RIP: Godzilla's next film will be his last, ending a 50-year series of 28 movies.

BBC On Line ^ | Wednesday, 3 March, 2004 | staff writer

[yankeedame]

Last Updated: Wednesday, 3 March, 2004, 14:39 GMT

Final battle looms for Godzilla

Japanese cinema favourite Godzilla's next film appearance will be his last, ending a 50-year series of 28 movies. The giant lizard will star in Final Wars this December - ending a movie franchise that has attracted almost 100 million fans in Japan alone since 1954.

In that time, he has become an icon of Japanese culture and a global star.

But he may return if a "new generation of directors emerge or a brand new film-making method is found to create a whole new world", the film studio said.

The new film "will compile the fruits of 50 years' work and put an end to the series", according to Yukihiko Mochida, spokesman for the Toho studio.

Topical

Final Wars will feature 10 monsters from past Godzilla adventures.

They will include the new, stronger Monster X and will go on the rampage in New York, Shanghai, Sydney and Paris.

Godzilla has taken breaks from his big screen roles twice previously - once in 1975 when the popularity of television saw the number of cinema-goers fall, and once again in 1995.

The green monster was resurrected as a computer-generated creature in a Hollywood blockbuster five years ago but the $120m (£65.5m) film was a flop.

The first Godzilla film featured the lizard emerging out of the sea after being awakened by a US atomic bomb test at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific in 1954.

Up to 1,000 people per day flocked to see an exhibition on the character in Tokyo in 2002 - double the number that usually went to the Japanese museum where it was held.

(all photos mine -- YD

[Honcho]

I was starting to think I was the only one who use to watch Ultra Man. HOYOTO!

[TheBigB]

Ahhhhh, Jet Jaguar. Don't think about that theme song too long or blood will shoot out from your ears.

[CougarGA7]

AURGH!

Too late.....can't....breath....

(THUMP!)

[TheBigB]

GOTTA bring back King Ghidorah. Gigan was pretty cool.

[FourtySeven]

Bump......that was an awesome read! LOL

Brought a tear to my eye. hehe

[R. Scott]

I think that was before Godzilla became a good guy monster living on Monster Island with all the other good monsters.

[Jonah Hex]

The MST'ed version of Prince of Space is okay. I'd like to see this one filmed, however.

[Starter]

Ever noticed what, Jonah?

[Godzilla]

Hehehehe, no skooter-pie thighs either.

[mewzilla]

Maybe Junior can follow in Dad's footsteps.

[Radioactive]

Just so you know. Most people don't know that.

Maybe we should call the show Fairy Mason.

[RightWingAtheist]

Starman can kick his butt ANYday!

[Brian Mosely]

Long time Gojira fans need to to check out Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah - Giant Monsters All-Out Attack from 2001. The set up is that none of the films between the first movie and this one ever happened. G is the bad guy again. Killer effects for a guy in a rubber suit movie.

[breakem]

RIP: Godzilla's next film will be his last, ending a 50-year series of 28 movies.

Headline indicates a serious ignorance of the movie industry.

[Jonah Hex]

Ever noticed what, Jonah?

"How most folks call them green onions but they're really scallions."

[SevenofNine]

OHH I forgot about Junior

I hope they relese Godzilla movie on DVD that be cool

You are da lizard Godzilla

[al baby]

Oh no its Hillerzilla

[TheBigB]

Tsk, tsk. Junior has ALREADY taken his dad's place. :) If you watched GODZILLA VS. DESTROYER, you know that Godzilla II melted down due to his radioactive core overheating. Godzilla Jr., caught in the release of Dad's radioactivity, mutated into a full-grown Godzilla.

[TheBigB]

Got that one on DVD a couple of months before it was released here. Your're right--it's awesome! I love they way they made G.'s pupils comlpetely white. Makes him look more evil.

[TheBigB]

You should also watch the new GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA from 2002. It's great, also.