Godzilla (Franchise)

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A movie poster for 'Destroy All Monsters' featuring Godzilla, King Ghidorah, Mothra, Rodan, and other Showa era kaiju.

The movie poster for the 1998 'Godzilla' film, showing the creature's eye and the tagline 'Size does matter.' — 6a00px

A promotional banner for the MonsterVerse, featuring Godzilla and King Kong roaring at each other.

Some details have been used from the WikiZilla for full indexing purposes.

Background

Godzilla is a long-running franchise of giant monster films, games, comics, toys, and any licensed products featuring the character Godzilla. Starting in 1954, the Godzilla series is among the longest-running film series in history.

The first film, Godzilla, was first released in the United States in 1955 in Japanese-American communities only. In 1956, it was adapted by the American company Jewell Enterprises into Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, edited and with added principal scenes featuring actor Raymond Burr. This version became an international success and gave rise to Godzilla's popularity outside of Japan.

Since then, Godzilla has been featured in 29 live-action films produced by Toho, three anime films produced by TOHO Animation and animated by Polygon Pictures, four American-made Hollywood adaptations, and countless books, comics, television shows, video games, toys, and other merchandise. Legendary Pictures' 2014 film adaptation launched a media franchise dubbed the Monsterverse also featuring King Kong, and was followed by a sequel and a crossover film, with another installment scheduled for release in 2024. Toho, meanwhile, released its own reboot to the series titled Shin Godzilla in 2016 to enormous critical and box office success. In addition, an animated Godzilla film was released in Japanese theaters in 2017, with two sequels following in 2018. The next mainline installment in the series was released in November 2023.

The original Godzilla was greatly inspired by the commercial success of the 1952 re-release of King Kong, and the 1953 success of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. Godzilla would go on to inspire other giant monster films such as Gorgo, Gamera the Giant Monster, Yongary, Monster from the Deep, Cloverfield, and many others. The Godzilla series is responsible for pioneering the tokusatsu style of filmmaking in Japan, as well as popularizing the daikiaju eiga (Japanese giant monster films) genre of movies. Godzilla is frequently referenced or parodied in popular culture around the world, reflecting his status as a well-known cultural icon.

Timeline

The Godzilla timelines is split into different continuities and eras, while some Godzilla films may be in the same era, this does not mean they are in the same universe. The list goes as follows:

Showa era

Godzilla (1954)
Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
Son of Godzilla (1967)
Destroy All Monsters (1968)
All Monsters Attack (1969)
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Heisei era

The Return of Godzilla (1984)
Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)

Millennium era

Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999)
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003)
Godzilla Final Wars (2004)

Reiwa era

Shin Godzilla (2016)
GODZILLA: Planet of the Monsters (2017)
GODZILLA: City on the Edge of Battle (2018)
GODZILLA: The Planet Eater (2018)
Godzilla Minus One (2023)

American films

TriStar Pictures

GODZILLA (1998)

Legendary Pictures' Monsterverse

Godzilla (2014)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

Godzilla
Godzilla Raids Again
Rodan
Varan
Mothra
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Atragon
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Frankenstein vs. Baragon
Invasion of Astro-Monster
The War of the Gargantuas
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
King Kong Escapes
Son of Godzilla
Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Godzilla vs. Gigan
Godzilla vs. Megalon
Zone Fighter
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla
Destroy All Monsters

Super Space Monster Robot
Meister Titano

Matango
All Monsters Attack
Latitude Zero

Godzilla
The Mysterians
The Return of Godzilla
Godzilla vs. Biollante
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
Godzilla vs. Mothra
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah

Godzilla
Godzilla 2000

Godzilla
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

Godzilla
Godzilla (1998)
GMK

Godzilla
Rodan
Varan
Mothra
Gorath
Atragon
Dogora
Frankenstein vs. Baragon
The War of the Gargantuas
King Kong Escapes
Space Amoeba
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

Godzilla Final Wars

Shin Godzilla

Godzilla Minus One

Godzilla Appears at Godzilla Fest
Godzilla Fest 2: Godzilla vs. Hedorah
Godzilla Fest 3: Godzilla vs. Gigan
Godzilla Fest 4: Godzilla vs. Jet Jaguar
Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex
Godzilla vs. Megalon (2023)

King Kong vs. Godzilla
Godzilla vs. Evangelion
Shinkalion Movie
Shin Japan Heroes Universe

Godzilla (1998)
GTS

Godzilla
Kong: Skull Island
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Godzilla V Kong

Terms

Kaiju: The most popular aspect of the Godzilla franchises are the kaijus ("giant monsters"), these are gigantic sized monsters that are normally threats to humanity and the planet Earth, though some Kaijus server as protectors. Godzilla himself varies on what side he's on depending on the movie or era.
Earth Defenders: Earth Defenders tolerate humans but do not make a point to defend them. They see the Aliens as a blight on Earth and destroying them is their primary goal. They protect the world and their home from any foreign threat, including humans.