Godzilla Minus Zero is the upcoming Japanese monster epic directed, written and VFX-supervised by Takashi Yamazaki, serving as a direct sequel to his Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One (2023). Set in 1949, two years after the events of the first film, the new chapter follows the survivors of a ruined postwar Japan as they face a chilling truth: Godzilla was never fully destroyed.
With returning composer Naoki Satō crafting the score and a cast led by Ryunosuke Kamiki, the production — mounted by Toho Studios, ROBOT and Shirogumi VFX under producers Minami Ichikawa and Taichi Ueda — is also the first Japanese production filmed for IMAX. Trade reports put the runtime at 135 minutes and note an R rating, which would make this the first R-rated Godzilla film. Here is everything verified so far about the release date, cast, trailer and score.
Godzilla Minus Zero Movie Facts
Film: Godzilla Minus Zero (2026)
Director: Takashi Yamazaki (also writer and VFX supervisor)
Cast: Ryunosuke Kamiki (Koichi Shikishima), Minami Hamabe (Noriko Oishi), Hidetaka Yoshioka (Noda), Yuki Yamada (Shiro Mizushima), Kuranosuke Sasaki (Seiji Akitsu), Sakura Ando (Sumiko Ota), Mio Tanaka (Tatsuo Hotta), with Jun Kunimura, Masami Nagasawa and Min Tanaka — the latter newly joining as biologist Kanji Murakami
Music: Naoki Satō
Release Date: November 3, 2026 in Japan (Godzilla Day) via Toho; November 6, 2026 in North America via GKIDS; the same week across Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand
Runtime: 135 minutes, according to trade reports
Rating: R, according to trade reports — the first R-rated Godzilla film
Studio: Toho Studios, ROBOT, Shirogumi VFX (producers: Minami Ichikawa & Taichi Ueda)
Music & Score
Composer Naoki Satō returns from Godzilla Minus One to score Godzilla Minus Zero, once again shaping the film's large-scale orchestral sound. His music for the first film was widely praised as a key part of its emotional weight, and expectations are high for what he brings to the sequel.
The score will also have an unusually large canvas: the film is the first Japanese production filmed for IMAX, so Satō's music is expected to be mixed to fill the format's expanded sound field when the film opens in IMAX auditoriums this November.
Watch the Official Trailer
Watch "GODZILLA MINUS ZERO | Official Trailer 2" from the official GODZILLA OFFICIAL by TOHO YouTube channel below. The final trailer, released around October 11–12, 2026, has sparked a "Monster Zero" fan theory — its sound design and gravity-beam hints have some viewers speculating about King Ghidorah. That remains trailer speculation only; nothing has been confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Godzilla Minus Zero released?
It opens in Japan on November 3, 2026 (Godzilla Day) via Toho, and in North America on November 6, 2026 via GKIDS, with a same-week rollout across Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.
Is it a sequel to Godzilla Minus One?
Yes. Directed, written and VFX-supervised by Takashi Yamazaki, it is a direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One (2023) — the Academy Award winner for visual effects that grossed over $116 million worldwide — and is set in 1949, two years later.
Who composed the music?
Naoki Satō, returning from Godzilla Minus One, composes the score for Godzilla Minus Zero.
Does King Ghidorah appear?
Not confirmed. The final trailer's sound design and gravity-beam hints have fueled a "Monster Zero" fan theory that King Ghidorah could be teased, but this is trailer speculation only — treat it as such until Toho says otherwise.
Early reactions from the film's NYFF premiere have been positive, with some critics drawing an "Empire Strikes Back"-style comparison — an attribution that belongs to those early reviews, not the studio. In one notable scheduling clash, the November 6 date puts the film up against Ramayana for IMAX screens, according to Zoom TV.
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