Godzilla Directors
Every person who directed at least one Godzilla movie.
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- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Influential Japanese film director born May 7th, 1911, often credited as being the father of Godzilla. His name is a combination of "I" (or Ino), meaning "boar", and "shirô," meaning fourth son in the family. Originally, the young Honda had aspirations of becoming an artist; however, as he entered into his teens, it was cinema that became his number 1 interest.
He attended Nippon University studying art, but was drafted by the Japanese military and spent nearly eight years in uniform. After a period of imprisonment in China as a P.O.W., he returned to Japan to join Toho Studios, where, soon afterward, he became acquainted with its special effects director, Eiji Tsuburaya. The two worked on a handful of films before collaborating on the ground-breaking epic monster film Godzilla (1954). Honda was also at the director's helm for such films as Rodan (1956), The Mysterians (1957) and its loose sequel Battle in Outer Space (1959), Mothra (1961), Matango (1963), and Destroy All Monsters (1968). Although the Japanese monster films had been derided by some U.S. critics, Honda was especially proud of his contribution to this rather unique aspect of the fantasy and science fiction genres.
Honda was a life-long friend of fellow Japanese director Akira Kurosawa and worked on several of his landmark films, including Stray Dog (1949), Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980) (a.k.a. "Kagemusha the Shadow Warrior"), and Ran (1985).
Honda died at the age of 81 on February 28th, 1993, with Kurosawa delivering the eulogy at his funeral.Godzilla (1954)
Godzilla! King of the Monsters
King Kong vs Godzilla
Mothra vs Godzilla
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Invasion of the Astro-Monster
Destroy All Monsters
All Monsters Attack
Terror of Mechagodzilla- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Production Manager
An English major who graduated from Waseda University, one of Japan's most prestigious, in 1935, Motoyoshi Oda was promptly accepted into the directors' program at Tokyo's P.C.L. (Photo Chemical Laboratories, a film company later incorporated into Toho Studios). He studied under director Kajiro Yamamoto, as did Akira Kurosawa, Ishiro Honda, and Senkichi Taniguchi. When the latter two trainees were drafted into Japan's war in China, Oda found his career accelerated. He was promoted to director in 1940 with SONG OF KUNYA (Kunya no Uta), after a relatively scant few years of training. Perhaps because of this relative lack of training, and certainly because Oda was not drafted into the army, P.C.L. and Toho kept Oda going as a maker of programmers--trivial pictures that had to be made in order to keep product flowing into the theaters, but which offered little time or room for artistic achievement. Probably his most distinguished credits are LADY FROM HELL (1949, based on a Kurosawa script), TOMEI NINGEN (1954) and the only film he made ever to be shown outside Japan, the second Godzilla film, GOJIRA NO GYAKUSHU (1955). Toho insisted that Oda direct as many as seven movies a year, knowing that he could be trusted to deliver them on time. Over his entire career, Motoyoshi Oda directed fifty movies, not to mention his work as assistant director and second-unit direction on Ishiro Honda's EAGLE OF THE PACIFIC (Taiheiyo no Washi, 1953). No credits are available for Oda after 1957, when he may well have taken an early retirement.Godzilla Raids Again- Editor
- Director
- Editorial Department
Terry O. Morse was born on 30 January 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Terry O. was an editor and director, known for Fog Island (1945), Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956) and Unknown World (1951). Terry O. died on 19 May 1984 in Newhall, California, USA.Godzilla! King of the Monsters- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Jun Fukuda would spend his childhood in Manchuria before attending Nihon University College of Art. His interests would lead him to filmmaking and in 1946 he joined Toho as an assistant director. In his tenure as an assistant director, he would work under filmmakers such as Hiroshi Inagaki and Ishirô Honda, leading to his first work in special effects filmmaking with Rodan (1956). His career as a full-fledged director would take off in 1959. His early work leaned more towards mystery but he began to expand into more action and comedic centric works by the mid-1960s. Around this time, Toho gave Fukuda the opportunity to direct a Godzilla film. Beginning with Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966), Fukuda would become Toho's go to director for special effects films after Ishiro Honda. Fukuda's films would develop a unique identity beginning with his his choice to replace series composer Akira Ifukube with Masaru Satô. His films would be full of colorful characters and vibrant action demonstrating his filmmaking craftsmanship. During his career he would direct five Godzilla films, along with espionage films and comedies. He would also write the un-produced screenplays of The Invisible Man and Invisible Man vs. the Human Torch. While Fukuda was known to harbor a disdain for his work, he would seem to develop an understanding of what his work met to people as fans would send him letters and messages during his final years. Fukuda would passed away from lung cancer on December 3, 2000, at the age of 77.Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
Son of Godzilla
Godzilla vs Gigan
Godzilla vs Megalon
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Producer
- Director
Yoshimitsu Banno studied at Toho under such directors as Hiromichi Horikawa, Mikio Naruse, Kengo Furusawa and Seiji Maruyama. By 1970 Toho was ready to promote him to full director, and the resulting project, Birth of the Japanese Islands (1970) played at Osaka's Expo 70, attracting record-breaking crowds. Gojira series producer Tomoyuki Tanaka signed him up to help revitalize the series. The result was the famous (or infamous) Gojira vs. Hedora (1971), a passionately avant-garde film which so horrified producer Tanaka that Banno's directorial privileges at Toho were temporarily suspended. He managed to restore his reputation by rewriting and directing second unit for Nosutodoramusu no Daiyogen (1974). He was approached to write and/or direct Gojira movies twice more in the 1970s, but his ideas continued to be too radical for the studio. Eventually he resigned as a director and became an executive in charge of project development, which in recent years has included the highly ambitious JAPAX Project, a 70mm. process meant to compete with the Imax process.Godzilla vs Hedorah- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Producer
Koji Hashimoto was born on 21 January 1936 in Tochigi, Japan. He was an assistant director and director, known for The Return of Godzilla (1984), Godzilla 1985 (1985) and King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963). He died on 9 January 2005 in Ashikaga, Tochigi, Japan.The Return of Godzilla
Godzilla 1985- Sound Department
- Editor
- Director
Born in Long Island City, R.J. Kizer's childhood home was in New Jersey. He attended the NYU film school and, after graduation, worked for a few years in the New York film industry. After moving to California, he was film editor on several features for Roger Corman, and then directed some cult classic low-budget features such as Death Ring (1992) and Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988).Godzilla 1985- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Kazuki Ômori was born on 3 March 1952 in Osaka, Osaka, Japan. He was a director and writer, known for Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Kinkyu yobidashi - Emâjenshî kôru (1995) and Asunimukattehashire nai! (1972). He died on 12 November 2022 in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.Godzilla vs Biolante
Godzilla vs King Ghidorah- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Writer
Takao Okawara was born on 20 December 1949 in Tokyo, Japan. He is an assistant director and director, known for Yukai (1997), Godzilla 2000 (1999) and Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980).Godzilla vs Mothra
Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II
Godzilla vs Destroyah
Godzilla 2000- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Actor
Kenshô Yamashita was born on 8 July 1944 in Kagoshima, Japan. He was an assistant director and director, known for Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994), The Return of Godzilla (1984) and 19 (1987). He died on 16 August 2016 in Japan.Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Roland Emmerich is a German film director and producer of blockbuster films like The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Godzilla (1998), Independence Day (1996) and The Patriot (2000). Before fame, he originally wanted to be a production designer, but decided to be a director, after watching the original Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). Emmerich began his career in his native Germany. In his youth, he pursued painting and sculpting. While enrolled in the director's program at film school in Munich, his student film The Noah's Ark Principle (1984) went on to open the 1984 Berlin Film Festival. The feature became a huge success and was sold to more than 20 countries. In an amazing trivia, he directed his first feature, The Noah's Ark Principle (1984), in 1984. He is openly gay and a campaigner for the LGBT community.
A director/writer/producer with a flair for special effects-driven action, German Roland Emmerich made himself at home in blockbuster-hungry 1990s Hollywood. Born and educated in West Germany, Emmerich studied production design as well as direction at the Munich Film and Television School. After his student film, The Noah's Ark Principle, debuted at the 1984 Berlin Film Festival, Emmerich formed his production company Centropolis and directed supernatural fantasies Making Contact (1986) and Ghost Chase (1987), and the straight-to-video action film Moon 44 (1990). On the latter, he met actor Dean Devlin who subsequently switched jobs to become Emmerich's writing and producing partner once Emmerich set up shop in Hollywood.
After making his solo Hollywood debut directing Jean-Claude Van Damme in the cyborg action fest Universal Soldier (1992), Emmerich and Devlin revealed a talent for conjuring A-level action spectacles out of B-movie scenarios with their first film together, Stargate (1994). A space odyssey mixing ancient Egyptiana and high-tech wizardry, Stargate became an unexpected hit. Emmerich hit his blockbuster stride with his next film, Independence Day (1996). With its eye-popping destruction of major cities and climactic annihilation of a spacecraft via portable computer, Independence Day blew away its summer movie competition on the strength of its visual flash. Geared to repeat with the endlessly- and creatively-hyped version of Godzilla (1998), Emmerich instead faced the conundrum of directing a $100 million grossing film that did not live up to box office expectations. Emmerich and Devlin next turned their epic visions to the decidedly lower-tech (but still CGI-enhanced) action of the American Revolution in the Mel Gibson summer vehicle The Patriot (2000).Godzilla (1998)- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
- Actor
Masaaki Tezuka was born on 24 January 1955 in Tochigi, Japan. He is an assistant director and director, known for Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003), Sora e: Sukui no tsubasa resukyû uingusu (2008) and Samurai Commando: Mission 1549 (2005).Godzilla vs Megaguirus
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shusuke Kaneko (born June 8, 1955) is a Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter. Kaneko began his career at Nikkatsu and would serve as a writer for film and anime. Establishing himself as an up and coming director, Kaneko would win accolades at various film festivals. His film, Summer Vacation 1999, would garner him his first award for best director at the Yokohama Film Festival. As a lifelong Godzilla fan, Kaneko was chosen as the director for Daiei's revival of the Gamera franchise. Kaneko's work on the Gamera films were met with unprecedented critical acclaim. He would be honored with the Director's Award at the 17th Yokohama Film Festival for his work on Gamera: Guardian of the Universe. This film would also go one to top Kinema Junpo's best films of the year list and earn Blue Ribbon awards for best Director and best supporting actress. Kaneko would go on to direct the most successful Godzilla film of the millennium series as well as the live action adaptations of Death Note. Kaneko has also contributed to various documentaries on kaiju films, championing their artistry and imagination.Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Ryûhei Kitamura was born on 30 May 1969 in Osaka, Japan. He is a director and writer, known for The Midnight Meat Train (2008), Azumi (2003) and Versus (2000).Godzilla: Final Wars- Visual Effects
- Director
- Writer
Gareth James Edwards was born on June 1, 1975 in the English town of Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Growing up, he admired movies such as the 1977 classic "Star Wars", and went on to pursue a film career. He even cites George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as his biggest influences. Edwards studied BA (Hons) Film & Video at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham (formerly the Surrey Institute of Art & Design), graduating in 1996. In 2012, he received an honorary Master of Arts from UCA.
Edwards got his start in special visual effects, working on visual f/x for programs that aired on networks such as PBS, BBC and the Discovery Channel. In 2008 he entered (and won) the Sci-Fi-London 48-hour film challenge, where a movie had to be created from start-to-finish in just two days, within certain criteria. Edwards wrote and directed his first full-length feature, "Monsters", which was shot in only three weeks. Edwards personally created the film's special effects by using off-the-shelf equipment. Asides from the two main actors (real-life couple Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able), the crew consisted of just five people. The $500,000 thriller received a riotous reception at the South by Southwest festival, and was released by Veritgo Films to great success.
The success of "Monsters" resulted in Edwards getting offers from the major studios, especially Warner Bros., who tapped him to direct an English-language reboot of the 1954 Japanese classic "Gojira". Produced by Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures, "Godzilla" began development in 2011 with Edwards at the helm, and was released on May 16, 2014 to mixed reviews and tremendous box office success, grossing $529 million worldwide against a $160 million budget.
Following the success of "Godzilla", producer Kathleen Kennedy tapped Edwards to helm a spin-off of "Star Wars" for Lucasfilm Limited. In 2015, it was revealed that Edwards' "Star Wars" spin-off, written Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy, would be titled "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", set for release on December 16, 2016. The film boasts an ensemble cast including Felicity Jones, Donnie Yen, Mad Mikkelsen and James Earl Jones among others.Godzilla (2014)- Writer
- Art Department
- Director
Hideaki Anno was born on 22 May 1960 in Ube, Japan. He is a writer and director, known for Shin Godzilla (2016), Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007) and The Wind Rises (2013). He has been married to Moyoco Anno since 26 March 2002.Shin Godzilla- Director
- Art Department
- Additional Crew
Shinji Higuchi was born on 22 September 1965 in Tokyo, Japan. He is a director, known for Shin Godzilla (2016), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Shin Ultraman (2022). He is married to Noriko Takaya.Shin Godzilla- Director
- Animation Department
- Art Department
Kôbun Shizuno is known for Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007), The Journey (2021) and Knights of Sidonia (2014).Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle
Godzilla: The Planet Eater- Director
- Visual Effects
- Writer
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle
Godzilla: The Planet Eater- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Michael Patrick Dougherty is a writer, director, animator, and producer known for his work in a variety of genre films, both big and small. Beginning his career as an animator and illustrator, Dougherty's animated work was featured on MTV, Nickelodeon, and a line of twisted greeting cards published by NobleWorks. He then co-wrote the blockbusters X-Men 2 and Superman Returns before making his directorial debut with the classic horror comedy, Trick 'r Treat (2007), starring Anna Paquin, Dylan Baker, and Brian Cox. Trick 'r Treat has since become a perennial favorite that has spawned a growing line of toys, comics, theme park attractions, and Halloween decor, and a sequel is in development with Legendary Pictures. Dougherty later set his sights on Christmas, which resulted in Krampus (2015), a holiday horror comedy starring Toni Collette, Adam Scott, David Koechner, and Allison Tolman. Much like Trick 'r Treat, Krampus has become an annual holiday classic. Most recently, Dougherty co-wrote and directed the blockbuster Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) starring Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, and Ken Watanabe, and co-wrote the story for its sequel, Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), starring Brian Tyree Henry, Rebecca Hall, and Alexander Skaarsgaard. Collectively, Dougherty's work has grossed over 2 billion dollars at the box office.Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)- Director
- Editor
- Writer
At 19 Adam got his start in feature film making early with his directorial debut Home Sick, a slasher horror film starring Bill Moseley and Tom Toweles. However it was his second effort at 24 years old with the film Pop Skull that garnered him a talent to watch. Made for a budget of around 2000 dollars he managed to capture the attention of French Distribution company The Wild Bunch. The film went on to premiere at the prestigious Rome Film Festival and the American Film Institute Film Festival. His dark and sometimes abrasive directing/editing style has been compared to directors such as David Lynch, Darren Aronofsky, and Shinya Tsukamoto.Godzilla vs Kong