LegendZilla wrote: ↑Mon Jul 11, 2022 6:16 pm
Why did they feel the need to re-do the same film over so soon after?
I'm not a mega-expert on the behind-the-scenes stuff. I did hear or read once that the Millennium series was started off with the notion of going with 3 different takes/styles of Godzilla movie, and that the one that was best/most successful would be the one they would continue off of to potentially turn into a new series.
IF that is in fact the truth...Godzilla 2000, Megaguirus, and GMK were in theory those "3 different takes"
We know that GMK was the most successful entry in Japan. I'm not sure if the team behind that one wanted/was interested in continuing it, or if there was any creative difficulties between them and Toho...but just going off of overall ticket sale and the 'feel' of the reception, you think GMK would be the one they would continue from.
Godzilla 2000 while not the biggest hit, was at least exported overseas to North American theaters and Toho used Sony's version of the film as their official international version of the film for foreign markets. You would think that if there was a "runner up" option for a continuation that G2K would be an easy pick. I personally would have loved to see a trilogy unfold with those characters and that style of Godzilla presentation. I also would have killed for "Godzilla Reborn", the proposed US Sequel to G2K, to have gotten made.
Megaguirus feels like the one that would have been the LEAST likely option to be continued off of. There are some things worth considering. Takao Okawara and Shusuke Kaneko, the Directors of G2K and GMK, both had a pretty long tenure with Godzilla and Kaiju films. G2K was Okawara's 4th film. GMK was Kaneko's 4th Kaiju film after the Gamera Trilogy.
So maybe there was an interest in going with a little bit of a fresher perspective and Masaaki Tezuka filled that role? I thought I remember reading once that he was perceived as a bit of a "company man" and that might have helped.
Still....even AFTER all of that decision-making process to decide that the Megaguirus take was the one to build a franchise off of, it is incredibly peculiar to me that instead of making a SEQUEL....they would essentially opt for a remake or reimagining.
As if the notion was "okay we liked that take, now replicate it with more money, a more famous villain, a refined script and a tighter run time."
It is interesting, and just another one of those unique scenarios that feels like you would only find it in the Godzilla franchise.
"I'm saying a prayer, George. A prayer for the whole world."