39 Godzilla Movies Ranked, Including Minus Zero: Where Does the Latest Film Stand?

A franchise reaches 39 films

Toho introduced Godzilla in the 1954 film Godzilla, released in the United States as Godzilla, King of the Monsters! The giant creature became a lasting figure in cinema, and new films continue to appear.

Godzilla: Minus Zero follows Godzilla Minus One, released in 2023. Both films return the character to Japan; Minus Zero is set after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, which inspired Godzilla’s creation. Minus One earned rave reviews, and early responses to Minus Zero have also been positive.

Entries with uneven execution

All Monsters Attack centers on Ichiro, a lonely boy who imagines visiting Monster Island and befriending Minilla, Godzilla’s son. The film takes a different approach by focusing on its human characters, but repeated footage from earlier films and weak execution undermine it.

Roland Emmerich’s 1998 film aimed to introduce Godzilla to Western audiences. Matthew Broderick plays a scientist investigating a monster in New York City, but the film’s version of Godzilla, repetitive chase scenes and poorly handled humor drew criticism.

Monsters and family stories

Godzilla vs. Megalon pits the Seatopians, residents of an underwater city, against humanity after nuclear weapons testing. They unleash Megalon, while Godzilla is brought in as a weapon to stop the creature. Bold designs and an entertaining tone offer some appeal, but low production values and a bare-bones story weigh on the film.

Son of Godzilla introduces Minilla and follows Godzilla as he teaches his son to survive. Their relationship is a strength, though the film’s lighthearted tone can obscure Godzilla’s original image as a destroyer of worlds.

The first sequel’s new foe

Godzilla Raids Again, the first sequel, pairs Godzilla with Anguirus, a giant dinosaur-like monster. The creatures battle as Japan faces widespread destruction. Pilot Shoichi Tsukioka leads efforts to protect the country’s people and cities. The film’s introduction of a second monster helped open the way for later titles to feature additional creatures.