New Godzila 2014 Casting Choices

It was recently announced at Comic Book Movie that Legendary Pictures is pursuing two more actors to star in their Godzilla 2014 reboot directed by Gareth Edwards(Monsters).

First it was stated that despite legal problems, namely a lawsuit brought about by former producers Dan Lin and Roy Lee after they were kicked off the picture by Legendary over creative and financial differences, the movie is still moving forward and shooting is still scheduled to begin in March 2013.

In addition, it was reported that Legendary is in talks with Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) to join the cast. Previously it was revealed that Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson among others was in talks for the lead.The Olsen Twins' younger sister is a serious actress not to mention gorgeous with seductive green eyes. Will we see her as the female love interest running for her life trying to evade Godzilla's footsteps? Fans seem overwhelmingly positive about the prospect of heavy actor Bryan Cranston joining the film. The story is said to revolve around a soldier and I imagine Cranston as the tough-as-nails, scowling superior officer, much like Stephan Lang's hard-core Colonel Quaritch in Avatar.

Time will tell if all of this will really happen, but Legendary better hurry up and finish casting if shooting starts in a month or so.

Godzilla is set to stomp into theaters on May 16, 2014.

Godzilla "Toy" Sculpture Fan Art

Here are some cool original Godzilla designs made up to look look like action figure toy boxes. I really like this first one. The dorsal plates are reduced with dragon-like tail segments. The G-rex is kind of funy, too.

 

 

 

 

Amazing Gwen Vibancos Godzilla 2014 Posters

Here are some absolutely amazing unofficial poster concepts from artist Gwen Vibancos. The top poster is very cool and the bottom picture with Godzilla's tail swiping a building is really epic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Godzilla 2014 Writer Frank Darabont Interview

Recently Godzilla 2014 writer Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption) was interviewed on i09. He promises to return Godzilla to his roots as a terrifying force of nature and gives some tantalizing clues about Legendary's Godzilla reboot film and the story.

In the interview he talks about Godzilla's origins in film, he says:

"What I found very interesting about Godzilla is that he started off definitely as a metaphor for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And some of the atom bomb testing we were doing in the South Pacific in the subsequent years. The giant terrifying force of nature that comes and stomps the shit out of your city, that was Godzilla. Filtered through the very fanciful imaginations of the Japanese perception."

He then says how Godzilla quickly became a protector of Japan fighting other monsters in subsequent films, a change he never understood. (Obviously, he's not a big fan of Godzilla as a series, except for the original.)

He then states that the new film will have a very serious tone and not be "campy".

"We want this to be a terrifying force of nature."

He says his job is introducing a very "compelling" human story in an extreme situation.

However, Godzilla as a metaphor for the atomic bomb is a bit outdated today. When asked if Godzilla would be connected to a contemporary issue, he said yes, but would say no more.

I like Darabont's take on Godzilla, but a few things are misleading and need to be put in perspective. First of all, reading the interview gives the impression he developed the story virtually by himself, but keep in mind, Darabont is the 5th writer to work on the script. It was reported that Max Borenstein, writer #3(Seventh Son),  will receive screen credit for the script with story credit going to David Goyer,#2 (Dark Knight trilogy and Man of Steel). Darabont and Drew Pearce, #4 (Iron Man 3) will share writing credit with Borenstein.

Second, Darabont seems to have a distain for Godzilla fighting other monsters, but Legendary already announced that there will be two more, all new monster co-stars in the film. It seems there will be a lot going on in this movie with introducing Godzilla as a terrifying force of nature in the first half of the film and then changing him to a savior battling two other opponents in the second half, all the while offering a "compelling" human drama. Can Legendary and director Gareth Edwards pull it off?

Overall, his comments are very exciting and make me hopeful for a great film. I still believe that G-fans can be assured that Godzilla 2014 is in the right hands and will deliver.

Also, there was another very interesting tidbit perhaps not so accidentally dropped but fellow interviewee, actor and writer, Sam Witwer who asked about Godzilla's metaphor and said he was currently rewriting Mothra. Mothra! This is the first I've heard of this. Is there also a Mothra reboot in our future? Well, if things go well for Godzilla, I wouldn't be surprised. With Pacific Rim coming out later this year, the writing is on the wall. Giant monster movies are the next big thing in sci-fi and fantasy films.

Visit io9 for the full interview

Legendary's Godzilla will stomp into theaters on May 16. 2014.


 

Godzilla 2014 "Bull Dog" Concept Sketch Art

 

 

 

This is a very cool "Bull Dog" Godzilla concept sketch by Jaroslav Kosmina. This one has distinctly dog-like mammalian features reminiscent of the CG Godzilla cameo in the Japanese drama, "Always". It's rather muscular and top heavy. Not very practical, but I really like this one. He looks really menacing as if he could fight through anything. Notice the size comparison to the car and human at it's feet? What do you think?

 



Godzilla Concept Sculpture and Porcupine Godzilla

 

These concepts go all the way back to 2010 when news first broke of the new Legendary Pictures Godzilla film. The bust may have been an early design that was dropped. I always liked these porcupine Godzilla designs. I think it goes along with the idea that he's a mutation. Regardless of the Legendary logo, these two are fan pictures. Love it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fantasy Godzilla Fan Art

This is an interesting image I found labeled Godzilla. I don't know the artist. This one is 4 legged alien Godzilla and reminds me of the monster from the Korean movie, Host or the monster from Relic. Can't say I like this one. Good for something else, no Godzilla.