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Toho’s 34thGodzillafilm is reportedly eyeing a new director after Takashi Yamazaki-directed filmGodzilla Minus Onewon the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. According to sources, the director of theBleachlive-action movie, Shinsuke Sato, will be Toho’s new choice of director.It is also reported that the film will not be a sequel to the earlier film and will be a standalone work. Fans are not exactly thrilled to hear this news, as they believe that Toho is wasting a great opportunity.
After the success of 2016’s live-actionGodzillafilmShin Godzilla, Toho developed three animated kaiju films in a series before developing another standalone live-actionGodzilla Minus One. Fans are a little disappointed that Toho is going for separate works when it comes to live-action kaiju films.
Takashi Yamazaki Might Not Helm The Next Live-ActionGodzillaFilm From Toho
A Japanese source on X has reported that Toho is looking to rope in Shinsuke Sato to direct their nextGodzillafilm. Sato is famous for directing theKingdomfilm series and for the live-action adaptations of anime/manga series including,I Am a Hero,Death Note, andBleach. He is also reportedly roped in to direct the American version of the anime,My Hero Academia(via Deadline).
Japanese Director Takashi Yamazaki Wants to Make a Movie in Response to Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer
The X account @raserkey1 shared that when they spoke to a Toho employee, they found the scoop that the company is looking to collaborate with Sato for the newGodzillafilm. The X account also added that this new film will be a separate work and not a sequel toGodzilla Minus One.
https://twitter.com/raserkey1/status/1790651090645721561
https://twitter.com/raserkey1/status/1790877413171511689
While many fans of Sato were excited about the news, it came as a disappointment for the majority of the fans. Many were hoping to see further kaiju films fromTakashi Yamazaki, who served as the director and visual effects supervisor ofGodzilla Minus One. He and his teamwon the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects recently, becoming the first Japanese film to win in the category.
One fan commented that there was no need for Shinsuke Sato when Yamazaki was right there. Another fan shared their concern that Toho was going to continue with its one-off hits in the franchise. One fan pointed out that Toho was sitting on a gold mine with Yamazaki and that it made no sense to look elsewhere.
Other fans also mentioned that a sequel work of the critically acclaimed movie might be the need of the hour. Some of the fan reactions read:
ERM WHAT THE SIGMA?TAKASHI YAMAZAKI IS RIGHT THERE?!
— Ed_rick (@Edrick1954)August 05, 2025
I’m assuming Toho is going to continue with the one-offs
— The real Dillon Johnson (@DillonJohnson55)July 27, 2025
But Toho is sitting on a gold mine with Yamazaki!
— kasaibou F29 (@F29Kasaibou)June 29, 2025
Please I just want a minus one sequel
— Ryan O’Connell🇮🇪 (@DominantCub72)July 28, 2025
Realizing the success and critical acclaim of films like Shin Godzilla & Minus One probably means we aren’t gonna see any of these stories expanded beyond one film in the foreseeable future 😭
At the very least do not give as a third new solo film, Toho it’s been too long!
— Yirmatang (CreationZilla) (@yirmatang)July 16, 2025
According toBox Office Mojo,Godzilla Minus Oneearned $115.8 million at the worldwide box office. The film impressed both the critics and audiences alike. It received a 98% Tomatometer score and a 98% audience score onRotten Tomatoes.
Takashi Yamazaki’s Unavailability Could Be A Reason For Toho’s New Director Hunt
During an interview withColliderin February 2024, Yamazaki shared that he was working on his next big film. When asked if a sequel toGodzilla Minus Onewould be his next work, Yamazaki shared that he had another film in development. Yamazaki’s availability might also be affected by the fact that he had recently enlisted with CAA, the American talent agency (via Variety).
Takashi Yamazaki Wants Minus One Sequel to Do What Godzilla vs. Kong Did But Better: “Something I would like to explore”
This new agreement would mean that Yamazaki might be employed for Hollywood productions in the future. The director would be an asset considering he produced top-notch visualswith a team of 34 and a mere budget of $15 million. Some fans believed that the small-budget film from Japan put some of the big franchises in Hollywood to shame with its visual effects.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3017
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
