Gkids has acquired the North American distribution rights to Shin Godzilla, the 2016 Japanese monster film directed by Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Shinji Higuchi (Shin Ultraman). The film will return to theaters on August 14 in a 4K remastered version with original Japanese audio, English subtitles, and restored text cards — a first for its North American release. A home video release will follow.
Set in contemporary Japan, Shin Godzilla follows the government’s frantic response to a massive, evolving creature that emerges from Tokyo Bay. As the devastation spreads, a special task force is formed. The arrival of secret U.S. documents labeled “Godzilla” reveals the gravity of the threat.
Gkids President David Jesteadt called the film “a modern masterpiece,” praising its explosive action and timely message about cooperation in the face of crisis. “We are honored to bring the film back for American fans, better than ever,” he said.
The release marks Gkids’ first venture into the Godzilla franchise since Japanese studio Toho restructured its international licensing in 2024. Shin Godzilla also joins Gkids’ growing slate of classic Japanese live-action titles, following its nationwide rollout of Hideaki Anno’s Love and Pop.
Originally released in 2016, Shin Godzilla became a major success, earning over $79 million worldwide. It was the first Japanese-produced Godzilla film since Godzilla Final Wars (2004), and it revitalized the franchise after a 12-year break. The film won seven Japan Academy Prizes, including Picture and Director of the Year, and held the title of highest-grossing Japanese Godzilla film until 2023’s Godzilla Minus One.
Keiji Ota, Toho’s Chief Godzilla Officer, emphasized the film’s cultural impact: “Shin Godzilla was a social phenomenon in Japan. For many, this will be their first chance to see it on the big screen — and there’s no better way to feel the presence and terror of Godzilla than in a theater.”
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