Godzilla Minus One to have black-and-white theatrical release in Japan

Godzilla Minus One is getting that classic black-and-white treatment in Japan cinemas next month.

On 20 December (Wednesday), Toho Studios announced that a monochrome version of the epic kaiju film, titled Godzilla-1.0/C (Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color), will be coming to Japanese theatres on 12 January 2024. 

【モノクロ映像版上映決定】

白黒＜モノクロ＞の世界で
生きて、抗え。

『ゴジラ-1.0／C』
（ゴジラマイナスワン／マイナスカラー）

全国の劇場で
2024.1.12(金)より。https://t.co/QJMViKicU1

また、同日より入場者特典の配布も決定。#ゴジラマイナスワン#ゴジラ#GodzillaMinusOne#Godzilla pic.twitter.com/syJD5gssHL

— 『ゴジラ-1.0』【大ヒット上映中】 (@godzilla231103) December 19, 2023

Director Takashi Yamazaki shared in a statement that his team had been working on the black-and-white edition of the film "for a long time," adding how his goal was to make it look like it was taken by masters of monochrome photography. He says, "Rather than just making it monochrome, it is a cut-by-cut. I had them make adjustments while making full use of various mattes as if they were creating a new movie."

In his statement, he continues, "We were able to unearth the texture of the skin and the details of the scenery that were hidden in the photographed data. Then, a frightening Godzilla, just like the one in the documentary, appeared. By eliminating colour, a new sense of reality emerges. Please live and resist further fear at the theater."

Godzilla Minus One goes back to the franchise's origins post-World War II as the King of Monsters goes out on a rampage in Japan. The film stars Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki.

Check out the trailer below.