'Godzilla' Won't Be Alone in 2014?

If you've been seeing the news online today, you might have spotted the bit about a press release about how Warner Bros. Consumer Products division has signed up with the toy company Bandai America Incorporated to make the toys for the upcoming, 2014 movie, Godzilla.

There's no big deal there, except that of course that usually toys tend to drop spoilers about various facets of movies.  We've seen it time and time again.  This time around, we get a bit of a spoiler just with the announcement... that the film will be featuring "spectacular creatures," thrilling action, epic battles and a legendary monster, Godzilla.

Yes, the press release noted "creatures."  Oh yes, that could be fun, depending on what creatures we get and how Godzilla is treated in the film.

It's been said they're going back to the roots of the franchise.  So I'm anticipating some good, old fashion Godzilla, retooled for today.

As it is, between the creative talent behind the camera, and the onscreen talent, I AM expecting big things from the movie.

Gareth Edwards (Monsters) is directing.  Frank Darabont (The Mist, The Walking Dead) was one of the latest screenplay contributors, along with Dave Callaham (The Expendables franchise).  The story that the screenplay was based off of is by David S. Goyer (Dark Knight franchise, Man of Steel).

The cast includes Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe, David Strathaim and other notable genre names.

Other Godzilla Movie News Bits

Word is that one of the stars from the original movie and sequels, Akira Takarada will be making an appearance in the film.

Frank Darabont in an interview earlier this year, talked about how the original movie had Godzilla be a metaphor for the atom bomb era.  And in subsequent films, he became a mascot for Japan, fighting off other monsters.  Darabont later said they want to stick to tradition, but leave the campy out of it.  That, and leave room for movie fan interpretation of events in the movie, like The Mist or The Green Mile.

And yes, like the original film and the atomic age, Darabont is looking to create a new metaphor, but he won't say what.

He's repeatedly called the big green lizard "a terrifying force of nature."

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Check out this YouTube Footage of some early on, movie set production carnage.



[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agdm6Ppf6Wc&feature=player_embedded ]

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This was a sneak peek from Comic-Con 2012
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But is Godzilla draw enough?  Nah, I don't think so.  WAIT, before you trash on me for saying that...  The core of 'zilla fans only need the big green guy in a good movie to enjoy it.  But the movie has to be made to appeal to fans of the lizard and also make an attempt to draw in more general movie fans to help it succeed in the box office.  That's why I think the inclusion of multiple monsters is there, to make it more interesting.  I do hope they do the mystery disaster that turns into monster source.  I love it, if done well enough, when a movie starts out like that.  But hey, we'll see.

As it is, I can't wait for the first teaser or movie trailer.  But we won't be seeing that until at least six or less months prior to the release date of May 2014.  So, November or sometime there after.

I hope you enjoyed the pictorial trip while reading this piece on the 2014 Godzilla movie remake!

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- Bruce E. Simmons,
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