Godzilla Minus Zero is generating strong reactions following its debut at the New York Film Festival, raising an early question about whether the latest entry in the franchise could go beyond the technical categories and enter the Academy Awards’ Best Picture conversation.
Director Takashi Yamazaki, who also directed the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, said he is trying not to get ahead of himself when it comes to awards-season expectations.
Speaking to Variety, Yamazaki recalled that the team behind Godzilla Minus One never expected the film to receive an Oscar nomination, let alone win.
“I try not to think about that. And this was true of ‘Godzilla Minus One’ as well. We had no idea we were going to get Best VFX, or even be nominated,” Yamazaki said.
He explained that simply receiving a nomination had already felt like a major achievement for the Japanese production.
“Even a nomination was already a win for us with ‘Godzilla Minus One.’ So I try not to think about it, but at the same time, if the possibility is not zero, it’s hard not to have a little bit of hope,” he added.
The comments come as Godzilla Minus Zero begins attracting attention from festival audiences and critics, with the film facing the challenge of building on the extraordinary awards success of its predecessor.
Released in 2023, Godzilla Minus One became a landmark moment for the long-running kaiju franchise. The film went on to win Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards, making history as the first Godzilla movie to take home an Oscar.
Its victory was particularly notable because Godzilla Minus One competed against much larger Hollywood productions despite being made on a comparatively modest budget.
Yamazaki’s latest film now has the difficult task of following that breakthrough while potentially pushing the franchise into even more prestigious Oscar territory. A Best Picture nomination would represent a significantly different level of recognition for a Godzilla movie, placing it alongside the Academy’s top dramatic and artistic contenders.
For now, Yamazaki appears to be keeping expectations in check. But his admission that “if the possibility is not zero” there is still room for hope suggests the filmmaker is aware of the conversation surrounding his latest work.
Whether Godzilla Minus Zero can translate its festival reception into a major awards-season campaign remains to be seen, but the possibility alone marks another remarkable chapter for a franchise that has already achieved something unprecedented at the Oscars.
