Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Godzilla 2012 Variety Article - Updated!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Variety

Thanks to Dennis Mace of the Godzilla 2012 - Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros (Fan Group) on Facebook for pointing out that Monday's article about "Godzilla 2012" has been updated, slightly, with a little more info.

From Variety:

'Godzilla' stomps back to screen
Legendary Pictures gets rights to iconic monster

Durable special effects juggernaut "Godzilla" will return to the bigscreen in 2012, with Legendary Pictures producing.

Legendary will co-produce with Warner Bros., which is co-financing.

The "Godzilla" project's been something of an open secret in recent months after Legendary execs began talking with potential directors. Legendary held off on making a public announcement until it closed its rights deal with Japan's Toho Co., which has overseen more than 25 "Godzilla" films.

Legendary said it's planning to announce a director shortly, and indicated that its "Godzilla" will pay respects to the original pic rather than follow up on Sony's 1998 "Godzilla." In the 1954 original "Godzilla," the fire-breathing monster, mutated due to atomic radiation exposure, wreaked devastation on Japan but then defended the nation in later films from attacks by other monsters.

Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise," said Thomas Tull, chairman and CEO of Legendary. "Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has."

Though Legendary won't say so publicly, its execs are described as being particularly keen to avoid duplicating the look and feel of Sony's 1998 "Godzilla," a contempo update with state-of-the-art special effects centered on the chaos and destruction accompanying the monster's arrival in New York City.

Read The Rest Of The Article - 'Godzilla' stomps back to screen
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1 comment:

  1. FlippyApril 24, 2010 at 7:48 PM

    Ya know, I'm curious as to why they say "over 25" movies in the press release. I mean, there are 28, 29 if you include the American one. So... Why not say 28? Are they too lazy to move their fingers 3 keys over on the keyboard?

    ReplyDelete

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"LEGENDARY PICTURES TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE BASED ON TOHO COMPANY’S ICONIC MONSTER, GODZILLA

Burbank, CA – March 29, 2010 – Legendary Pictures announced today that they will develop and produce a new film based on Toho Company’s famed GODZILLA character. Through the terms of the agreement, Legendary Pictures has acquired the rights to produce a movie inspired by Toho’s Godzilla, a franchise the Japanese company created and has nurtured for over fifty years.

Toho’s GODZILLA franchise boasts one of the most widely recognized film creatures worldwide, resulting in a series of books, television programs, video games and more than 25 films worldwide. Legendary intends to approach the film and its characters in the most authentic manner possible. The company will, in the near future, announce a filmmaker to helm the film for an intended 2012 release. The film will fall under the company’s co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Toho will distribute the film in Japan."

"Godzilla" is coming back -- this time, with Legendary Pictures taking the lead, co-producing and co-financing with Warner Bros. for release in 2012.

Legendary announced Monday it had obtained rights to the iconic monster character from Japan's Toho Co., which has overseen more than 25 "Godzilla" films. Toho will release the pic in Japan.

Legendary said it's planning to announce a director shortly.

In addition to Legendary, producers on the new film will be Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Brian Rogers. Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will exec produce.

"Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise," said Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO of Legendary. "Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has."

Legendary noted the film will fall under its co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Legendary's productions with Warners have included "The Dark Knight," "300" and "The Hangover."

Speculation about a new "Godzilla" has been active since last summer. The Bloody Disgusting web site reported in August that the project was in development.