GODZILLA MINUS ZERO 2026 Release Date Revealed on New Teaser Poster
Godzilla is about to make another massive stomp across theaters, and this time the wait between Japan and North America is almost nonexistent. Godzilla Minus Zero, the follow-up to the critically acclaimed Godzilla Minus One, now has an official release date and it’s lining up with a pretty meaningful moment in the franchise’s long history.
Toho and GKIDS have announced that Godzilla Minus Zero will open in North American theaters on November 6. That puts its release just three days after the film debuts in Japan on November 3, a move Toho describes as a rare near-simultaneous release for a Japan-produced Godzilla movie.
For longtime fans, you might know that November 3 also marks Godzilla Day, the anniversary of the original Godzilla hitting theaters back in 1954.
That date has proven lucky for the modern era of the franchise. Godzilla Minus One also opened in Japan on November 3 in 2023 and went on to become the highest-grossing Japan-produced Godzilla film of all time.
It didn’t just dominate at the box office either. The film made history as the first Godzilla movie ever nominated for an Academy Award and took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects, becoming the first Japanese feature to win in that category.
Returning for the sequel is Takashi Yamazaki, who once again pulls triple duty as director, screenwriter, and VFX supervisor. While plot details are being kept tightly under wraps, production is already underway at Toho Studios. Robot is producing, with visual effects work handled by Shirogumi, continuing the practical-meets-digital approach that made Minus One such a standout.
The title Godzilla Minus Zero was revealed during Godzilla Fest last November, following the initial announcement of the sequel in 2024. It didn’t take long for speculation to explode, especially given how well Minus One performed overseas.
In North America alone, the film pulled in $56 million, making it the highest-grossing Japanese-language live-action movie ever released in the region.
Yamazaki previously shared that Godzilla Minus One was made on a surprisingly lean $15 million budget, and he expects the sequel to have more financial breathing room. He also touched on his relationship with emerging technology in filmmaking, saying:
“Until recently, I’ve been still shooting on film and I like to use miniatures. So I know that someday we’re going to have to embrace and kind of work with AI, but I’m probably going to be one of the later ones because I do like working with older technology and techniques.”
Godzilla Minus Zero is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated movie events of the year. November can’t get here fast enough!
