'Godzilla' Franchise: How Many Movies Are There? Let Me Explain
With so many films in the Godzilla franchise, it's easy to get confused. Here's a complete guide to the Japanese and American projects about the monster.
The Godzilla franchise is one of the most extensive in history. But how many movies are there in total? I will answer this question and explain the differentiation of Godzilla films.
How Many Movies Are in the 'Godzilla' Franchise?
There are a total of 38 movies in the Godzilla franchise. Only 5 of them are American: one was produced by TriStar Pictures, and the other four were produced by Legendary Pictures, which is developing the MonsterVerse.
The remaining 33 were produced by the Japanese company Toho.
Now, let's figure out how the Japanese movies are divided and what the MonsterVerse is.
Japanese 'Godzilla' Movies
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All Japanese Godzilla films have been produced by Toho, beginning with the original film Godzilla released in 1954. However, not all of the installments are connected by a single plot – there have been several reboots.
The Japanese Godzilla franchise is divided into eras.
Showa Era
The first is the Showa era, which includes fifteen movies, starting with the 1954's Godzilla and ending with Terror of Mechagodzilla in 1975.
Godzilla is presented as a destructive evil force in the first movie, but the interpretation gradually changes. Since 1964, Godzilla has been shown as a protective monster, saving the Earth from even more terrible threats.
Heisei Era
In 1984, The Return of Godzilla was released – the first film of the Heisei era and the first reboot of the franchise. It is a sequel to the original Godzilla film and ignores the events of the others.
The era includes seven movies connected by a single storyline. In these films, Godzilla is not a hero but rather a natural disaster. The Heisei era ended in 1995 with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.
Millennium Era
The Millennium era began in 1999 with the film Godzilla 2000. As with previous installments, the events of the previous movies are not taken into account, except for the original film.
Almost all other Millennium films adhere to this principle: they are not connected to each other in terms of plot – rather, they are separate works that refer to the 1954 work. The sixth and final movie of the era is Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004.
Reiwa Era
The Reiwa era began in 2016 with the release of Shin Godzilla. After this movie, Toho took a break. Under the terms of their contract with Legendary Pictures, Toho couldn't release films until the end of 2020 so as not to compete with the MonsterVerse.
However, the contract didn't apply to animation, so the Reiwa era continued with a trilogy of animated movies created in partnership with Netflix.
These movies – Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle, and Godzilla: The Planet Eater – take place in the distant future after people leave Earth due to constant monster attacks.
Toho released Godzilla Minus One in late 2023, earning the franchise its first Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
'Godzilla' from Legendary Pictures
In 1992, TriStar acquired the rights to a film trilogy from Toho, but only one movie was released: Godzilla (1998), directed by Roland Emmerich.
Though the movie performed well at the box office, grossing $379 million on a $130 million budget, critics panned it, and it disappointed viewers familiar with the Japanese Godzilla.
What Is MonsterVerse?
The MonsterVerse is the film universe created by Legendary Pictures based on the Japanese Godzilla film series. It also includes another monster – Kong.
Movies in the MonsterVerse include Godzilla (2014), Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024).
Another film, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, is scheduled for release on March 26, 2027.
