Godzilla Minus One Director’s First English Movie Sets Release Date

After months of industry speculation, the wait for concrete details on Takashi Yamazaki’s Hollywood debut has officially ended. The Oscar-winning director behind the global phenomenon Godzilla Minus One is making the jump to English-language filmmaking with a new project titled Grandgear, and Sony Pictures used the bright lights of Las Vegas to reveal the release date.

Takashi Yamazaki’s English-language movie Grandgear sets release date

Sony Pictures revealed the news Monday night during the kickoff of CinemaCon, the annual gathering of theater operators and Hollywood studios in Las Vegas. The studio confirmed that Grandgear’s release date is set for February 18, 2028. The film is a major milestone for Takashi Yamazaki, marking his first feature shot entirely in English.

The project comes via a partnership with producer J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot. Sony landed the rights to Grandgear after a major bidding war that happened in late 2024. It showed the immense value the industry now places on Yamazaki following his record-breaking run with Godzilla Minus One. Yamazaki is both writing and directing the feature for Columbia Pictures, with Abrams and Bad Robot’s Glen Zipper attached as producers.

Moreover, the momentum behind this CinemaCon announcement is directly tied to Yamazaki’s historic achievements in the preceding years. Godzilla Minus One defied expectations by grossing $113 million globally against a shoestring budget of just $15 million. Beyond the box office, it shattered a long-standing barrier by becoming the first film in the sprawling Godzilla franchise to win an Academy Award, taking home the Oscar for best visual effects. It also stands as the highest-grossing Japanese film ever in North America (via Box Office Mojo).

Now, while fans have a lengthy wait for Grandgear, Yamazaki has another major release on the near horizon. Toho will open Godzilla Minus Zero in Japan on November 3, with a U.S. release handled by GKids following shortly thereafter. The studio has yet to reveal specific plot details for Grandgear, but the 2028 date makes it a major event picture for the year (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Source: Comingsoon.net