Godzilla Minus One In Black And White Is A Much Bigger Change Than You Think

"Godzilla Minus One" has been a monster hit (no pun intended). Looper's review called the film a "scary, inspiring, super entertaining large-scale popcorn movie," and it's hard to disagree. That's why it feels appropriate that the movie is following in the footsteps of epic action films that have come before, like "Logan" and "Mad Max: Fury Road," by offering a black and white cut, coming to theaters on January 26. 

The new version, cheekily called "Godzilla Minus Color," is more than just a way to get people to check out the movie again (as if they need another reason). Director Takashi Yamazaki told The Wrap that the new version felt like a natural return to the franchise's roots: "The original 1954 'Godzilla' is, of course, in black and white," he said. "But that in and of itself made us interested in what a 'Godzilla' film would look like created with modern technology in black and white."

The team behind the monster flick didn't simply take out the color. Yamazaki explained how they altered the contrast to create something that truly pops on screen. In Yamazaki's view, this led to a significant change in the finished product: "For us, removing the color in some way increases the reality, feeling almost like a documentary and making audiences feel that Godzilla actually exists." A trailer for "Godzilla Minus Color" is available to view, and seeing the King of the Monsters in black and white is a viscerally terrifying sight. 

American audiences won't have long to check out the new version. While the black and white "Godzilla Minus One" comes out on January 26, it'll only be in theaters for a week, with both cuts leaving theaters on February 1. Additionally, both versions of the film could play concurrently at the same theaters, so for anyone buying tickets, make sure you double-check which one you're going to see. 

If you're deciding which "Godzilla Minus One" to see, Takashi Yamazaki suggests the black and white cut, stating in a press release, "This is not only for those who liked 'Godzilla Minus One' but also those who are seeing it for the first time — they should definitely see this black and white version." He adds that one sequence works exceptionally well without color: "The scene at the beginning where Godzilla appears in the night — it is so terrifying that it made my knees shake!"

Both versions of "Godzilla Minus One" will soon leave theaters, but hopefully, that means a physical media release should soon follow, as well as information on when it could come to streaming. A producer on the film has already said there's no rush to make a sequel to "Godzilla Minus One," but with the enthusiastic response the first movie received, people are likely going to continue talking about it for some time to come.