"Godzilla Minus Zero" Opens November 6

Above, the teaser poster for Godzilla Minus Zero.

Two Godzilla movies are on the horizon. One from the U.S. (Legendary Pictures) will arrive in 2027 and one from Japan (Toho Co., Ltd.) this year.

The Legendary Pictures feature is titled, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova and the Toho feature is titled, Godzilla Minus Zero.

According to Variety:

“Godzilla Minus Zero,” the upcoming sequel to the successful “Godzilla Minus One,” will open in North America on Nov. 6 from Toho and GKids. The release comes just three days after the Japanese release, which Toho says is a rare near-simultaneous bow for a Japan-produced Godzilla movie.

The Nov. 3 Japanese release marks the same day the original “Godzilla” opened in theaters in 1954, now observed as Godzilla Day. “Godzilla Minus One” also opened Nov. 3 in Japan in 2023, going on to become the highest-grossing Japan-produced Godzilla film and winning the Oscar for visual effects.

To read more, go here. 

"Godzilla -0.0" Is Toho's Next

Above, the official logo. Image by Toho Co., Ltd.

The next Godzilla movie's title has been announced. It is a sequel to Godzilla Minus One.

Variety reported:

Toho has officially revealed the title of its next “Godzilla” feature: “Godzilla -0.0” (Godzilla Minus Zero). The announcement was made at the annual Godzilla Fest in Tokyo and confirmed via Toho’s official X account.

And, from The Wrap:

Earlier this year it was announced that “Godzilla Minus One” director, screenwriter and visual effects supervisor Takashi Yamazaki would return for a new installment in the franchise.

Now, at Godzilla Fest 2025, held Monday on Godzilla Day at Tokyo’s Kanadevia Hall, the title for the new film was revealed – “Godzilla Minus Zero.” The official logo was also revealed, drawn by Yamazaki himself (see above).

As to what “Godzilla Minus Zero” means, considering “Godzilla Minus One” referred to the fact that it took place before 1954’s “Godzilla,” well, the official release said, simply, “Stay tuned for further updates.”

Could it be a remake of the original film? Only time will tell.

To read more, go here.

FireAid Hires Law Firm To Review Dispersal of Funds From Benefit Concert

Above, the famous Moonshadows restaurant before and after the fire.

It looks like those behind the FireAid benefit concert that raised over $100 million, purportedly to help those who were affected by the wildfires in January in Los Angles County, has hired a law firm to review the disbursements made. Many noted that organizations having nothing to do with the fires are getting the funds.

They have taken much criticism over the past few weeks by victims of the fires. They are also angry at the foot-dragging by Los Angeles and California officials over rebuilding permits. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom had promised expedited permitting, but have failed to do so.

Variety posted an article on FireAid and it begins with:

FireAid has hired a law firm, Latham & Watkins, to review the dispersal of roughly $100 million in funds that were raised in conjunction with a massive benefit concert earlier this year, the charitable organization announced Monday. FireAid released a letter it sent to Rep. Kevin Kiley of California about the internal review, shortly after the congressman posted it on his X account.

Some congresspeople and journalists have hit the organization with questions in recent weeks about how the money was given out, with stories picking up particular traction among conservative-leaning news outlets. FireAid has every reason to take the skepticism seriously, as Kiley and others have brought their issues or questions to the attention of President Trump, who on Friday posted a message that began, “‘FireAid’ is a total disaster. Looks like another Democrat inspired scam.”

To read more, go here.

From Fox 11 News:

Amazon MGM Gains Creative Control of 007 Franchise

Above, my Daniel Craig autographed photo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This can't be good news.*

Even though Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have taken some heat in killing James Bond in No Time To Die, the announcement that they are giving Amazon MGM creative control over the franchise is being met by fans with shock and disapproval.

The main concern for fans of 007 is that Amazon MGM will run the franchise into the ground with poor quality movies as Disney did with the Star Wars franchise. The last Star Wars trilogy was shit.

Variety reported:

Amazon MGM Studios is set to take creative control of the James Bond franchise.

The shock announcement — which is sure to shake and, indeed, stir the industry — was made Thursday, alongside the news that long-time producers and custodians of 007, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, would be stepping back.

As per details of the historic agreement, Amazon MGM Studios, Wilson and Broccoli have formed a new joint venture to house the James Bond intellectual property rights. The three parties will remain co-owners of the iconic franchise but Amazon MGM will have creative control.

I have been a 007 fan ever since my parents to me to see a double-bill of Dr. No and From Russia With Love in 1963. 

To read more, go here.

*I hope I'm proven wrong.

Japanese Location Production Operation Launched by Toho

Above, Toho Studios in Setagaya. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

International movie productions have "shied away" from shooting in Japan as there's no incentives for location filming.

All that is about to change as Toho Co., Ltd. is launching a production services division.

Variety reported:

Toho, Japan’s most powerful movie studio, is launching a production services offshoot intended to assist and grow foreign film and TV shoots in the country.

Toho Tombo Pictures is a joint venture with Japan-based producer Georgina Pope, who has worked with the top entertainment companies around the globe for more than 30 years.

The new company will be headed by Shimada Mitsuru, who currently serves as president of Toho Studios, as representative director of Toho Tombo Pictures. Pope, Ueda Koji and Toho Studios executive Sudo Tetsushi will serve as directors. Ueda is GM of international business of Toho and VP of U.S. subsidiary, Toho International, Inc.

Toho says that “interest in filming in Japan has skyrocketed over the past decade,” and that it sees an opportunity “to create a suite of services that incorporates the expertise and expansive capabilities of Japan’s premier film studio, Toho Studios.”

To read more, go here. 

Lisa Loring, The Original Wednesday Addams, Dies At 64

Above, Lisa Loring as Wednesday Addams.

Another entertainer from the days of baby boomer youth has passed.

The original Wednesday Addams, Lisa Loring has passed away due to a stroke.

Variety reported:

Lisa Loring, who played the young Wednesday Addams on “The Addams Family” from 1964 to 1966 and also appeared in “As the World Turns,” died Saturday of a stroke, her daughter Vanessa Foumberg confirmed. She was 64.

“She went peacefully with both her daughters holding her hands,” Foumberg said.

A friend, Laurie Jacobson, reported her death on Facebook, writing that she “was in our hearts always as Wednesday Addams.”

Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on “The Munsters,” also remembered her on Facebook, writing, “Very sorry to hear of my dear friend Lisa Loring’s passing. We were very close and worked together often. I know she was very weak. I was in her company just a few weeks ago. Godspeed my friend.” 

To read more, go here. 

Legendary Entertainment Cuts Ties With Warner Bros.

It appears that the resolution of the public "spat" between Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures was short-lived.

Legendary has bolted from Warner Bros. and has signed up with Sony Pictures to distribute their films.

According to Variety:

Legendary Entertainment, the production company behind “Dune” and “Godzilla vs. Kong,” has cut ties with Warner Bros. and entered a multi-year worldwide film distribution partnership with Sony Pictures.

Under the new agreement, Sony will market and distribute Legendary’s upcoming theatrical motion picture titles. However, select existing projects at Legendary are exempt from the pact, meaning Warner Bros. Pictures is still backing “Dune: Part Two.” The sequel to 2021’s sci-fi adaptation “Dune” is currently in production and slated for release on Nov. 3, 2023.

In a press release, Sony Pictures and Legendary emphasized that the companies are aligned in their “ongoing commitment to theatrical distribution as a driver for other ‘downstream’ windows and the theatrical window’s long-term value for films.”  

That sentiment may be a not-so-subtle nod to Legendary’s public spat with Warner Bros. in late 2020. At the time, the production company threatened to take legal action over Warners.’ decision to send all of its 2021 movies — including the Legendary-backed “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Dune” — to HBO Max on the same day they debut in theaters. However, the two companies hashed out frustrations (for the moment) and found an agreement that satisfied both parties. Moreover, “Godzilla vs. Kong” grossed $470 million globally and “Dune” generated $401 million worldwide, making each of them pandemic-era box office hits despite playing day-and date on streaming.

To read more, go here. 

"No Time To Die" Release Postponed To October

Well, this comes as no surprise.

Variety reported:

James Bond’s latest adventure has hit another speed bump. “No Time to Die,” the upcoming installment in the British spy series, has been postponed yet again.

The movie will now release in theaters on Oct. 8. It was originally scheduled to open on April 2.

It’s hardly a surprise that the Bond film has been pushed back to fall. Hollywood has been widely anticipating that “No Time to Die” would face another delay as coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket.

This has to be the longest gap between Bond movies since License to Kill and Goldeneye (July 14, 1989-November 24, 1995). Spectre was released November 6, 2015.

To read more, go here. 

Toho Impacted By Coronavirus

Above, Godzilla peers over Toho Cinemas in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Toho Co., Ltd. has vast holdings in Japan, which includes several divisions.

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused Godzilla's parent company to lose revenue when the virus hit and the company was forced to shut down its theaters.

According to Variety:

Like its signature “Godzilla” franchise, Toho normally towers above the rest. The company is a producer, distributor and exhibitor that operates Japan’s largest theater chain. As a distributor, it consistently accounts for the lion’s share of local hits, and in some years it gets to release the films of anime maestro Hayao Miyazaki. 

But even mighty Toho is being brought low by the coronavirus crisis, which shuttered the nation’s theaters following a government state of emergency declaration early in April. 

For the first quarter of FY2021, from March 1 to May 31 of this year, Toho reported a plunge in revenues of 51% to $308 million, compared with $632 million in the same period last year. Meanwhile, profits fell 81% to $27 million, against $150 million in the first quarter of the last financial year.

Theaters in Japan have since been reopened, but with few new releases, business has been slow.

To read more, go here. 

Ennio Morricone Dies At 91

The world has lost one of the giants in movie music scoring.

Variety reported:

Oscar winner Ennio Morricone, composer of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and “The Mission” and among the most prolific and admired composers in film history, has died. He was 91. 

Morricone died early Monday in a Rome clinic, where he was taken shortly after suffering a fall that caused a hip fracture, his lawyer Giorgio Asumma told Italian news agency ANSA. 

Shortly after Morricone’s death was confirmed, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tweeted: “We will always remember, with infinite gratitude, the artistic genius of the Maestro #EnnioMorricone. It made us dream, feel excited, reflect, writing memorable notes that will remain indelible in the history of music and cinema.” 

The Italian maestro’s estimated 500 scores for films and television, composed over more than 50 years, are believed to constitute a record in Western cinema for sheer quantity of music. 

At least a dozen of them became film-score classics, from the so-called spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s, including “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and “Once Upon a Time in the West” to the widely acclaimed “The Mission” and “Cinema Paradiso” of the 1980s.

To read more, go here. 

"Elvis: That's The Way It Is" Set For Theatrical Release

Above, a display of Elvis Presley's jumpsuits on display at Graceland. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It hardly seems possible that 1970 was 50 years ago. But it was.

During that year, Elvis Presley got back on stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas after a decade of movies he grew to despise doing.

A documentary of Elvis's return to live performances was chronicled in the MGM documentary, Elvis: That's The Way It Is. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the release of that documentary, it will be released in selected theaters.

According to Variety:

Trafalgar Releasing has set a re-release for the concert documentary “Elvis: That’s the Way It Is” for April 22 in 14 countries, Variety has learned exclusively. 

The event will mark the 50th anniversary of the film’s original release by MGM. Most of the remastered footage was shot at the International Hotel in Las Vegas with songs including “Love Me Tender,” “Sweet Caroline,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Suspicious Minds.” 

The 1970 concerts in the film were part of Presley’s first tour in more than a decade. The film was directed by Denis Sanders. 

Marc Allenby, CEO of Trafalgar Releasing, said, “It’s been 50 years since this career changing documentary about The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was released, yet the lasting legacy of Elvis Presley and his music can be seen more clearly than ever in film, music and culture.”

To read more, go here.

Criterion's Peter Becker Discusses Godzilla Showa-Era Release

Above, Godzilla approaching Tokyo's Kachidoki Bridge in 1954.

Godzilla fans over the years have collected the King of the Monsters's movies ever since VHS tapes were made cheaply available.

Some were official releases and others were bootlegs (at one time, the only way to see the Heisei Series (second series) of Godzilla films was through the bootleg market.

Then came DVD and Blu-ray discs which offered the movies in high resolution. Some releases were better than others (a lot of it depended upon the original source material). Again, fans bought and re-bought the movies.

Now, Criterion Collection is releasing the Showa Series (first series) of Godzilla movies in a new box set. Here we go again!

Criterion Collection's Peter Becker discusses the Godzilla release in a Variety article.

Here's a snippet:

He added: “The idea basically is that it would be wrong to treat Bergman the same way as we treat Godzilla, but it would also in some ways be wrong to treat Godzilla with any less respect than we treat Bergman with.” 

Criterion last year released its “Ingmar Bergman’s Cinema” Blu-ray disc box featuring 39 films and a book featuring critical essays on each of the films. 

Its new “Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975” collection, which comprises 15 digitally restored films and a book featuring newly commissioned illustrations by high-profile artists, is scheduled for release Oct. 29. 

Becker stressed that publishing was not just about bringing products into the world but rather “about how you’re putting it into the world. What it looks like, what it feels like. Even just the finish on “Godzilla” feels a little bit like skin, it’s nice. It’s little details like that that you need to pay attention to – those are all part of publishing.”

The fanbase again will be shelling out hard-earned cash. Since Criterion puts out quality videos, it is likely to be worth it.

To read more, go here.

Toho Expanding Hollywood Operations

Above, Masaharu Ina and Armand at the Hibiya Godzilla statue in February 2014.

Back in the days when I lived in the Los Angeles area and worked on different projects for G-FAN, G-FEST and others, I worked with Toho's Century City (near West Los Angeles) for assistance and permissions.

I haven't been in contact with the Los Angeles office for a number of years, although I did throw a dinner party in October 2015 for several past and present executives of Toho including Masaharu Ina and Shozo Watanabe, who helmed the Century City office. Former Toho Pictures President Shogo Tomiyama and director Yoshikazu Ishii also attended. It was in appreciation for all the assistance they had given me over the years.

Above, Shozo Watanabe at Toho Studios in November 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

What I am gathering from an article from Slashfilm.com, the L.A. office had been "dormant" for the past several years. But now, it is set for a revival and expansion.

According to the article:

The Japanese studio behind Godzilla is planning to expand to Hollywood. Toho, the movie group responsible for the creation of the iconic giant lizard, is expanding a subsidiary in the U.S. with the goal of working more with Hollywood. This may put in question the fate of Legendary’s mammoth MonsterVerse, the first series of Godzilla films to be completely produced by a Hollywood Studio.  

Variety reported that Toho is expanding to the U.S. through an existing international subsidiary which it is reviving with a $14 million investment. The subsidiary, called Toho International Inc., has existed since 1953 but has long remained dormant until now. 

Toho International Inc., is expanding to Los Angeles as part of a “so-called breakthrough strategy” that is part of Toho’s “Vision 2021 Plan.” This plan consists of Toho implementing an accelerated international strategy and enhanced “character business” centered around the Godzilla property. “We will work toward the full implementation of JAPAN IP (Japanese entertainment content by Toho and others) on a global scale,” the plan says.

Above, the October 2015 dinner party at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

The Variety article had been posted since April, but it is only now that I read it.

To read more, go here. 

Brush Fire Threatens Benedict Canyon

Above, the house where George Reeves died in Benedict Canyon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last year, a major fire struck the Bel Aire/Beverly Hills section of Los Angeles County.

Now, a big brush fire has hit the Benedict Canyon area of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.

According to Variety:

A fast-burning brush fire, called the Portola Fire, is threatening the Beverly Crest area near Benedict Canyon in Los Angeles, the location of numerous multi-million dollar mansions. “I Dream of Jeannie” star Barbara Eden, who spoke to ABC7 News about how close the blaze was to her home, is among the many celebrities who live in the area. 

Other residents of the surrounding area include Emmy Rossum, Channing Tatum, Jon Lovitz, Jessica Alba, Jon Voight, and Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd. 

The fire was reportedly caused by a weed whacker being used in a resident’s yard. Evacuations are expected to be lifted by 8 p.m. as the fire danger diminishes. 

Benedict Canyon is on the west side of Beverly Hills, north of Sunset Blvd., and east of Bel Air and the 405 freeway. 

No injuries or damages to structures have been reported. Authorities and news media are recommending avoiding the entire Benedict Canyon area so that emergency vehicles can access the fire.

Benedict Canyon gained notoriety during past years from the suicide of Adventures of Superman star George Reeves in 1959 and the Sharon Tate murders by the Manson Family in 1969.

To read more, go here.

David Cassidy Dies At 67

If one were a teen in the early 1970s, they cannot avoid the publicity that David Cassidy garnered during that time.

He was the heartthrob to millions of girls while his show, The Partridge Family aired on prime time television.

I wasn't a fan of Cassidy or of the show (at the time, the only redeeming feature of The Partridge Family was Susan Dey in my opinion), but I saw a few episodes as a friend's kid sister would watch it. I subscribed to Rolling Stone back then (when it was really the go-to magazine about rock music) and articles on Cassidy appeared on occasion (such as the one from 1972, pictured above).

It is still an odd feeling that, although not being a fan, someone so prominent in their youth would die at age 67. At 63, age 67 does not seem old to me.

According to Variety:

David Cassidy, pop culture idol of the 1970s, died Tuesday in a Florida hospital. The musician and actor was 67. 

His publicist JoAnn Geffen confirmed his death, with a statement from his family. “On behalf of the entire Cassidy family, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, our uncle, and our dear brother, David Cassidy. David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long. Thank you for the abundance and support you have shown him these many years.” 

He had been hospitalized for several days with organ failure. Cassidy announced his diagnosis with dementia in early 2017. He performed at the B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York in March, talking about his dementia, and said his arthritis made playing guitar an ordeal.

With pretty-boy good looks and a long mane of dark hair, Cassidy was one every girl’s favorite teen crush in the early 1970s and drew screaming crowds at concert appearances. David Cassidy was part of a showbusiness family that included his father, Tony-winning actor Jack Cassidy, stepmother Shirley Jones, half-brother Shaun Cassidy and daughter, actress Katie Cassidy.

To read more, go here.

Sir Roger Moore Dies At 89

Above, Caroline Munro and Roger More in The Spy Who Loved Me.

For some reason, I was in the mood to watch Roger Moore's 1979 James Bond movie, Moonraker yesterday. Although Moore was not my favorite James Bond actor, as many times he portrayed Agent 007 as a bit of a fop, but his movies were entertaining. For Your Eyes Only (1981) is my favorite of Moore's Bonds.

Today, it has been reported that Sir Roger Moore has passed away at 89.

From Variety:

Roger Moore, the handsome English actor who appeared in seven films as James Bond — the most of any Bond actor — and as Simon Templar on “The Saint” TV series, has died in Switzerland after a short battle with cancer. He was 89. 

His family issued an announcement on Twitter: “It is with the heaviest of hearts, we must share the awful news that our father, Sir Roger Moore, passed away today. We are all devastated.”

From actress Tanya Roberts on Facebook:

So sorry to hear about Roger's passing today. We had a lot of fun working on A View to a Kill together. He always had a joke to tell, and was a pleasure to work with, he was a terrific guy.

To read more, go here.

Hugh O' Brian Dies At 91

Above, Hugh O' Brian (far right) at a LAX rally welcoming the Reagans
 home from the 1980 GOP National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Another television icon has passed away.

Actor Hugh O'Brian, television's Wyatt Earp, died at age 91.

According to Variety:

Hugh O’Brian, who starred in the long-running series “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp,” died Monday. He was 91. 

The actor died peacefully in his Beverly Hills home, according to a statement from Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership.

ABC Western “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp,” in which the exceedingly handsome, muscular O’Brian starred as the title character, ran for 221 episodes from 1955-61. At the time he was one of television’s great male sex symbols.

In 1957 he was nominated for an Emmy for best continuing performance by an actor in a dramatic series for his work on “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp.”

I saw him in 1980 at a rally at Los Angeles International Airport for Ronald & Nancy Reagan's return from the Republican National Convention.

To read more, go here.

Legendary CEO Thomas Tull On "Godzilla vs. King Kong"

Above, a scene at Atami Castle during Kong's and Godzilla's 1962 mash-up. Toho Co., Ltd. photo.

Variety has posted an article on what motivates Thomas Tull to want to produce Godzilla vs. King Kong.

Their article begins with:

Thomas Tull may end up making a fortune on “Godzilla vs. King Kong,” but the Legendary Entertainment founder and CEO admits that he had far more primal ambitions for backing the monster mash-up.

To find out what it is, go here. 

Sony Wimps Out And Cancels Release of "The Interview"

Above, the Three Stooges in You Nazty Spy. Photo by Columbia Pictures.

Let's see. Dictators in the past have always been lampooned by Hollywood. Hollywood is now being run by pansies.

Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator and The Three Stooges' You Nazty Spy come immediately to mind (to read an interesting article on these and other movies, go here). Both Chaplin and Moe Howard lampooned Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

It is interesting that The Three Stooges' You Nazty Spy was released by Columbia Pictures. The current parent company to Columbia Pictures is Sony Pictures Entertainment, the same Sony who has decided to cave in to threats by not releasing a new comedy on a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un.

According to Japan Today:

NEW YORK —Sony Pictures on Wednesday abruptly canceled the Dec 25 U.S. release of the comedy which has angered North Korea and triggered chilling threats from hackers, reportedly suspected to be ordered by Pyongyang. 

The Hollywood studio announced the decision after the majority of U.S. theater chains said they would not screen “The Interview” about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un. 

“In light of the decision by the majority of our (theater) exhibitors not to show the film ‘The Interview,’ we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release,” it said in a statement.

According to an article in Variety, U.S. authorities have found linkage that North Korea ordered recent cyberattacks against Sony, including the threats.

The Interview will eventually be released. This episode of North Korean cyberterrorism will only make people more curious to screen the movie to see what the fuss was all about.

Sony should have not caved in and kept to the December 25 release schedule.

As former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said, "With the Sony collapse, America has lost its first cyberwar."

Warner Bros. To Cut 10% of Its Workforce

Above, Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It will be hard times for some employees at Warner Bros. Entertainment as moves to cut overhead costs will result in layoffs of about 10% of the company's workforce.

According to Variety:

Warner Bros. Entertainment is expected to cut as many as 900 to 1,000 jobs worldwide as part of a studio-wide cost-cutting move, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. The estimated reductions would amount to more than 10% of the studio’s 9,000-person workforce. 

The cuts will be made in late October or early November.

One interesting side note. The article cites Godzilla as one of the studio's box office hits, although Warner Bros. only had a 25% stake in the movie.

To read more, go here.