The More I Think About Hedorah As The Potential Villain In Godzilla Minus Zero, The More OK I Am With It

by

Last year, I shared my thoughts on what would make the new Godzilla Minus One movie amazing, and I was really hoping it would just focus on Godzilla himself – I didn’t want any other monsters showing up. But recently, people have been talking about a possible villain for the next film, and it’s one I never expected: Hedorah. It’s a surprising pick for 2026, to say the least!

I previously felt strongly that this sequel shouldn’t include any new monsters, but I’m starting to think having Hedorah appear could actually be a good thing. There are several reasons why I’m changing my mind.

Hedorah Has Always Been Kind Of Silly, But I Want To See A Badass Version

I’m a huge Godzilla fan – I’ve watched every single movie, including the animated ones, and I’ve experienced all the different eras the franchise has gone through. While every film and period has its merits, some are definitely better than others. The Heisei era is often seen as the strongest, but I personally have a particular fondness for the original Showa era, and there are several reasons why.

The Godzilla films aren’t perfect, and the character himself changed a lot over time. He began as a truly frightening monster, but slowly became more geared towards children, even becoming a heroic figure. However, the 1971 film, Godzilla vs. Hedorah (released as Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster in the US), is one of the most ridiculously over-the-top entries in the entire series.

Hedorah is an alien creature that arrives on Earth and feeds on the pollution humans have created. This consumption makes it grow stronger, eventually transforming it into a monstrous being of smog. It’s a compelling idea – a monster born from our own mistakes. Similar to Godzilla, who was mutated by nuclear testing, Hedorah is a creature accidentally brought into being by humanity, and the film features a battle between these two man-made monsters.

Hedorah has always been a bit of a goofy monster, with its messy appearance, flying ability, and strange attacks. But Godzilla Minus One is an exceptionally serious and impactful Godzilla film – it’s my favorite, actually – and I’m really excited to imagine what the director, Takashi Yamazaki (who loves Hedorah), could do with the character. He could potentially reimagine Hedorah in a way that fits the dark and realistic tone he established in Minus One. I’m genuinely eager to see it, and I think it could be similar to how Christopher Nolan approached The Joker – I’ll explain that in a bit.

We Have Seen Mechagodzilla, Ghidorah, And Other Godzilla Villains To Death Already, But NOT Hedorah

A sequel to Godzilla Minus One shouldn’t just rehash old battles with monsters like King Ghidorah, Mechagodzilla, or Mothra. While I love those characters – especially Mothra! – we’ve seen them fight Godzilla countless times. The MonsterVerse already introduced King Ghidorah, Mothra, and Rodan in the second Godzilla movie, and then brought in Mechagodzilla (along with King Kong!) for Godzilla vs. Kong. It feels like relying on the same popular monsters again and again.

Think about The Dark Knight. It would be like making another Batman movie and reusing a classic villain like the Joker, Riddler, Penguin, or Catwoman. While you could do that, what’s the point? We’ve seen those characters done many times. Unless you’re going to create something truly special like Nolan did with the Joker, it’s not worth it. Let’s get some fresh villains! How about Professor Pyg, Calendar Man, or Hush?

The same goes for Godzilla – I’m really hoping we get to see Hedorah in Godzilla Minus One because he doesn’t appear often. He starred in the 1971 film Hedorah, but his appearance in Godzilla: Final Wars was very brief. He’s also mentioned in the anime Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (which was actually made in China!), and there was a short film featuring him in 2021. Aside from video games, books, and a Japanese show called Godzilla Island that I haven’t seen, that’s about all the appearances of everyone’s favorite smog monster.

It would be fantastic to see another movie with him, especially if it’s as good as Godzilla Minus One. Hedorah is similar to Poison Ivy, but you could think of him as Godzilla’s version of a really strange, obscure villain – like the Condiment King.

I Would Be Fascinated With How The Concept Of Smog And Waste Can Be Incorporated Following The Events Of Minus One

I often talk about Batman, and I can’t resist doing it again here. When it comes to Batman films, some are good, but a few are truly exceptional. Most fans would probably say The Dark Knight is the best. In my opinion, Godzilla Minus One reaches that same level of greatness – it’s simply outstanding for a Godzilla movie.

I’m also referring to how Christopher Nolan reimagined Batman. He took the established stories and grounded them in a more realistic world. For example, instead of Bane’s over-the-top, cartoonish strength seen in Batman & Robin (which I secretly enjoy!), Nolan presented a more believable and intimidating villain in The Dark Knight Rises. Similarly, while Jack Nicholson’s Joker was delightfully quirky, Nolan’s version was a darker, more disturbing sociopath in The Dark Knight. Essentially, Nolan took these well-known characters and gave them a fresh, unique spin.

Takashi Yamazaki might handle Hedorah in a similar way to how he approached Godzilla in Minus One. Considering his focus on realism in that film, I expect he’ll emphasize the idea that Hedorah is born from post-war pollution and industrial waste, making its origins feel grounded and believable.

I’m hoping Hedorah, like the previous film, won’t be a typical alien monster. Instead, I’d like to see it as something born from Earth itself, and a threat to Earth, rather than something arriving from elsewhere.

Lastly, I Just Like The Idea Of Godzilla Turning Good In This Movie

To be honest, I usually prefer Godzilla as a villain, but I really have faith in director Yamazaki after seeing Minus One. If he wants to portray Godzilla as a hero in the next film, I’m interested to see how he does it.

The original Godzilla vs. Hedorah shows Godzilla at his most selfless, genuinely fighting to protect people and almost sacrificing himself to destroy the smog monster. Notably, humans actively try to assist Godzilla, and their combined efforts are crucial to defeating Hedorah. I’d like to see the characters from the previous film continue this trend, working alongside Godzilla to overcome a new enemy – I think it would be a compelling approach.

Look, I wasn’t entirely convinced by the attempt to make Godzilla a straight-up hero in the 2014 movie. It just didn’t quite land for me. But I honestly think Toho, the original creators, could pull it off. And if they’re going to do it, Hedorah is the perfect villain to force Godzilla into a genuinely heroic role. It’s a match that could really work, and I’m excited by the potential.

The new Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One, comes out in the U.S. on November 6th. In Japan, it will be released on November 3rd, which is celebrated as Godzilla Day.

Read More

2026-01-20 22:10