"Godzilla" only cost $200 to win an Oscar, Toho boss opposes Olympic bid

Godzilla 1.0, directed by Takashi Yamazaki, was the most influential live-action film in Japan last year, earning $106 million worldwide, with North America accounting for $56.41 million, and also won the 96th Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Recently, Japanese media reported that the boss of Toho, the Japanese distributor, had opposed Godzilla 1.0's application for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

“Don’t apply for a nomination for the Visual Effects Award. Absolutely not.” Toho President Hiroyasu Matsuoka told the company’s team at the time that winning an Oscar was a delusion because “the cost of the visual effects for Godzilla is far from that of Hollywood blockbusters. I always thought there was no possibility.”

Fortunately, some employees insisted and emphasized that the declaration fee was only $200. Finally, "Godzilla 1.0" was sent to the Oscars ceremony and became the first Japanese film in film history to win the Visual Effects Award.