'Godzilla' Shared Universe On The Way From Toho

Toho is creating their own Godzilla shared universe. Not to be confused with Legendary Entertainment's MonsterVerse, Toho's shared universe will launch after Toho's deal with Warner Bros. and Legendary comes to a close after 2021.

Here's a nice reminder that there's still good news left in the movie world: Toho is planning a Godzilla shared universe. First reported by Nikkei Style (via Bloody Disgusting), the idea is that Toho is giving up plans on making Shin Godzilla 2 to instead create a huge Kaiju-based cinematic universe. This idea shouldn't be confused with Legendary and Warner Bros. Monsterverse (which, in turn, shouldn't be confused with Universal's Dark Universe). The Monsterverse kicked-off with the Gareth Edwards' 2014 American remake of Godzilla, and continued with 2017's Kong: Skull Island. The MonsterVerse will soldier on with a Godzilla sequel and then eventually Godzilla vs Kong. And that's where Toho's Godzilla shared universe will come on.

Toho's current deal with Warner Bros. and Legendary has kept Toho on the sidelines until 2021. Come 2021, though, Toho plans to unleash their Godzilla shared universe upon the world. Of the idea, Toho's Keiji Ota said:

"After 2021, we're thinking of a potential strategy that [releases] Godzilla movies uninterrupted at a rate of every 2 years, although there is a preference for a yearly pace as well...The future of the series and its forwarding developments are very conscious of the method of "shared universe". Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, etc. could all share a single world view much like a Marvel movie where Iron Man and the Hulk can crossover with each other."

Toho has owned the Godzilla franchise since the 1950s, with the giant monster starring in 29 of Toho's films. The most recent Toho Godzilla picture was 2016's Shin Godzilla. Godzilla fans seemed to really enjoy that film, but if you assumed that a Shin Godzilla sequel would be part of this new Godzilla shared universe, guess again. In regards to the possibility of Shin Godzilla 2, Ota said:

"Shin Godzilla was a huge hit, but instead of thinking of doing the obvious idea of making a Shin Godzilla 2, instead think about a world that can be used for a long time. I'd rather make a World of Godzilla."

If you need more Godzilla mayhem in your life for now, you can check out the animated Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters on Netflix. Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the sequel to Edwards' film, now directed by Michael Dougherty, is due out March 22, 2019. Godzilla vs. Kong, directed by Adam Wingard, arrives May 29, 2020.