Toho International has announced a slate of content and events to celebrate the 67th anniversary of Godzilla. Partnering with Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, Toho has announced that a 4K remaster of the original 1954 Godzilla (Gojira) film will get a premiere in theaters on Godzilla’s birthday, November 3. This will be kicking off what will be "a series of one-of-a-kind experiences fit for the King of Monsters."
The celebration for the mighty kaiju will start with the 4K remaster of the monster's debut film on November 3 and will continue through the rest of the first half of November. From November 5 through 11, select Alamo Drafthouse locations will host showings of both the 1971 Godzilla vs. Hedorah and 2016's Shin Godzilla. Then, on the week of November 12, select Alamo Drafthouse locations will present a must-see double feature of two classics of two Godzilla films never before seen in American cinemas. 1984’s The Return of Godzilla is what kicked off the Heisei era and is a direct sequel to Gojira. While the film was re-edited and released in the United States as Godzilla 1985, the original Japanese version has never been officially screened on U.S. grounds, until now. The other film in this double feature is 1989’s Godzilla vs. Biollante, which only received a direct-to-video release in the U.S. and has never received an official release in American theaters.
“Godzilla continues its reign as King of the Monsters, transcending mere entertainment icons and embodying emotions and social issues reflective of the times,” said Keiji Ota, Chief Godzilla Officer (awesome title, by the way). “It is timely that we introduce the world to this first 4K version of the original Godzilla film to honor the legacy of this globally recognized symbol to the strongest fanbase in the world.”
There will also be a Godzilla AR Experience where for the first time ever, an augmented reality experience will be created for the original 1954 Godzilla character. Fans can download the AR experience on their mobile device using the QR code available at Godzilla.com and Alamo Drafthouse locations.
“Toho’s enduring cast of kaiju creations have been lighting up Alamo Drafthouse screens for almost 25 years, so we were honored to help plan Godzilla’s birthday party,” says John Smith, Senior Film Programmer for Alamo Drafthouse. “It’s been a thrill to partner with Toho on the 4K premiere and our Happy Birthday, Godzilla deep dive into some of the best work that Toho has ever produced.”
Along with the series of movies being released, Toho has also partnered up with Mondo, Super7, Kinokuniya, and the official Godzilla Shop on Amazon to give fans new merchandise celebrating the kaiju. Mondo will be creating a number of new products including Godzilla and Hedorah Sofubis as well as the latest addition to their “Godzilla Museum” statue line. The company also plans to announce several top-secret additions to its Toho Collection on November 3 which will include The Return Of Godzilla’s soundtrack pressed on vinyl. Kinokuniya Bookstores of America will once again offer fans access to a huge catalog of Godzilla merch, including items available exclusively from the official Godzilla Store in Japan.
Tickets for all films can be purchased at Drafthouse's website and participating Alamo Drafthouse theaters right now. The 4K remaster of Godzilla will see its worldwide premiere in theaters on November 3.