The last time Godzilla strode on to Western screens, it was thanks to Roland Emmerich, Dean Devlin and Sony, and arrived in cinemas in 1998 to a resounding thud of disapproval. But now Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures are aiming to wipe the slate clean with their take on the giant, (hopefully) atomic breath-spouting beast.
Confirming a report first offered by the lads at Bloody Disgusting, the two companies have now closed a deal with Japanese owners Toho to bring the iconic monster back to life, presumably in 3D. And probably IMAX 3D, to boot. Though they’d only be the second team to try that: director Yoshimitsu Banno who made 1971’s Godzilla Vs Hedorah, has secured funding for a 3D IMAX 40-minute version due next year.
"Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise," Legendary chief Thomas Tull tells the Heat Vision Blog. "Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop culturally relevant for as long as it has." Let’s hope that this time, plot does matter as well as size when the thing arrives in 2012.
The big question now is: will nephew Godzooky finally get his shot at cinematic glory? And will the filmmakers be chased down by angry punters with flaming torches if they even try?