‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Named Centerpiece of Tokyo Film Festival as ‘Sukiyaki’ Opens, ‘Colony’ Closes

“Godzilla Minus Zero” will screen as the centerpiece of the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival, with Zeze Takahisa’s music drama “Sukiyaki” opening the festival and Yeon Sang-ho‘s zombie thriller “Colony” closing it.

Director Yamazaki Takashi, who also wrote and oversaw visual effects on the film, returns with “Godzilla Minus Zero” as a follow-up to “Godzilla Minus One,” which won the Academy Award for best visual effects at the 96th Academy Awards. The film stars Kamiki Ryunosuke and Hamabe Minami and marks the first time a Japanese feature has been shot for Imax screens. Set two years after the events of 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.” Toho Co., Ltd. will release the film in Japan on Nov. 3.

Related Stories

The Met's Cancellation of the John Galliano Exhibit Doesn't Undo the Damage

In a statement, Ichiyama Shozo, TIFF programming director, said “Godzilla Minus Zero” is “a true sequel to ‘Godzilla Minus One,’ one of the standouts in the Godzilla series, and it brings a powerful new interpretation of Godzilla, delivering a level of surprise that far exceeds expectations.”

“Sukiyaki,” directed by Zeze Takahisa from a screenplay by Minato Takehiko, 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 respectively by Okada Junichi, Matsuzaka Tori and Nakano Taiga. Toho will release the film in Japan on Dec. 25.

Ichiyama said “Sukiyaki” tells “the dramatic stories of three artists who inspired people in postwar Japan, interwoven with a collection of musical masterpieces.” He added that TIFF is “delighted to open the festival with this moving film, which stars three of today’s most prominent Japanese actors.”

“Colony” is directed by Yeon Sang-ho, whose credits include “Train to Busan” (2016). The Korean zombie thriller follows Professor Se Jeong, who becomes trapped in a Seoul skyscraper during a bioterror attack and witnesses infected hosts evolving with a collective intelligence. The cast includes Gianna Jun, Koo Kyo-hwan and Ji Chang-wook. The film 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.

Ichiyama called “Colony” the film that “delivered the greatest excitement and emotional impact among the films at this year’s Cannes,” adding that while zombie films are common, “this film makes us realize that the genre still possesses untapped potential.”

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.