Guess who’s rooting for the king of monsters now? This time, it’s none other than a big Hollywood director! Takashi Yamazaki, the creative mind behind Godzilla Minus One, shared an amazing story about meeting Steven Spielberg, the man behind films like Jaws and Jurassic Park. And Yamazaki was totally blown away by what Spielberg said!
The movie earned praise for its direction, stunning visuals, and deep emotions. Many hailed it as the best Godzilla film ever. It returned Godzilla to his roots as a terrifying force of nature, similar to the original 1954 film. This was different from recent Western versions where Godzilla is more of a anti-hero.
Steven Spielberg Admitted to Watching Godzilla Minus One Thrice
Takashi Yamazaki, who served as the writer, director, and even the VFX supervisor for Godzilla Minus One, was attending the prestigious Oscars luncheon. This year, his movie made history as the first Godzilla film ever nominated for and winning an Academy Award, all thanks to its awesome visual effects. And then, something totally unexpected happened. Steven Spielberg himself came up to him!
Yamazaki, a huge admirer of Spielberg’s work, was left speechless when the legendary director revealed he was a big fan of Godzilla Minus One. The 77-year-old even admitted to watching the movie a whopping three times! As per AV Club, Yamazaki said:
Steven Spielberg said, ‘Oh, you’re the director of Godzilla. I saw it three times. I couldn’t believe it, because Spielberg is like a god to me, just for what he’s done for the film industry. But it sounded very real. [Spielberg went on to say,] ‘I saw it once in my home, and then I had to go see it again in IMAX, then Dolby Atmos.’ You can’t make that up.
The Japanese filmmaker also talked about the film’s unexpected Oscar nomination. Academy members “may have felt some nostalgia remembering what Godzilla used to be and seeing what it’s doing now,” Yamazaki said.
Takashi Yamazaki Was Initially Worried About Steven Spielberg’s Reaction
Takashi Yamazaki confessed he felt really nervous about people comparing his movie to Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. He was even worried that Spielberg might get upset with him because their films had some similarities.
One of Yamazaki’s goals was to show Godzilla in daylight, just like Jurassic Park. But he found it tough to keep his own style without copying Jurassic Park too much, especially when portraying a younger Godzilla.
When he finally met the Schindler’s List director in person, part of him thought Spielberg would be angry about the similarities and say something like (via AV Club), “You just ripped off all my films and I’m mad at you?” Luckily, the encounter went the other way.
Watch Godzilla Minus One on Netflix!
Frequently asked questions
What did Steven Spielberg tell Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki at the Oscars?
According to the article, Spielberg told Yamazaki he had watched Godzilla Minus One three separate times — once at home, once in IMAX, and once in Dolby Atmos. Yamazaki said meeting Spielberg felt unbelievable, calling him “like a god” for what he’s done for film, and said of the encounter, “You can’t make that up.”
Why was Takashi Yamazaki initially worried about meeting Spielberg?
The article reports Yamazaki had worried Spielberg might resent Godzilla Minus One for drawing comparisons to Jurassic Park, given the overlap in large-creature spectacle. Instead, Spielberg’s genuine enthusiasm for the film put those concerns to rest, and the two had a warm exchange at the Oscars luncheon that Yamazaki described as one of the most memorable moments of the awards season.
What made Godzilla Minus One historic for the franchise?
Godzilla Minus One became the first Godzilla film to be nominated for and win an Academy Award, taking home the prize for Best Visual Effects. Yamazaki served as the film’s writer, director, and VFX supervisor. The film was widely praised for restoring Godzilla to his roots as a terrifying force of nature rather than the anti-hero seen in recent Western versions, and it is available to stream on Netflix.
