'Godzilla' Shouldn't Get A Sequel, And Here's Why

Why A 'Godzilla' Sequel Will Ruin Everything

There are certainly movies in development that sound less interesting than the prospect of "Godzilla 2," but I'm just having a hard time thinking of any. Don't get me wrong: "Godzilla" is a great blockbuster. Director Gareth Edwards created a Spielberg-y concoction of restraint and spectacle. In a world of predictable superhero movies, "Godzilla" feels fresh and new simply by cribbing the playbook from "Jurassic Park" and "Jaws"; it's worthy of being called awesome in the truest definition of that overused word.

Couple a great movie with an even greater marketing campaign, and it's no wonder that "Godzilla" topped $100 million around the globe this past weekend, giving the film 2014's largest global debut. It's also no wonder that Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. want to make another one. This is Godzilla, after all, and the idea that Edwards' film would be a one-off adventure is more fantastical than the film's title creature. "Godzilla" was rebooted with eyes on sequels and spinoffs and toys (so many toys). It's the next great franchise for a studio that's thirsty for franchises following the conclusions of "Harry Potter" and "The Dark Knight Trilogy."

It's just that as a fan of this "Godzilla" film and the work Edwards did on the project, the idea of a sequel sounds unfortunate. It's boring. It's not that bad sequels ruin first movies (look no further than the aforementioned Spielberg twosome of "Jaws" and "Jurassic Park," each of which had subpar sequels), but that Edwards is such a talent himself. Should he come back for another "Godzilla," it would feel like a waste of his time and of ours.

"Once you deliver a certain level of spectacle, it's hard to go back and still be in awe of something," Edwards told me about this decision to keep Godzilla hidden for the film's first hour. "I feel like you just have to be careful in how you progress the movie. You can't trap yourself. I think you can reach that plateau effect. We've all been there. We've all sat in the movies and you just zone out, even if what you're seeing on an individual level is especially stunning, it just doesn't have an impact on you."

He's talking about "Godzilla," but Edwards could just as easily be commenting on sequel culture. It's why Kristen Wiig never made another "Bridesmaids" movie: After threading the needle on a blockbuster that satisfies critics and audiences, where can you go but down?

None of this matters, of course. There are a great many good sequels, and Edwards -- if he comes back -- already has ideas for what part two might look like. (It involves a monster island, which sounds kind of great.) "Godzilla 2" will likely exist at some point within the next five years. We'll all see it. We might even love it. But right now, it feels unnecessary. "Godzilla" is king of the monsters; let it reign alone.

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