Hideaki Anno’s Shin Godzilla Returns in Black-and-White — SHIN GODZILLA:ORTHOchromatic Hits U.S. Theaters Aug. 31
SHIN GODZILLA is returning to U.S. cinemas in a new black-and-white presentation titled SHIN GODZILLA:ORTHOchromatic. The re-release, distributed by GKIDS, opens in select theaters on Aug. 31 and follows the film’s recent 4K theatrical run.
- Release date, distributor, and official title.
- What “orthochromatic” means for film look and color rendering.
- How the movie’s original creature design might be affected.
- Trailer link and box office context from a similar black-and-white re-release.
Release details
GKIDS is distributing the U.S. re-release under the official title SHIN GODZILLA:ORTHOchromatic. It will play in select cinemas on Aug. 31. The re-release comes after a recent 4K theatrical presentation of the film.
What “orthochromatic” means
Orthochromatic refers to a type of film stock used in early filmmaking. Orthochromatic film typically renders reds more darkly, which changes how certain colors appear when converted to black and white.
Visual and design notes
Director Hideaki Anno reimagined Godzilla in this film as an evolving creature covered in elastic red muscle tissue that later becomes hidden by heavy scales. That red coloration is a notable part of the monster’s original visual design, and orthochromatic processing alters how red tones are translated into black-and-white values.
Trailer
Box-office context
Similar treatments have been used recently: Godzilla Minus One received a black-and-white engagement titled Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color, which earned $2.6 million during its one-week U.S. run. For more on that figure, see the box-office report from TheWrap: https://www.thewrap.com/godzilla-minus-one-parasite-box-office-record/.
