'Godzilla Minus Zero' named Tokyo Film Festival centerpiece

"Godzilla Minus Zero" has been named the centerpiece of the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, anchoring a lineup that opens with Zeze Takahisa's music drama "Sukiyaki" and closes with Yeon Sang-ho's zombie thriller "Colony." The announcement positions Yamazaki Takashi's follow-up to Oscar-winning "Godzilla Minus One" at the heart of Japan's premier cinema showcase, which runs Oct. 26 through Nov. 4 in Tokyo.

The centerpiece selection gives one of the year's most anticipated Japanese blockbusters a major festival platform. According to Variety, Toho will release the film in Japan on Nov. 3, just days after the festival concludes. For more festival and streaming news, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.

Key Takeaways

• "Godzilla Minus Zero" headlines the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival as its centerpiece screening.
• "Sukiyaki" opens the festival; Yeon Sang-ho's "Colony" closes it.
• The sequel is the first Japanese feature shot for Imax screens and concludes the story begun in "Godzilla Minus One."
• TIFF runs Oct. 26–Nov. 4 in Tokyo, overlapping with the TIFFCOM industry market Oct. 28–30.

What is 'Godzilla Minus Zero' about?

Director Yamazaki Takashi, who also wrote and oversaw visual effects on the film, returns after "Godzilla Minus One" won the Academy Award for best visual effects at the 96th Academy Awards. The sequel stars Kamiki Ryunosuke and Hamabe Minami.

Set two years after the prior film, the story follows a Japan still struggling to recover when a new threat emerges. Festival materials frame it as the conclusion of the story that began with "Godzilla Minus One," and it marks the first time a Japanese feature has been shot for Imax screens.

TIFF programming director Ichiyama Shozo called it "a true sequel to 'Godzilla Minus One,' one of the standouts in the Godzilla series," adding that it "brings a powerful new interpretation of Godzilla, delivering a level of surprise that far exceeds expectations."

Which films open and close the festival?

Zeze Takahisa's "Sukiyaki" will open the 39th edition. Written by Minato Takehiko, the music drama chronicles the making of the 1963 song "Sukiyaki," which held the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard chart for three consecutive weeks.

The film centers on composer Nakamura Hachidai, lyricist Ei Rokusuke and singer Sakamoto Kyu, played by Okada Junichi, Matsuzaka Tori and Nakano Taiga. Toho will release "Sukiyaki" in Japan on Dec. 25.

Yeon Sang-ho, whose credits include "Train to Busan" (2016), closes the festival with "Colony." The Korean zombie thriller follows Professor Se Jeong, trapped in a Seoul skyscraper during a bioterror attack as infected hosts evolve with collective intelligence. The cast includes Gianna Jun, Koo Kyo-hwan and Ji Chang-wook.

When does the Tokyo International Film Festival run?

The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, hosted by Unijapan, runs Oct. 26 to Nov. 4 in Tokyo. The festival overlaps with TIFFCOM 2026, an industry market organized by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and Unijapan, running Oct. 28–30.

"Colony" had its world premiere in a Cannes midnight screening before topping box office charts in Korea and elsewhere in Asia. Gaga Corporation will distribute the film in Japan in 2027.