By the Numbers: 38 Films | 70+ Years of History | 1 King of the Monsters
Since rising from the depths of Tokyo Bay in 1954, Godzilla (Gojira) has become the longest-running film franchise in history. Whether he is a terrifying metaphor for nuclear destruction, a campy superhero saving the Earth, or a Hollywood blockbuster titan, the “King of the Monsters” has done it all.
Below is the complete list of every Godzilla movie and TV series, organized by era and production studio, including the latest confirmed releases for 2026 and 2027.
1. The Showa Era (1954–1975)
Studio: Toho Co., Ltd.
Vibe: Started as serious horror, evolved into campy sci-fi and superhero battles.
This is where it all began. The special effects (Tokusatsu) were pioneered by the legendary Eiji Tsuburaya using “suitmation.”
- Godzilla (1954) – The original masterpiece.
- Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
- King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
- Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
- Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
- Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
- Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
- Son of Godzilla (1967)
- Destroy All Monsters (1968)
- All Monsters Attack (1969)
- Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) – A psychedelic cult classic.
- Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
- Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
- Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
Collector’s Pick: Godzilla Criterion Collection — Contains many of these classics in one set.
2. The Heisei Era (1984–1995)
Studio: Toho Co., Ltd.
Vibe: A return to a darker, more serious continuity where Godzilla is a force of nature.
- The Return of Godzilla (1984) – Released as “Godzilla 1985” in the US.
- Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
- Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
- Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)
- Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)
- Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
- Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) – The emotional finale of the era.
3. The First American Adaptation (1998)
Studio: TriStar Pictures / Centropolis Vibe: A Jurassic Park-style creature feature that polarized fans.
- Godzilla (1998)
- Note: This creature was later rebranded as “Zilla” by Toho.
4. The Millennium Era (1999–2004)
Studio: Toho Co., Ltd.
Vibe: An anthology series. Most films in this era ignore previous sequels and serve as direct sequels to the 1954 original.
- Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999)
- Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)
- Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001) – Fan favorite known as “GMK”.
- Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
- Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)
- Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) – A manic 50th-anniversary bash.
5. The MonsterVerse (2014–Present)
Studio: Legendary Pictures (distributed by Warner Bros.)
Vibe: Big budget Hollywood blockbusters with massive CGI spectacle.
- Godzilla (2014)
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
- Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Must Watch: Godzilla x Kong The New Empire 4K
6. The Reiwa Era (2016–Present)
Studio: Toho Co., Ltd.
Vibe: Experimental, political, and prestigious.
Live Action: 34. Shin Godzilla (2016) – Directed by Hideaki Anno; won Best Picture in Japan. 35. Godzilla Minus One (2023) – Won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
The Best of the Best: Godzilla Minus One Blu Ray
The Anime Trilogy (Polygon Pictures):
- Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017)
- Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle (2018)
- Godzilla: The Planet Eater (2018)
7. Godzilla TV Shows (Animated & Live Action)
The King of the Monsters has a long history on the small screen.
- Godzilla (1978–1979) – Hanna-Barbera (Animation)
- Famous for introducing Godzooky.
- Godzilla Island (1997–1998) – Toho (Live Action)
- A bizarre short-form show using action figures.
- Godzilla: The Series (1998–2000) – Adelaide Productions (Animation)
- A direct sequel to the 1998 TriStar movie.
- Godzilla Singular Point (2021) – Bones / Orange (Anime)
- Available on Netflix.
- Chibi Godzilla Raids Again (2023) – Toho (Animation)
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023–Present) – Legendary Television (Live Action)
- Available on Apple TV+; connects to the MonsterVerse movies.
8. Upcoming Movies (2026–2027)
The franchise shows no signs of slowing down.
- Godzilla Minus Zero (Late 2026) – Toho
- The confirmed sequel to the Oscar-winning Minus One, directed by Takashi Yamazaki.
- Godzilla x Kong: Supernova (March 26, 2027) – Legendary Pictures
- The next chapter in the MonsterVerse saga.
