Last time we had a Hollywood Godzilla remake... well, you know what happened there. This time however, Monsters director Gareth Edwards has been keen to show the utmost respect for his colossal source in his own new take for Legendary. Just in case you were in any doubt about that, the production has released a photo revealing that original Godzilla star Akira Takarada will appear in the film in some capacity. Either that or he just stopped by the offices and had a sign made for the occasion.
Takarada played ship's captain Hideto Ogata in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film. He it was who headed out to Tokyo Bay to destroy the beast first time around. It seemed like he'd been successful too, but 30-odd sequels suggest otherwise.
Away from giant lizards, Takarada has appeared in comedies, dramas and stage musicals, but he returned to the Godzilla franchise - in different roles - three times in the 1960s (Mothra, Astro-Monster, Sea Monster), then once more in 1992 (Mothra again), and most recently in 2004 (Final Wars). He's series royalty. Score for Edwards!
Production is already underway, with a cast that includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe and Bryan Cranston. The screenplay includes work by Max Borenstein, Drew Pearce, Dave Callaham and Frank Darabont, and the current release date is May 16 next year.
