Five More Godzilla Movies You Need to Watch
by IMDb-Editors | created - 1 month ago | updated - 1 month ago | PublicWe're celebrating Godzilla's Oscar-winning film, 'Godzilla Minus One,' and his next foray into the MonsterVerse in 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' with these top-rated Godzilla movies you can't miss.
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1. Godzilla (1954)
Not Rated | 96 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
American nuclear weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable dinosaur-like beast.
Director: Ishirô Honda | Stars: Takashi Shimura, Akihiko Hirata, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kôchi
Votes: 39,620 | Gross: $2.42M
'Godzilla' is one of the most famous monster movies of all time, but it's also a somber drama set in a world where unspeakable violence and scientific advancement had become one-in-the-same in the wake real-life nuclear attack. Visually stunning and technically impressive, this landmark film set box office records in Japan in 1954 and has spawned a franchise with more than 30 movies, as well as comics, video games, toys, and more.
2. Shin Godzilla (2016)
Not Rated | 120 min | Action, Drama, Horror
Japan is plunged into chaos upon the appearance of a giant monster.
Directors: Hideaki Anno, Shinji Higuchi | Stars: Hiroki Hasegawa, Yutaka Takenouchi, Satomi Ishihara, Ren Ôsugi
Votes: 36,241 | Gross: $1.92M
Critics called this movie everything from a "resurgence" to "bonkers," but the 31st film in the Godzilla franchise is also a satire of modern work culture and politics. While the terrifying creature rages outside, the people in charge of containing the monster move helplessly from meeting to meeting as they try to decide how best to tackle their deadly problem. 'Shin Godzilla' was the highest grossing Japanese-produced movie in the franchise until the release of 'Godzilla Minus One' in 2023.
3. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
Not Rated | 89 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Mothra's egg washes ashore and is claimed by greedy entrepreneurs who refuse to return it to her fairies. As Godzilla arises near Nagoya, the people of Infant Island must decide if they are willing to answer Japan's own pleas for help.
Director: Ishirô Honda | Stars: Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yû Fujiki
Votes: 10,298
The second most popular monster out of Toho Studios first took on Godzilla in this beloved franchise installment. On the surface the movie is about a giant lizard fighting an ancient moth god, but like so many Godzilla flicks, the movie's real themes are much deeper. Greed and personal gain are what really threaten the characters in this film, which made $217,000 during its first three weeks in theaters ($2.1 million adjusted for inflation).
4. Godzilla (2014)
PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The world is beset by the appearance of monstrous creatures, but one of them may be the only one who can save humanity.
Director: Gareth Edwards | Stars: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe
Votes: 440,726 | Gross: $200.68M
This version of the iconic monster marked the kickoff of the MonsterVerse and was only the second Godzilla film to be fully produced in a Hollywood studio - the first being the 1998 flick. Although the box office returns were lower than desired, the reboot was well received critically and successfully launched Legendary Picture's shared universe, which has grossed $1.9 billion over its five films and two series.
5. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
PG-13 | 113 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
The epic next chapter in the cinematic Monsterverse pits two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against each other--the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong--with humanity caught in the balance.
Director: Adam Wingard | Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry
Votes: 241,294 | Gross: $100.92M
Ready to crunch the numbers? 'Godzilla vs. Kong' is the 36th movie in the Godzilla franchise. It's also the 12th King Kong film and the fourth feature in Legendary's MonsterVerse. The rematch pits these two kaiju against each other 59 years after their first encounter in 1962's 'King Kong vs. Godzilla.' If that's not enough math for you, then we can add in that the movie is the fourth to be fully produced in a Hollywood studio, is a direct sequel to 2019's 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters,' and is the first of two Godzilla movies directed by Adam Wingard, who returns in 2024 with 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.'
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