Godzilla Minus Zero, the follow-up to Takashi Yamazaki’s Oscar-winning 2023 film, will world premiere at the 64th New York Film Festival as the Spotlight Gala selection on September 26. GKIDS is distributing the film, which opens in North American theaters on November 6.
Set in 1949, two years after the events of Godzilla Minus One, the sequel returns to the Shikishima family as postwar Japan attempts its recovery and Godzilla’s threat resurfaces. Yamazaki again serves as director, writer, and VFX supervisor.
NYFF Artistic Director Dennis Lim described Yamazaki as having “revitalized the long-running franchise by returning to its postwar roots and combining human drama with innovative visual effects.” Yamazaki responded: “I am filled with both awe and excitement to see how far the power of Japan’s Godzilla can terrify audiences around the world.”
The predecessor earned $115 million worldwide on a $15 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese Godzilla film ever and the third-highest-grossing foreign-language film in U.S. box-office history. It was also the first non-English film to win the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
The 64th NYFF runs September 25 through October 12, 2026.