Warner Bros/TohoAhead of Superman’s release on July 11, James Gunn spoke to Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki, where he hailed the Oscar-winning movie as one of his favorite films.
While Godzilla Minus One stomped onto cinema screens back in 2023, Superman director James Gunn has never shied away from sharing his love for Yamazaki’s kaiju epic.
In a June 2025 interview, the American filmmaker revealed he took inspiration from Minus One’s “human drama” and the struggles of its characters.
After all, it’s this “human” element and emotional depth that helped Godzilla Minus One become the most critically acclaimed entry in the franchise’s 70-year history. However, in a special interview, James Gunn went even further in his praise, calling it a “revolutionary” piece of cinema.
James Gunn loves Godzilla Minus One
In a special video interview, James Gunn sat down with Takashi Yamazaki to discuss his upcoming Superman film and, of course, to gush about how good Minus One is.
“I’m a big fan of Godzilla Minus One, it’s just such a beautiful film,” said Gunn. The director was quick to point out just how much depth the cast of characters has, and could see the “love” that went into creating the film, noting how it’s become “one of [his] favorite movies of the past few years.”
Just like Minus One, the new Superman film puts a heavier emphasis on the man behind the supersuit, with our review noting just how stirring and enormously joyous Gunn’s Superman is. However, not wishing to give himself too much praise, Gunn was keen to highlight just how impactful Minus One has been.
“I really think it’s a revolutionary film,” Gunn added. “It’s so apparent that [Takashi Yamazaki] loves the characters. You care about who they are, you care about their stories.”
The Superman director also placed Yamazaki among a very small group of filmmakers he holds in the highest regard: “There are only three or four filmmakers in the world right now that are doing that kind of stuff that I admire in such a big way, and so [Takashi Yamazaki] is one of those people.”
Gunn’s Superman releases in cinemas on July 11, 2025. Find out where Superman will be streaming, how long it is, and see how its Rotten Tomatoes score compares to other Superman movies.
