogt Roberts teased that there were still some hidden easter eggs.

We say it once again: take our money!!!

The queen, Rachel Heine, educated the director and cinematographer on this canon point.

And our very own Kyle Anderson caught these two rad references.

There are loads of video game references in the movie, but this is our favorite.

Vogt Roberts shared a personal connection to a vital cast member.

Turns out that Gareth Edwards and Vogt Roberts shared a trip together post filming.

Another highlight? The awesome concept art we got to see for the first time.

I mean…

We love that Vogt Roberts happens to be a big fan of Pokemon.

An alternate universe bit of casting we wish we could see…

If you loved this week’s MonsterVerse Watchalong, you’re in luck: we’re having another one next week. Get ready to watch Godzilla: King of the Monsters! If anyone hasn’t joined yet, it’ll be a great jumping on point!

Header Image: Legendary

The post 22 KONG: SKULL ISLAND Facts the Director Revealed During Our Watchalong appeared first on Nerdist.

This week saw our inaugural Monsterverse watchalong and it was a blast. We began as all good things should with the king of monsters himself, Godzilla! The 2014 movie is a dark and thoughtful monster movie starring Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, and of course, Big G himself. Director Gareth Edwards joined us to do his first ever live tweet of the movie from the official Godzilla account and it was a total riot. Not only did we—and the fans who joined us—get to enjoy the awesome monster mashup, but Edwards revealed a whole bunch of amazing new art, information, and secrets about production!

Legendary, Toho

Edwards opened his first ever Godzilla live tweet with a super cool tidbit about those rad opening titles.

The watchalong was filled with plenty of cool moments, but this early reveal of some cut make-up design was especially exciting!

The director also revealed the real location of the gorgeous house where Ford and his family live.

Edwards also filled the chat with hilarious little production reveals like this charming anecdote about filming the  “nuclear plant.”

Viewers also got some great insight into sweet moments on set like this Brian Cranston gem.

Edwards might have forgotten to use this prop but at least he has a nice memento at home.

If this moment had made it in, it would have been such a cool nod to the classic movies that came before!

For all us Monsterverse fans out there, Edwards revealed a little about how the Monarch logo came together.

Important goo content!

We also learned that crafting the new daikaiju, known as MUTOs, wasn’t easy.

But Edwards did share some awesome concept art that would end up shaping the massive monsters.

This sounds like a presentation we would have died to attend tbh…

In a nice literary nod to monster stories of yore, the shooting title was a reference to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

But Edwards also revealed that wasn’t the original shooting title…

We also learned about a homage that was built into Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s character.

One of the coolest parts of the watch along was all the rad art Edwards shared, like these early storyboards.

Edwards’ commentary was filled with cool secrets that you’d have never known unless you were actually on set!

He also shared that some interesting method acting that went on to get those screams from the kids.

More gorgeous roughs of giant monsters preparing to fight!

Not that we needed anymore proof, but Ken Watanabe is the best.

Even as massive Monsterverse fans, we learned some new Easter eggs whilst taking part in the watchalong.

More beautiful concept art. This might be our favorite piece that was revealed during the whole movie.

Though it should surprise no one that an inventive director like Edwards had unexpected influences, this one is a standout!

Turns out one of the movie’s most iconic moments began as a joke!

Edwards threw us through a loop with this deep take on his apparently ambiguous thoughts on the ending…

And of course, it’s always good to get a reminder that you never have any idea of the order a film was shot in!

You can join us for our next #NerdistFromHome #MonsterverseWatchalong Kong: Skull Island on Thursday, April 16, at 5pm PT!

Header Image: Legendary, Toho

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks. 

The post 26 GODZILLA Facts Gareth Edwards Revealed During Our Monsterverse Watchalong appeared first on Nerdist.

Times are tough right now. We welcome distractions. We welcome gathering virtually in lieu of in person. And those online meet-ups can lead to cool opportunities—like the Monsterverse Watchalong! You’ve been joining us on Friday evenings for #NerdistFromHome selections, but is that enough? It’s not. Trust us. First, we kicked things off with Godzilla and director Gareth Edwards. Last week, Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts shared behind-the-scenes moments and went live on Instagram with some of the cast! And this Thursday at 5pm PT, we’re wrapping up the MonsterVerse watchalong with Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Mike Dougherty!

In Godzilla: King of the Monsters, we dive deeper into the mysterious organization Monarch and meet a metric ton of Titans as Godzilla and Mothra team up to defeat King Ghidorah and protect mankind. The Godzilla sequel stars Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, and more!

Join the Monsterverse Watchalong for Godzilla: King of the Monsters trivia, behind-the-scenes information, concept art, and polls. Director Mike Dougherty will be tweeting along with us, so make sure you follow along:

@Legendary on Twitter
@Legendary on Instagram Stories
@Nerdist on Twitter
@Godzillamovie on Twitter

As far as where to watch the movie, you have plenty of options. Pop in your version of the film, or…

Stream: HBO Now, HBO Go, DirecTV
Rent: AMC ON demand
Buy: Amazon, YouTube, Google Play, Apple, Vudu, Microsoft, Redbox, AMC on Demand, DirecTV

So mark your calendars for Thursday, 4/23, at 5:00pm PT for the culmination of our Monsterverse Watchalong with Godzilla: King of the Monsters!

Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures & Legendary Pictures

Editor’s Note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!

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If you love giant monsters and collectible fantasy card games then you’re in luck! Today we learned that the newest Magic: The Gathering pack Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths will feature some of the classic kaiju including the King of Monsters himself, Godzilla.

Wizards of the Coast

As you can see from the rad examples above, the Godzilla characters will feature on legitimate, usable, and powerful Magic cards. They would make solid additions to any deck. In an exclusive pre-release interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Wizards of the Coast product architect Mark Heggen explained why the massive monster was a natural addition to the sprawling card game.”We grew up watching Godzilla and for years we’d wanted to create a set that captures the scale and excitement of those classic giant monster movies. All Magic sets have monsters of some variety, but we wanted to dial things all the way up and express that building-smashing, shake-the-ground, “run!” type of drama that those movies do so well.”

Wizards of the Coast, by Antonio Jose Manzanedo

Heggen explained Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths will focus on “a brand-new world called Ikoria” which will act as “a playground for our own new batch of gigantic monsters.”

“…at some point we decided to just invite the biggest, baddest monster of all to join us. We’ve never done anything like this before, but for this set the idea of having Godzilla and his friends crash the party just felt natural,” Heggen added.

Wizards of the Coast says the set “introduces players to Lukka, a proud member of the Coppercoats, the military unit that protects the city of Drannith from Ikoria’s savage monsters. Lukka’s world is forever changed when he forms a mystical connection with a ferocious, winged cat.”

Wizards of the Coast

One of our favorite parts about the series (which will feature 16 Godzilla cards in North America and 19 in Japan) is that they’ve gotten some incredible artists including one of our comic book faves, Daniel Warren Johnson to create the images. The complete card list is:

• Anguirus, Armored Killer
• Babygodzilla, Ruin Reborn
• Biollante, Plant Beast Form
• Bio-Quartz Spacegodzilla
• Destoroyah, Perfect Lifeform
• Dorat, the Perfect Pet
• Ghidorah, King of the Cosmos
• Gigan, Cyberclaw Terror
• Godzilla, Doom Inevitable
• Godzilla, King of the Monsters
• Godzilla, Primeval Champion
• King Caesar, Ancient Guardian
• King Caesar, Awoken Titan
• Mothra, Supersonic Queen
• Rodan, Titan of Winged Fury
• Spacegodzilla, Void Invader
• 決戦兵器、メカゴジラ (Crystalline Giant – Japanese only)
• 暗黒破壊獣、バトラ (Dirge Bat – Japanese only)
• モスラの巨大な繭 (Mothra’s Great Cocoon – Japanese only)

Toho

Fans will only be able to obtain Godzilla, King of the Monsters (while supplies last) by purchasing a draft booster pack display through a Wizards Play Network store. Each sealed draft booster pack display will contain a random Godzilla Series Monster card. Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Collector Boosters will also contain two random Godzilla Series Monster cards. The Godzilla Series Monster cards will not appear in draft booster packs.

You can pre-order this  super cool addition to the world of Magic: The Gathering right now! Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths releases April 16, 2020 on Magic: The Gathering Arena, with full retail store worldwide release on May 15, 2020. We cannot wait to wield the powers of Godzilla and his buds.

Featured Image: Wizards of the Coast, by Antonio Jose Manzanedo

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Magic: The Gathering’s is calling all monsters in their latest set, IKORIA, and it looks like players could be summoning one of the most famous of them all. In a surprise crossover, the King of the Monsters himelf, Godzilla, and some of his iconic costars will be appearing as part of the new set. Dan breaks it all down in today’s episode of Nerdist News!

What other monsters do you hope they reveal? Let us know in the comments!

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The 11-minute student film Godzilla vs. Mito Komon was made by Shinya Takeshita of the Osaka Art University, and has gained cult status among Godzilla die-hards since it first surfaced. The YouTube listing estimates that the VHS-filmed masterpiece was made around 1991 and it is truly a passion project. As you can see in the full film above, Takeshita plays every single character in the film, including Godzilla, Ultraman, Daimajin, King Ghidorah, Mito Komon, all of that very bad guy’s obsessed followers, and of course some electric pylons. With this addition to fan canon, Takeshita proved he really is a master of cinema. 

It’s always amazing to see fans bringing their love of a property to life—especially something like this, which was created very much before the age of the internet. It’s also proof of the power of Godzilla; Takeshita was so dedicated to bringing his own vision for the masterful monster to life that he made this awesome Guerilla movie starring no one but himself. Iconic. Whilst we’re all stuck inside, we could really do well to bring some of this do-it-yourself attitude to some of our personal projects and make some things that show just how much we love art!

We’ll be keeping an eye out for your home movie creations, maybe you’ll make something new like Takeshita, or perhaps you’ll suede one of your favorite movies? Whatever happens, we’re excited to see the amazing art that gets created during these tough times. 

Feature Image: Toho

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Here at Nerdist, we’re big fans of both Mondo and Godzilla, so we were incredibly excited when the former announced a gallery show at SXSW inspired entirely by the former. Sadly, SXSW was cancelled, but Mondo is still releasing the gorgeous posters, and today we’re excited to exclusively reveal the final selection of amazing artwork!

Mondo, Francesco Francavilla

Mondo, Francesco Francavilla

Each of the final four posters comes in a classic and variant Japanese edition, and the trio centers on some of the most iconic and beloved Godzilla films. The first is the stunning Francesco Francavilla’s take on the original Godzilla film, which was recut for American audiences and released as Godzilla King of the Monsters. These two masterpieces are joined by Shan Jiang’s brooding take on Godzilla vs Destoroyah, the 1995 monster-mash-up classic.

Mondo, Shan Jiang

Mondo, Shan Jiang

Next up are Paul Mann’s radical posters for Destroy All Monsters. My personal favorite Godzilla flick, this 1968 gem centers on a massive monster fight featuring he titular terror, Rodan, Mothra, Manda, King Ghidora, and a whole bunch more, which is instigated by a race of maniacal female aliens. It also features Godzilla’s lovely chubby child Minilla. What more could you want?

Mondo, art by Paul Mann; layout by Chris Bilheimer

Mondo, art by Paul Mann; layout by Chris Bilheimer

The last poster in the collection is Attack Peter’s take on Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster A.K.A. Godzilla vs Hedorah. These beautiful posters are totally unique as they’re handcrafted linocut artwork printed on Lokta paper.

Mondo, Peter Attack

Mondo, Peter Attack

In the original press release for the now-canceled show, Mondo’s Creative Director of Toys and Collectibles, Brock Otterbacher stated of Godzilla:

“He’s been many things over his many years–a symbol of the horrors of war, nature’s wrath, a hero, a villain, and even the collection of angry souls taking revenge on the living. One thing he’s always been, however, is beloved across many generations of fans, children, and adults alike. Dozens of fantastic artists bring their appreciation to the various eras of Toho’s monster movies, and I, as a huge fan myself, feel there’s something for every kind of Godzilla fan. Whether you have love for Jet Jaguar, Mothra, Gigan, Destoroyah, or Godzilla himself, I think you’ll be stoked for what we have in store for you!”

You’ll be able to purchase these gorgeous Godzilla posters from Mondo from Tuesday 31st.

Featured Image: Mondo, Francesco Francavilla

The post These Mondo GODZILLA Posters Crush (Exclusive) appeared first on Nerdist.

Watch imagination come to life before your very eyes thanks to these extremely talented artists—and kaiju fans! Creator and sculptor Bat Zemo first shared his incredible Godzilla-inspired “GODzArmour” design in January, which on its own is stunning sculpting work.

Cosplayer Salvador Hernandez, also known as Suastegui, decided to turn that idea into a real life costume. The result is staggering.

Hernandez debuted the Godzilla armor cosplay at La Mole, a comic convention in Mexico City, just this month. And it was head turning. The plates of armor are unbelievably detailed and almost look organic, and the “heart” and spine of the costume light up with a luminescent blue glow that immediately brings to mind the formidable King of the Monsters himself.

The cosplayer not only contacted the original artist, reported Kotaku, but got his seal of approval after he shared the first photos from La Mole. “This is my pride That a man likes it And created GodzArmour Came up with diligence Until the very end, it’s very cool / Thank you sir,” tweeted Bat Zemo.

You have to see the cosplay in action to get an idea of not only how much craftsmanship and love Hernandez obviously poured into the project, but to check out his poses as he walks the runway in costume. He owns it.

¡Adelante Godzilla! Hernandez won first place in the 2020 First Class Cosplay Competition.

Be sure to take a look through his suast_cosplay account on Instagram for more snapshots with other cosplayers, poses, and even what the Godzilla-inspired armor looks like when it’s resting in pieces on the floor. (Spoiler: It’s still bad-ass.)

Featured Image: WB/Legendary

Kelly Knox is a freelance writer in Seattle, WA who writes for Star Wars, DC Comics, and more. Follow her on Twitter.

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As the rain falls on Los Angeles and the world comes together to face the coronavirus, it’s easy to get caught up in the constant news cycle and understandable worry that comes with it. Though we’re here to keep you informed, we’re also here to help distract you from the often overwhelming nature of current affairs. So we here at Nerdist have gotten together to plan our ultimate cozy binge watch list. From thrilling auteur box sets to contemporary streaming smashes, we’ve put together some of our favorite shows and movies for you to enjoy while you’re indoors.

Stranger Things – Mikey Walsh

Netflix

Whether you’ve never seen Stranger Things before or want to complete a rewatch before season four, the show is ideal for binging. The mystery, intrigue, and danger grows with every episode. By jumping right into the next episode, you’ll keep the momentum the show excels at building, creating a more intense viewing experience. Because at its best Stranger Things is like a great book you can’t put down. You can watch Stranger Things on Netflix now.

Godzilla: The Showa Era Films Criterion Box Set – Rosie Knight

Criterion

I’ve always loved Godzilla, so I was ecstatic when Criterion released this stunning box set. The set includes the first 15 movies in the monster movie franchise. The Showa era films span decades, which is something particularly perfect about this set. The collect begins with the original Godzilla, a searingly political and thoughtful film. From there, you get to enjoy the evolution of Godzilla from a war-time analogy for the nuclear threat to a monster movie icon in his own right. These classic films always make me feel cozy and entertained. They’re also complete technical feats that are a joy to rewatch. You can buy the Godzilla: The Showa Era Films set at Criterion.

Alfred Hitchcock Ultimate Collection – Kyle Anderson

Paramount Pictures

For sheer bang versus buck, the Alfred Hitchcock Ultimate Collection is tough to beat. Collecting 15 of the Master of Suspense’s best films—we’re talkin’ the likes of Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, and Shadow of a Doubt—along with ten episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents he directed, this is maybe a week’s worth of great and oddly comforting thrillers from a simpler time. And it’s worth it just to listen to Bernard Herrmann’s scores alone! You can buy the Alfred Hitchcock Ultimate Collection on Amazon.

Yuri!!! on ICE – Kelly Knox

Crunchyroll

Yuri!!! on ICE made its debut in 2016 and quickly won the hearts of anime fans around the world. While those fans have been waiting patiently for a sequel ever since, now is the best time to catch up on the delightful series. With just 12 episodes, this isn’t as huge of an anime undertaking as a series like My Hero Academia would be; in fact, this show makes the perfect one-day binge. You’ll be dancing along with the opening credits after watching them just once.

Filled with romance so sweet and pure it will make you melt, along with stunning animation and an engrossing story about competitive ice skating, Yuri!!! on ICE is like comfort food on a day when you most need it. (The final episode is a heart-pounding experience, though, we have to warn you!) You can watch Yuri!!! on ICE on Crunchyroll now.

Galavant – Riley Silverman

Netflix

The tragically under-appreciated sword, sorcery, and sing-along sitcom Galavant makes for an excellent binging experience. The show only lasted two seasons which means it’ll occupy some time but won’t dominate it. The musical numbers lampoon everything from Les Miserables, to Grease, to Disney with a huge degree of self-parody from Alan Menken himself. The show is just so dang charming and self-aware that it’s a go-to for me to queue up whenever I just need some completely irreverent escapism. Watch it all in one sitting or possibly even pair episodes of it with some of the heavier fares you’re binging as well, for those moments when you just need to come up for air. You can watch Galavant on Netflix now.

The Great British Bake Off – Amy Ratcliffe

BBC One

Wholesome competition, delectable looking baked goods, wonderfully kind amateur bakers? What’s not to love? The Great British Bake Off delivers heart and fun in every season. I know that about a million people have told you to check it out, so allow me to add to the chorus. A television baking competition, Bake Off isn’t like any other cooking contest I’ve watched. The competitors tackle different categories each week with three challenges to test their skills: a signature bake, a technical challenge, and a show-stopper. While you may feel occasional stress about whether a contestant will drop the elaborate, multi-level cake they made, that’s about as high stakes as it gets. The Great British Bake Off is perfectly soothing and delightful but not boring.

The Great British Bake Off is available to watch on Netflix now.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – Tai Gooden

NBC

One of my favorite TV shows to watch when I want something entertaining yet comforting is The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. It’s the perfect way for me to escape from stress and immerse myself back into a show that gave me so much joy as a kid. I can watch the same episodes over and over again and never get tired of Will’s antics, the Carlton dance, or Jazz’s random shenanigans. You can buy the full Fresh Prince of Bel-Air boxset on ebay.

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries – Meaghan Kirby

ABC

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries radiates positivity. Yes, it’s a murder crime series, but it has an infectious energy that’s perfect for when in need of a boost. Whenever I’m feeling anxious, sad, or need a pleasant distraction, I revisit my favorite episodes. Set in late 1920s Melbourne, the series follows fabulous private detective Phryne Fisher as she solves crimes, pesters the local police—including the dashing Detective Inspector Jack Robinson—and lives her best life. It has a delightful cast of characters, dazzling ’20s clothing, and one of the best protagonists on television. Don’t miss it! You can watch Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries on Acorn TV now.

Star Trek: The Next Generation – Eric Diaz

CBS

My favorite binge watch in troubling times—or really, in most times—will always be Star Trek: The Next Generation. Not only because it’s a comforting show from my youth, but because in the bleakest moments in history, it’s nice to imagine a future where we get past our petty differences, conquer disease, and unite into a new version of humanity. Also, right about now the intelligent and steadfast leadership of Captain Jean-Luc Picard seems especially appealing. You can watch Star Trek: TNG on Netflix now.

The Haunting of Hill House – Lindsey Romain

Netflix

This might sound a bit strange, but I often cope with things beyond my control with horror. There’s something meditative about the way horror works for me—something almost out of body. Fear is the way I feel most alive.

In hard times, I find myself returning to Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House because it’s not only horror… it’s also hopeful horror. The ten episode series charts generational trauma and deals with a lot of topics that feel hopeless: suicide, mental illness, grief, addiction. But ultimately, it’s about finding your way through the darkest moments and stumbling to the other side. Nothing is forever, happiness is always possible, and being there for the people we love is the best medicine. That’s what the show means to me, and why I find it so soothing in times like these. You can watch The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix now.

Parks and Recreation – Andrea Towers

NBC

What better way to combat boredom or quarantine than with everyone’s favorite optimistic Pawnee resident? It works as an escape from life, too. Parks and Rec has always been a bright spot when I need something to put a smile on my face. I never get tired of watching it. I’ve pretty much lost count of how many times Donna has told me to “treat yo self” or how many times I’ve listened to Leslie’s impassioned town hall speeches. You can watch Parks and Rec on Netflix now.

Featured Image: Toho, Netflix, CBS, Paramount Pictures

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