Adam Wingard and Takashi Yamazaki, A Japan-US Godzilla Directors' Discussion Comes to Fruition: "We Want to Excite About Godzilla in Japan and the US"
From March 29th, the special video featuring a Godzilla-themed discussion between director Adam Wingard of "Godzilla vs. Kong: A New Empire" (to be released in Japan on April 26th) and director Takashi Yamazaki, winner of the "96th Academy Awards" for Visual Effects for "Godzilla -1.0", has been released. Both, passionate about Godzilla, shared their first encounters with Godzilla and their thoughts on each other's films.
Director Adam Wingard said, "The reason Godzilla has been loved for so many years is evident when you look at 'Godzilla -1.0' and 'Godzilla vs. Kong'; their styles are completely opposite. What's cool about Godzilla is metaphorical and also in terms of tone. Godzilla itself is meaningful, and it's about being adaptable to everything, symbolizing the movie," to which Director Yamazaki deeply resonated.
After watching "Godzilla vs. Kong", Director Yamazaki commented, "The final battle, if watched in IMAX, is so powerful that I think everyone will be excited. It's a battle between two immensely powerful beings, so experiencing it in IMAX would make it a must-see movie to go to the theaters for," sharing the charm of the current work.
In conclusion, Director Yamazaki said, "We want to keep exciting about Godzilla in Japan and the US, so it made me feel, 'Let's keep up the good work!' Thank you," ending the discussion with a firm handshake and hug.
"Godzilla vs. Kong: A New Empire" is the latest in the "MonsterVerse" series, where the worlds of Hollywood's "GODZILLA" (2014) and "Kong: Skull Island" (2017) crossover. It coincides with the 70th anniversary of Godzilla's birth and the 10th anniversary of the "MonsterVerse" series.
In North America, surpassing numerous blockbusters, it ranked first in the weekend box office, welcoming its opening day in 3,861 theaters. It is expected to gross about $80 million (about 12 billion yen at the current exchange rate) in the opening weekend box office from March 29th to 31st, significantly surpassing the opening weekend box office revenues of "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" and "Godzilla vs. Kong".
The film has also started releasing in other countries and regions, recording hits everywhere. In China, it marked an opening day box office of 96.8 million yuan (13.4 million dollars), with a market share of 80%, an astonishing figure. In the UK, it recorded a first-day box office of 1.9 million pounds (2.4 million dollars), ranking first at its debut. In India, it surpassed the opening of three local Bollywood films to rank first in box office revenue.