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Ken Watanabe Joins Gareth Edwards' 'Godzilla,' in Production Now

by Ethan Anderton
March 18, 2013

After rounding up an impressive cast that includes like Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, David Strathairn and Juliette Binoche, the reboot of Godzilla from director Gareth Edwards (Monsters) is officially into production on location in Vancouver, but one more name has popped up in a press release announcing the news. Because it wouldn't be a Godzilla movie without at least one Japanese actor, Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment have landed Inception and Batman Begins star Ken Watanabe. However, we're not sure what role he will be playing or what the general plot of the film will be.

Of course, since this is a Godzilla film, you can imagine that it will involve a giant lizard attacking a city at some point. However, we're interested in how these actors and the director are handling the material with a contemporary lens. The footage shown at Comic-Con was reminiscent of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, so maybe this will be less of an action bonanza, and more of a disaster film with real-life consequences and loss of life acknowledged. That was something that seemed to be ignored when Godzilla came back to the big screen in the late 90s with Roland Emmerich at the helm. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures will send Godzilla stomping into theaters on May 16th, 2014.

Filed under Casting, Development, Movie News

From around the web:

OfficialJab

Will Godzilla fight another monster? Doubtful, but that might be good for a sequel.
- Jake
  
  Godzilla was confirmed by Warner Bro's in January that he will fight 2 other monster's in the film. Not to mention the Army/Navy military forces.
  - OfficialJab
    
    My god. Give me this movie.
    - http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
      
      amen
    - avi
      
      amen
  - Cody W
    
    O my god, imagine seeing mothrah or gigan in a big budget blockbuster.
- Daniel_Plainview_Milkshake
  
  They say he'll fight at least 2
http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves

The cast is quite promising so far...I'm trying to stay as optimistic as possible. I'm kind of glad that it's being kept under wraps.
- Scopedog
  
  Same here. I mean...this is a great cast. Who would imagine Juliette Binoche and Ken Watanabe doing a film like this unless the story and script were quite good? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will be good....
  - Cody W
    
    Same goes for Cranston, I dont think he has picked a supporting role in a movie unless its amazing IE Drive and Argo. Plus hes Watler White come on.
son_et_lumiere

when you suggested it might be a 'disaster film with real-life consequences and loss of life acknowledged', it reminded me that Godzilla was originally both a man in a kaiju suit, but also heavily allegorical. and Edwards' Monsters was one big allegory, so this leaves me cautiously optimistic.
jah p

David Strathairn brings alot of credibilty to this movie, I'm guessing he might play Raymond Burr's role from the original...I just hope this new Godzilla doesn't spend to much time with the human characters and such, like Gareth's first film Monsters, in which I found it to be very underwhelming with that annoying couple and not enough creature action...
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Dawkins/100002207329301 Jim Dawkins

Ken Watanabe! Nice.