Godzilla Minus One Has an Even Smaller Budget Than Anticipated
Godzilla Minus One surprises fans with an even smaller budget than expected, as writer-director Takashi Yamazaki hints at the kaiju blockbuster's limited resources Despite this, the film manages to secure a spot on the prestigious 2024 Oscars shortlist
Takashi Yamazaki, the writer-director of Godzilla Minus One, suggests that the budget for the kaiju blockbuster is lower than what fans may expect. This film, the 33rd installment in Toho Studios' Godzilla series, serves as both a franchise reboot and a reimagining of the iconic 1954 Godzilla movie.
Since its international debut in December, Godzilla Minus One has seen significant critical and commercial success. The movie is "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes and has achieved the biggest opening for a foreign-language live-action title at the US box office since 2002’s Hero. These accomplishments are even more impressive given that the movie's budget is reportedly just $15 million, as many Godzilla fans have noted.
Godzilla Minus One’s budget is even smaller than we thought
However, Yamazaki believes that even the discounted price tag is too high. According to a fan account Kaiju No. 14, the filmmaker expressed skepticism about the claim that Godzilla Minus One's budget was $15 million during a panel at Tokyo Comic Con.
At Tokyo Comic Con, director Takashi Yamazaki of #GodzillaMinusOne addressed reports from overseas claiming the movie had a $15 million budget, stating, "I wish it were that much."
Yamazaki responded, "I wish it were that much," when asked about the reported production costs of the latest Godzilla installment. This revelation left many fans of the franchise even more impressed, although some questioned whether the low budget meant crew members were exploited in making the monster movie.
"A genuine question: is Japan paid too little or Hollywood paid too much?" wrote one X user. "Whether the value is correct or incorrect, it's clear that compared to Hollywood, it was created for a significantly less amount."
"Even with a $15 million budget, someone was still underpaid. How did they manage to achieve a good amount of CGI in the movie while also paying for actors, promotions, and everything else?" added another.
"I just hope that with such a low budget, they didn't underpay or mistreat the workforce to get it done," echoed a third.
Godzilla Minus One rampages its way onto the 2024 Oscars shortlist
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences seemed unfazed by such concerns. In fact, the organization's members went ahead and included Godzilla Minus One in the 2024 Academy Awards shortlist.
Other selected films are Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Barbie, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The exclusion of Oppenheimer, a film that combined practical effects and CGI, from the list came as a surprise and was viewed as a snub by many.
Now showing in theaters is Godzilla Minus One. Be sure to explore our additional coverage below.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan of Godzilla, I am both excited and intrigued by the news of Godzilla Minus One's even smaller budget. The fact that the film managed to secure a spot on the prestigious 2024 Oscars shortlist despite its limited resources is a testament to the creativity and passion of the filmmakers involved. It's refreshing to see a blockbuster movie that prioritizes storytelling and artistic vision over excessive spending.
However, I can't help but feel concerned about the potential implications of such a low budget. The film industry is notorious for its exploitation of workers, and I hope that the crew members of Godzilla Minus One were fairly compensated for their efforts. It's important to strike a balance between artistic integrity and ethical practices, and I hope that future productions will take this into consideration.
