Toho’s new installment in the Godzilla franchise has raised questions about the possibility of Shin Godzilla 2 finally getting made. Developed as a response to the success of Legendary’s MonsterVerse movies, Shin Godzilla was a critical and commercial hit for the Japanese studio. However, the award-winning monster movie has never been followed up by a sequel, despite one being clearly set up by the ending.
In spite of Shin Godzilla’s sequel teases and the popularity of the film, it seems highly unlikely that Toho is revisiting the story. Since the first movie was released in 2016, too much time may have passed for Toho to consider a sequel warranted at this juncture. Not only that, but Toho’s own comments on Godzilla’s future indicate it’s headed in a different direction. In 2018, Toho executive Keiji Ota claimed that the studio wanted to develop a shared universe inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And according to Ota, Toho would rather have “a world that can be used for a long time” than pursue “the obvious idea of making a Shin Godzilla 2.” So unless Toho’s position has changed since then, there’s a good chance that its 2023 movie won’t have any link to Shin Godzilla. Instead, the 2016 film may remain a standalone story for the franchise.
Why Shin Godzilla Doesn’t Need A Sequel
The strange humanoid monsters that appeared in Shin Godzilla’s ending teased a new, terrifying transformation for the King of the Monsters, but it’s not exactly necessary for Toho to revisit it. Godzilla was indeed defeated, and it would be difficult for the movie to add anything new to his story. Unlike previous versions of the Japanese pop culture icon, Shin Godzilla’s interpretation of him was a simple killing machine, and certainly not a monster capable of being utilized as an anti-hero. With that being case, it’s hard to imagine Shin Godzilla 2 being anything more than a simple continuation of humanity’s conflict with him. If Toho wants something else from its next Godzilla film, it’s for the best that the studio starts from scratch.
What Toho’s New Godzilla Plan Could Be
Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, 2023’s Godzilla will reportedly be set in Japan sometime after World War II, though that remains unconfirmed for the time being. It’s possible that once again, Toho intends to retell Godzilla’s origin story and pit him against the military. But if the studio is trying to create something bigger, it could go back to the formula of Godzilla having a showdown with another kaiju. This would also help the movie feel completely different from what Toho did with 2016’s Shin Godzilla.
All things considered, the movie has the potential to be the beginning of Toho’s promised cinematic universe that Shin Godzilla 2 or its predecessor couldn’t have created. If its earlier statements are any indication of its current plans, the studio’s long-term goal may be to build a world where multiple monsters from Toho’s Godzilla library can coexist. If the MCU truly is the model for what it’s working toward, the 2023 movie could set up or even introduce several iconic Godzilla allies, including Mothra, Anguirus, Rodan, and possibly even King Caesar. After all, the very premise of a shared universe implies that other monsters will eventually carry their own films.