The #DemandToKnow hashtag campaign generating interest in Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla has been heating up. A new poster dropped the other day. And today, those who shared the hashtag on social media unlocked this spot:
The flaming train on the bridge is a terrific callback to Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me. Of course, that scene didn’t have a burning locomotive… or a Godzilla tail chopping the tracks in half afterward. (God, this scene still gives me cold sweats.)
Back to the King of Monsters. The rest of the TV spot is a montage of footage we saw in earlier trailers. There’s one more shot of Godzilla, accompanied by his signature roar, but it’s so dark. I tried to lighten it below. He’s going to look like this when we see him on the big screen.
The trailers and TV clips for Edwards’ reboot have been downplaying the human characters and the title creature. Which is an exciting approach. The footage that we have been shown focuses on the carnage and chaos that are left in Godzilla’s wake. Obviously, Edwards has major movie stars in his ensemble. The "You’re Not Fooling Anyone" quote that goes with this hashtag belongs to the brilliant Bryan Cranston. He’ll be joined by Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Ken Watanabe and, perhaps most surprising, Juliette Binoche.
The studio also understands, however, that it’s the monster who will be luring the most audiences into theaters. But they wisely know that they do NOT have to show Godzilla to us in every frame of promotional material prior to release. Save some big reveals for opening weekend!
To that end, the latest poster has more of a shadowy profile of Godzilla. And hopefully the upcoming commercials – because you know there will be plenty – continue to keep our main "man’ behind the curtain, for as long as possible.
