Godzilla (TriStar)

Godzilla ( ɡod-ZIL-ə) is a giant monster, or kaiju, based on Toho Co., Ltd.'s character of the same name. The character first appeared in the 1998 film Godzilla, released by TriStar Pictures. Designed by Patrick Tatopoulos, he was modeled after iguanas with a slim theropod appearance rather than the thick, bipedal designs of Toho's Godzilla. He is the second incarnation of Godzilla to be created by an American studio, after Hanna-Barbera's 1978 animated series Godzilla. Initial reception towards the 1998 film and its version of Godzilla were generally negative, however, both would receive reappraise in later years. Reception for the animated sequel Godzilla: The Series was more favorable. For the 2004 film Godzilla: Final Wars, Toho featured a new iteration of TriStar's Godzilla as Zilla (ジラ, Jira). That version has since appeared in various media under the "Zilla" trademark, but the variants from the 1998 film and Godzilla: The Series retain the Godzilla copyright and trademark.