Movies - TV
How A Canceled Godzilla IMAX Short Kick-Started The MonsterVerse
By RYAN SCOTT
Perhaps no scrapped Godzilla project is more consequential than "Godzilla 3-D." Its development led to the creation of the MonsterVerse franchise, which is still around today.
"Godzilla 3-D," which was in development in the 2000s, was to be a short IMAX film for American audiences directed by Yoshimitsu Banno.
For years, Banno had wanted to craft a sequel to his 1971 film "Godzilla vs. Hedorah," so he cut a deal with Toho, allowing him to create a self-financed "Godzilla" short for IMAX.
Banno's first idea was a sequel titled "Godzilla vs. Deathla to the Max," an evolution of Hedorah. After several revisions, a 40-minute “Godzilla 3-D” was announced in 2007.
Banno and his team went to Legendary Pictures for financial backing, but the studio wanted to produce a feature-length film instead, resulting in 2014’s "Godzilla."
Banno was an executive producer on "Godzilla," but his story ideas were abandoned. He passed away in 2017 and never got to see his dream "Godzilla vs. Hedorah" sequel realized.