Fresh off his Oscar win for Godzilla Minus One, Japanese filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki is making his long-awaited English-language debut. His new film, Grandgear, is set to hit cinemas on February 18, 2028 — a collaboration between Columbia Pictures and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot that reportedly sparked a heated bidding war back in late 2024.
The announcement came Monday night during the opening of CinemaCon in Las Vegas, the annual industry gathering where studios and theatre owners tease their biggest upcoming projects.
Yamazaki, who wrote and will direct Grandgear, has quickly become one of Japan’s most internationally visible filmmakers.
Read more: ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Makes History With Oscar Win
His previous feature, Godzilla Minus One, stunned the box office with $113 million worldwide on a $15 million budget and marked several milestones: it became the first Godzilla film to win an Academy Award, picking up Best Visual Effects, and the highest-grossing Japanese release in North America not adjusted for inflation.
Accepting the Oscar, Yamazaki recalled the uphill path to that moment. “So far from Hollywood, even the possibility of standing on this stage seemed out of reach,” he said during his speech. “The moment we were nominated, we felt like Rocky Balboa welcomed into the ring as equals by our biggest rivals, which was already a miracle. But, here we stand!”
Before Grandgear arrives, Yamazaki fans won’t have long to wait for another spectacle — Toho will release Godzilla Minus Zero in Japan on November 3, with U.S. distribution handled by GKids soon after.
Read more: ‘Godzilla Minus One’ Director Takashi Yamazaki Contemplates a Cinematic Response to ‘Oppenheimer’
Produced by Abrams alongside Bad Robot’s Glen Zipper, Grandgear marks a major step for Yamazaki as he bridges his signature worldbuilding with Hollywood scale — and positions one of Japan’s most imaginative directors for a global spotlight once again.
