And its still alive and well, with Legendary Pictures releasingGodzilla x Kong: The New Empirein 2024.
), theGodzillaseries is a triumph of sci-fi world-building and practical effects.
Yes, the suitmation technique SFX pioneer Eiji Tsuburaya devised for the original 1954 film appears quaint now.
Credit:Toho International/Courtesy Everett Collection; FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty; HBO Max/Courtesy Everett Collection
Godzilla is also a monster of unusual metaphorical depth.
With so many incarnations over so many decades, getting intoGodzillamovies can be daunting.
Weve assembled a ranked list of every live-action film as a guide to the Atomic Ages most famous monster.
TriStar Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
Godzilla (1998)
TriStar Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
No one seems to like the first American attempt at aGodzillamovie.
Critics didnt like it, comparing the movie unfavorably to JapaneseGodzillamovies and contemporary Hollywood sci-fi blockbusters.
Where to watchGodzilla(1998): Max
34.
Courtesy Everett Collection
Where to watchAll Monsters Attack: Tubi
33.
And if that was the only thing wrong with the movie, it wouldnt be such a big deal.
The ending, a good old-fashioned pro-wrestling-style monster beatdown,almostmakes the whole thing worth it.
Toho Pictures
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Megaguirus: PlutoTV
32.
And so, much like Minilla, this film doesnt really fit in anywhere.
Where to watchSon of Godzilla: Tubi
31.
Courtesy Everett Collection
Where to watchGodzilla Raids Again: Tubi
30.
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II: PlutoTV
29.
Chief among them was director Jun Fukuda, who would preside over the Showa eras more light-hearted entries.
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Shrimps are a beach thing, right?
Where to watchEbirah, Horror Of The Deep: Tubi
28.
Speaking of, like most of the Millennium movies,Godzilla Against Mechagodzillaresets the series continuity.
courtesy Everett Collection
Where to watchGodzilla Against Mechagodzilla: PlutoTV
27.
(Like humanitys attempts to kill Godzilla himself, none of them have stuck.)
(Ironic, no?)
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Where to watchTerror Of Mechagodzilla: Tubi
26.
Where to watchGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire: In theaters
25.
Where to watchGodzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)
24.
Toho/Kobal/Shutterstock
The climactic WWE-style three-way smackdown is also a treat, all choke slams and chest pounding.
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Kong: Max
23.
Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
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Some very silly Godzilla movies are also quite good.
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Sadly,Godzilla vs. Megalonis not one of them.
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Megalon: Tubi
22.
But he still got a makeover (and a pretty badass one at that) forGodzilla 2000.
‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’.Warner Bros. Pictures
Where to watchGodzilla 2000: Millennium: Max
21.
Where to watchKing Kong vs. Godzilla: Max
20.
(This is theGodzillamovie with a Rembrandt influence.)
TriStar Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
And the movie doesnt skimp on its monsters, debuting 17 different Titans throughout its sprawling 132-minute run time.
Where to watchGodzilla: King of the Monsters: Max
19.
The Return of Godzilla (a.k.a.
HBO Max / Courtesy Everett Collection
(Godzilla stands in for the atom bomb in that particular metaphor.)
Where to watchThe Return of Godzilla: Not available to stream
17.
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Mothra: Not available to stream
16.
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(Okay, two he returns inGodzilla: Final Warsalong with all the other kaiju.)
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla: Tubi
15.
Eventually, he finds out that his bosses are alien cockroaches (!)
TriStar/Getty
intent on conquering Earth with motivational tapes (?)
encouraging King Ghidorah and a new kaiju, Gigan, to wreak havoc on the planet.
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Gigan: Tubi
14.
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(This is one of twoGodzillafeatures that can credibly be compared to a Rembrandt painting.)
Where to watchGodzilla(2014): Netflix
13.
The aliens turn out to have sinister ulterior motives, of course.
Daniel McFadden/Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection
But the story still leads to G stomping the three-headed jerk, which he does with aplomb.
Where to watchInvasion of Astro-Monster: Tubi
12.
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection
- Where to watchGodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Hulu
11.
Where to watchGhidorah, The Three-Headed Monster: Tubi
10.
Toho Co./Courtesy Everett Collection
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (a.k.a.
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Hedorah: Tubi
9.
That leaves who else?
Toho/TriStar Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
Godzilla as humanitys last hope.
Where to watchGodzilla: Final Wars: PlutoTV
8.
This is the most outdatedGodzillafilm, with depictions of Polynesian culture that absolutely would not fly today.
courtesy Everett Collection
Where to watchMothra vs. Godzilla: Tubi
7.
Let the monster battle begin!
Where to watchGodzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack: PlutoTV
6.
LMPC via Getty
Where to watchDestroy All Monsters: Tubi
5.
Part zilla, part human, and part plant, Biollante really shouldnt work, but it does.
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Toho International/Courtesy Everett Collection
Tohos Reiwa era winning streak continued withGodzilla Minus One.
Warner Bros. Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
The monster VFX is top-notch, imbuing Godzilla with animalistic ferocity and mass.
Where to watchGodzilla Minus One: Not available to stream
3.
Where to watchGodzilla vs. Destoroyah: PlutoTV
2.
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Honda wantedGodzillato feel like a documentary, and the film is more serious than many of thefuture installments.
Where to watchGodzilla(1954): Tubi
1.
Where to watchShin Godzilla: Crunchyroll
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