“Godzilla Minus One” Makes History with First Oscar Win for Iconic Franchise

Japanese production scores upset Best Visual Effects win, marking first Oscar ever for storied Godzilla franchise

In an historic moment, the Japanese monster movie “Godzilla Minus One” scored a major upset win for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday night.

Beating out heavyweight Hollywood contenders like “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” it marked the first time ever that a Godzilla film has won an Oscar in the franchise’s 70-year history.

Accepting the award on behalf of the film’s visual effects team, director Takashi Yamazaki admitted that even receiving a nomination had seemed “out of reach” given their distance from Hollywood. “But here we stand,” he said proudly on the Dolby Theatre stage.

Made on a modest $15 million budget, “Godzilla Minus One” wowed audiences and critics alike with its inventive creature designs and seamless 610 visual effects shots integrating the iconic monster into real-world environments. It was a true David vs. Goliath triumph for Yamazaki and his team of just 35 VFX artists.

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The win capped a weekend of honors for the Japanese blockbuster, which also took home eight prizes at the country’s equivalent of the Oscars. It is now officially the highest-grossing Godzilla movie in history, earning over $105 million globally.

By breaking the unlucky streak of zero Oscar wins for the Godzilla series across seven decades, “Godzilla Minus One” has cemented its place as a landmark achievement. Its historic first Oscar for the long-running franchise also represents a major step towards international recognition of Japanese cinema on Hollywood’s biggest stage.

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