When Godzilla Minus Zero Comes Out: What Is Officially Known

Short answer: Godzilla Minus Zero opens in theaters in Japan on November 3, 2026, and in the US and Canada on November 6. As of October 27, 2026, there is no official date for Ukraine. It is the sequel to Minus One from director Takashi Yamazaki, and English Wikipedia lists the new film under the same title, Godzilla Minus Zero. We rely on the pages of Toho and its distributor GKIDS and on Wikipedia where it cites sources, with no rumors. No spoilers: about the plot, we share only what the studio has made public.

What is officially known about the film

When	What happened
November 1, 2024	Toho confirmed a new Godzilla film from Takashi Yamazaki
August–December 2025	Filming; according to GKIDS, the film was shot entirely in Japan
November 3, 2025	The title Minus Zero was announced at Godzilla Fest 2025 in Tokyo
April 14, 2026	First teaser; this is the first Japanese film shot for IMAX (Filmed For IMAX)
July 9, 2026	Second teaser, a new poster and the full list of returning cast members
September 8, 2026	Trailer, including one in the IMAX 1.43:1 format
September 26, 2026	World premiere at the 64th New York Film Festival
October 11, 2026	Final Japanese trailer and the second English-language trailer
November 3, 2026	Release in Japan; in the US, early IMAX screenings on Godzilla Day
November 6, 2026	Wide release in the US and Canada from GKIDS

When is the premiere in Ukraine

As of October 27, 2026, there is no official date for Ukraine. GKIDS’s July press release says that Toho will release the film in Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand the same week as in Japan, and that exact dates for individual countries will be announced separately. We found no pages from a Ukrainian distributor or cinemas listing this film. According to Wikipedia, IMAX screenings in the UK start on November 3, and the British classification board BBFC rated the film 15 and listed a running time of 135 minutes. Even earlier, on November 1, the film will be shown at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

What is known about the plot

The official synopsis is short: the war reduced Japan to “zero,” and Godzilla plunged it into “minus.” Two years have passed; at the cost of hard struggles the country has rebuilt and finally returned to everyday life, but a new threat shatters hope in an instant. The story begins in 1949, two years after Minus One, and continues the story of the Shikishima family. The synopsis ends with the line “There is no third time. Everything ends here.” According to Wikipedia, the trailer released on September 8, 2026 revealed that the new threat is King Ghidorah, whom Godzilla faces once again. According to Wikipedia, the very first teaser already showed Godzilla in New York, near the Statue of Liberty.

Who is in the cast

The main characters of Minus One return: Ryunosuke Kamiki plays former pilot Koichi Shikishima, and Minami Hamabe plays Noriko, who miraculously survived Godzilla’s first attack on Tokyo. Hidetaka Yoshioka again plays Kenji Noda, now the head of the Disaster Response Bureau. Yuki Yamada and Kuranosuke Sasaki return as young sailor Shiro Mizushima and Captain Seiji Akitsu of the Shinsei Maru, Sakura Ando as neighbor Sumiko Ota, who now runs an orphanage, and Miou Tanaka as Tatsuo Hotta, former captain of the destroyer Yukikaze.

The new character is biologist Kanji Murakami, whom the war left with deep psychological scars; he is played by Min Tanaka. The official Japanese website also lists Masami Nagasawa (Makoto Aoyama) and Jun Kunimura (Dr. Ogata) in the cast. Yamazaki is once again the director, screenwriter and visual effects supervisor, Naoki Sato writes the music, and the effects are by the Shirogumi studio.

How the film is connected to Minus One

Minus Zero is a direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One (2023). That film came out in Japan on November 3, 2023, grossed more than $116 million worldwide and won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards; according to GKIDS, it is the first Asian film to win that award. According to Wikipedia, Minus Zero is the 39th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 34th from Toho and the sixth in the Reiwa era.

It is easy to watch the first film before the premiere: on Netflix’s page for Ukraine it is listed under its Ukrainian title (Godzilla: Minus One), with a 13+ rating and Ukrainian subtitles, although Ukrainian is not among the audio languages. The catalog may change, so check the page in your own profile.

Is the film connected to the MonsterVerse

No. Minus Zero is a Japanese Toho film with a standalone story, while the MonsterVerse is the American universe of Legendary and Warner Bros., where Godzilla meets Kong. According to Wikipedia, Toho’s agreement with Legendary forbids releasing competing Godzilla films in the same calendar year: that was the case with Minus One (2023) and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024). The next MonsterVerse film, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, is scheduled for March 26, 2027 in the US.

Trailers and teasers

Toho posts all the teasers and trailers from the table above on two YouTube channels: the Japanese “東宝MOVIEチャンネル” and the English-language GODZILLA OFFICIAL by TOHO. The newest are the final Japanese trailer and the second English-language trailer, both from October 11, 2026. We did not find an official trailer with Ukrainian dubbing.

To see how Minus Zero fits into the history of the franchise since 1954, read our guide to all Godzilla films in order.

Frequently asked questions

When does Godzilla Minus Zero come out?

In Japan on November 3, 2026, and in the US and Canada on November 6. The world premiere took place on September 26 at the New York Film Festival.

When will the film come out in Ukraine?

As of October 27, 2026, there is no official date for Ukraine. GKIDS said the film will come out in Europe the same week as in Japan, with dates for individual countries to be announced separately.

Is it a sequel to Minus One?

Yes. The events take place in 1949, two years after the first film, and Koichi, Noriko and other characters return.

Is the film connected to the MonsterVerse?

No. It is a standalone Japanese story from Toho, while the MonsterVerse is Legendary’s American universe.

How long is the film?

135 minutes, according to BBFC data cited by Wikipedia.