New ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Teaser Shows the Kaiju Attacking 1949 New York

Film studios Toho and GKIDS have released a new teaser for the sci-fi blockbuster “Godzilla Minus Zero,” a direct sequel to the 2023 Oscar-winning hit “Godzilla Minus One.” The sequel moves the action to 1949, expanding the scale of destruction far beyond the Japanese archipelago as the iconic monster makes its way to the US East Coast.

The Shikishima Family Returns as Manhattan Faces Destruction

The plot follows the surviving characters from the first film. Ryunosuke Kamiki reprises his role as former pilot Koichi Shikishima, while Minami Hamabe returns as Noriko. Also returning to their roles are Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yuki Yamada, Kuranosuke Sasaki, and Sakura Ando. Min Tanaka joins the cast as biologist Kanji Murakami.

According to the official Godzilla.com website, the story takes place two years after the events of the original movie. While Japan attempts to rebuild following the war and the initial attack, the radiation threat takes on a global scale: in the released footage, the massive kaiju emerges from the bay right by the Statue of Liberty in New York.

Director of ‘Minus One’ and Filming in IMAX

Takashi Yamazaki returns as director, writer, and visual effects supervisor. The previous entry achieved a historic breakthrough: produced on a modest budget, the film grossed over $116 million at the worldwide box office and won the Japanese franchise its first-ever Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Producers have allocated a larger budget for the sequel.

“Godzilla Minus Zero” will also become the first Japanese live-action feature film shot specifically for giant IMAX screens.

Everything ends here. Experience GODZILLA MINUS ZERO, the first-ever Japanese production #FilmedForIMAX, in theatres November 6.https://t.co/2Ktmma6fOa pic.twitter.com/S2m1hwZYdl

— GODZILLA.OFFICIAL (@Godzilla_Toho) September 8, 2026

The film will have its world premiere on September 26, 2026, at the New York Film Festival. It will hit Japanese theaters on the traditional national “Godzilla Day” on November 3, followed by a North American theatrical release on November 6.