Takashi Yamazaki’s highly anticipated sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One is set to make its world premiere at the 64th New York Film Festival (NYFF), where it has been selected as the prestigious Spotlight Gala presentation, writes The Hollywood Reporter.
The film, titled Godzilla Minus Zero, will debut on 26 September, marking one of the festival’s marquee events.
The 2026 edition of NYFF runs from 25 September to 12 October.
The sequel follows the remarkable success of Godzilla Minus One, which revitalised the iconic Japanese franchise upon its 2023 release.
The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 2024, outperforming several major Hollywood blockbusters, and became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film ever released in North American theatres.
Set in 1949, two years after the events of Godzilla Minus One, the new film continues the story of the Shikishima family as they confront a fresh and even more terrifying threat.
Announcing the selection, the New York Film Festival described the sequel as a cinematic experience designed for the big screen.
“An experience that demands the big screen, featuring even more astounding effects choreography than its predecessor, Godzilla Minus Zero cranks up the terror while always keeping its post-WWII Japan narrative at human eye level,” the festival said in its official announcement.
NYFF artistic director Dennis Lim praised Yamazaki’s approach to the legendary monster franchise, saying the filmmaker has successfully returned the series to its emotional and historical roots.
“More than 70 years after the first Godzilla movie, Takashi Yamazaki continues to prove that there’s life in the old franchise yet, returning to its postwar roots to locate a haunting, primal terror,” Lim said.
“Like its predecessor, Godzilla Minus Zero is a throwback blockbuster, a showcase for human drama and innovative craft, and we are excited to have its world premiere as this year’s NYFF Spotlight Gala.”
Yamazaki expressed his excitement about unveiling the film before an international audience at one of the world’s most respected film festivals.
“It is truly an honor to introduce our film to a global audience for the first time in a place of such history and prestige,” the director said.
“I am filled with both awe and excitement to see how far the power of Japan’s Godzilla can terrify audiences around the world, and whether they will resonate with what lies beyond that fear.”
Following its festival premiere, GKIDS will release Godzilla Minus Zero in Japan on November 3, followed by its U.S. theatrical release on 6 November.
This year’s New York Film Festival will open with the North American premiere of James Gray’s Paper Tiger, feature Tony Gilroy’s Behemoth! as its Centrepiece selection, and conclude with the world premiere of Ava DuVernay’s 14th.
