What kind of Godzilla movie would you direct, and would it have any sequels?
I’ve been talking about Godzilla an awful lot lately, so I guess it only makes sense I talk about my dream Godzilla film! (Not counting my WIP fanfiction.)
If I was ever blessed with the opportunity to direct my very own Godzilla movie, I would do something different, something bold, but something that still felt faithful to the spirit of the King of the Monsters—a new scenario centered around the Godzilla we know and love. Something that explored the relationship between humanity, Godzilla, and other kaiju. Something that explored life in a world of monsters would be pretty cool, too.
My vision: a fully animated (either traditional or stylized CG) post-apocalyptic epic about Godzilla and a group of humans striving to maintain peace in a world ruled by kaiju.
Now I’m well aware that we already got an animated post-apocalyptic Godzilla series not that long ago and that it wasn’t received very well—very much aware—but what I have in mind is vastly different from what Gen Urobochi and Polygon gave us. But unlike the Godzilla Earth trilogy, I would use the medium to its fullest to bring the monsters to life as if they were living breathing creatures. (Think the Monsterverse’s level of detail in Ghibli-style.) I would have strong human characters who could be likable, relatable, and dynamic, as opposed to the worst clichés in anime. I would have settings that felt more lived-in and less sterile. I want to create humans, kaiju, and an entire world that felt alive.
The story would be an epic journey following Godzilla himself and a band of humans from across the ruins of Japan, encountering different kaiju in their habitat and other peoples, exploring how the kaiju have shaped the world around them in so many ways. The conflict would be between the humans, who struggle to find a way to defeat Godzilla, so humanity won’t have to live in fear of him anymore, and Godzilla who wants to keep humanity from doing any more damage to the planet.
Familiar, I know. But unlike the Godzilla Earth trilogy, the humans aren’t aggressive emo dudes and their one-note followers—they would believe that slaying Godzilla is the right thing to do but would also question if that was true or not, and Godzilla himself would have more character than a big mean plot device.
SPOILERS FOR A MOVIE THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN: The characters would defeat Godzilla. …for a time.
Would there be any sequels?
Absolutely!
Once the initial journey to defeat Godzilla was over, the story would move from on to expand on the world and Godzilla’s role in it. Once Godzilla was gone, the world would become unstable. Without the King of Monsters keeping things in check, more of the threats that were hiding in the shadows become apparent. Stuff like more malignant monsters emerging from parts unknown or a fascist militaristic civilization that wants to conquer the world. Realizing that they done screwed up, the humans would reflect on their actions in the first film and seek to undo their actions. While Godzilla, whose age is finally catching up to him, must find either the strength to get back in the fight or prepare his successor to take his place. We’d see more of the world outside of Japan and the monsters that inhabit it. So, basically a hero’s journey
TLDR; Godzilla in the style of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. You know you’d watch it.
