This is an alphabetical list of films featuring giant monsters, known in Japan as kaiju. One of the first films involving giant monsters was the 1933 classic King Kong, as developments in cinema and animation enabled the creation of realistic giant creatures. The film influenced many giant-monster films in its wake, including many produced in Japan, starting with the adaptation King Kong Appears in Edo in 1938, which is now presumed to be a lost film.[1] The visual effects in King Kong, created by Willis O'Brien, inspired future monster film effects artists such as Ray Harryhausen and Dennis Muren.[2] Early giant-monster films often had themes of adventure and exploration of unknown regions, and incorporated fights with giant monsters as a climactic element.
The development of atomic weaponry in the 1940s gave rise to its involvement in popular themes. The 1953 American film The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms featured a giant dinosaur that awakens due to nuclear tests in the Arctic.[3]: 42 The 1954 film Them! involved giant irradiated ants. Later in 1954, the Japanese film Godzilla was released. This was followed by an ongoing trend of giant reptiles created by nuclear radiation. Japan continued with a giant moth in Mothra, a turtle in Gamera, and many more that followed. Other countries have their own giant monster movies such as the United Kingdom with Gorgo in 1961.
Films featuring Godzilla and Gamera were made into the 1970s, and a King Kong remake was released in 1976. Awareness of toxic waste in the 1970s inspired the release of various horror films, and the giant monster subgenre saw the release of 1971's Godzilla vs. Hedorah.[4] Godzilla received a 1998 remake by TriStar Pictures, and King Kong received a 2005 remake by Universal Pictures. 2008 saw the release of the successful Cloverfield, which some critics have claimed inspiration from the September 11 attacks.[5][6][7] Pacific Rim, a film featuring giant mecha battling with kaiju, was released in 2013, and the following year Legendary reinterpreted Godzilla for a new generation of audiences in the series' 30th film. The latest entry in the Godzilla series, Shin Godzilla, premiered in Japan in July 2016.[8][9] A reboot of King Kong known as Kong: Skull Island was released in March 2017.[10]
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources. |
Name | Year | Country | Description | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 Million Miles to Earth | 1957 | United States | extraterrestrial from Venus | [11] |
All Monsters Attack | 1969 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Always Zoku Sanchōme no Yūhi | 2007 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid | 2004 | United States | snakes | [12] |
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters | 2007 | United States | Insanoflex / robot | [13] |
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman | 1958 | United States | human | [14]: 18 [15] |
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms | 1953 | United States | Rhedosaurus | [16]: 28–37 [15] |
The Beast of Hollow Mountain | 1956 | United States | Allosaurus | [16]: 37–42 |
Beginning of the End | 1957 | United States | radioactive grasshoppers | [17][15] |
Big Ass Spider! | 2013 | United States | giant spider | [18] |
Clash of the Titans | 2010 | United States, United Kingdom | monsters from Greek mythology | [12] |
Cloverfield | 2008 | United States | Clover | [14] |
Colossal | 2016 | Canada/Spain | unknown creature | [19][20] |
The Deadly Mantis | 1957 | United States | Praying mantis | [21] |
Destroy All Monsters | 1968 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Eight Legged Freaks | 2002 | United States, Germany, Australia | giant spiders | [12] |
Galaxy Quest | 1999 | United States | Gorignak (rock monster) | [22] |
Gamera | 1965 | Japan | Gamera / daikaiju | [23][24] |
Gamera 2: Attack of Legion | 1996 | Japan | Gamera / daikaiju | [11] |
Gamera vs. Barugon | 1966 | Japan | Gamera / daikaiju | [24] |
Gamera vs. Guiron | 1969 | Japan | Gamera / daikaiju | [24] |
Gamera vs. Gyaos | 1967 | Japan | Gamera / daikaiju | [24] |
Gamera vs. Jiger | 1970 | Japan | Gamera / daikaiju | [24] |
Gamera vs. Viras | 1968 | Japan | Gamera / daikaiju | [24] |
Gamera vs. Zigra | 1971 | Japan | Gamera / daikaiju | [24] |
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster | 1964 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Ghostbusters | 1984 | United States | Stay Puft Marshmallow Man | [25] |
The Giant Claw | 1957 | United States | extraterrestrial prehistoric bird | [26] |
The Giant Gila Monster | 1959 | United States | beaded lizard | [27] |
Godzilla | 1954 | Japan | Godzilla | [8][28]: Chapter 3 [15] |
Godzilla | 1998 | United States, Japan | daikaiju | [8] |
Godzilla | 2014 | United States | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Godzilla 2000 | 1999 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla | 2002 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha | [8][28]: Chapter 32 |
Godzilla: Final Wars | 2004 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack | 2001 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8][11] |
Godzilla Raids Again | 1955 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. | 2003 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha | [8] |
Godzilla vs. Biollante | 1989 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8][28]: Chapter 28 |
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah | 1995 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8][28]: Chapter 33 |
Godzilla vs. Gigan | 1972 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8][28]: Chapter 20 |
Godzilla vs. Hedorah | 1971 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8][4] |
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah | 1991 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla | 1974 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha | [8] |
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II | 1993 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha | [8] |
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus | 2000 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Godzilla vs. Megalon | 1973 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8][28]: Chapter 21 |
Godzilla vs. Mothra | 1992 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster | 1966 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8][28]: Chapter 14 |
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla | 1994 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Gorgo | 1961 | Ireland, United Kingdom, United States | sea monster | [14] |
Grabbers | 2012 | Ireland, United Kingdom | tentacled | [11] |
He's a Dragon | 2015 | Russia | Dragon | [29] |
Helluva Good Luck | 1999 | Czech Republic | Dragon | [30] |
Helluva Good Luck 2 | 2001 | Czech Republic | Dragon | [31] |
The Host | 2006 | South Korea | amphibious | [11] |
Ilya Muromets | 1956 | Soviet Union | Dragon | [32] |
Invasion of Astro-Monster | 1965 | Japan, United States | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
It Came from Beneath the Sea | 1955 | United States | radioactive octopus | [33] |
Jack the Giant Slayer | 2013 | United States | giants | [12] |
Journey to the Beginning of Time | 1955 | Czechoslovakia | dinosaurs | [34] |
Jurassic World | 2015 | United States | dinosaurs | [12] |
King Kong | 1933 | United States | King Kong | [14] |
King Kong vs. Godzilla | 1962 | Japan, United States | King Kong / Godzilla | [8][28]: Chapter 42 |
Kong: Skull Island | 2017 | United States | King Kong | [10] |
Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus | 2010 | United States | shark and crocodile | [35] |
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus | 2009 | United States | shark and octopus | [36] |
Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark | 2014 | United States | shark | [37] |
Mighty Joe Young | 1949 | United States | giant gorilla | [38] |
Mighty Joe Young | 1998 | United States | giant gorilla | [39] |
The Mist | 2007 | United States | various | [12] |
Monsters | 2010 | United Kingdom | six-legged, tentacled beast | [11] |
Monsters vs. Aliens | 2009 | United States | various | [12] |
Mothra | 1961 | Japan | daikaiju / giant moth | [40][41] |
Mothra vs. Godzilla | 1964 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Night of the Lepus | 1972 | United States | mutated rabbits | [26] |
On the Comet | 1970 | Czechoslovakia | Dinosaurs, Sea monster | [42] |
Outlander | 2008 | United States | Moorwen | [12] |
Pacific Rim | 2013 | United States, Mexico | daikaiju / mecha | [11] |
Primeval | 2007 | United States | crocodile | [12] |
Princ Bajaja | 1971 | Czechoslovakia | dragon | [43] |
Rampage | 2018 | United States | Giant Three Monsters - George the Gorilla, Lizzie the Alligator, Ralph the Werewolf | Upcoming |
Reign of Fire | 2002 | United Kingdom, Ireland, United States | dragons | [12] |
Reptilicus | 1961 | Denmark, United States | prehistoric reptile | [44] |
The Return of Godzilla | 1984 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8] |
Rock Monster | 2008 | United States | rock monster | [22] |
Rodan | 1956 | Japan | flying daikaiju | [45] |
Shin Godzilla | 2016 | Japan | Godzilla | [8][9] |
Snow Dragon | 2013 | Czech Republic | Dragon | [46] |
Son of Godzilla | 1967 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju | [8][28]: Chapter 92 |
Space Amoeba | 1970 | Japan | daikaiju | [47]: 75–76 |
Spider-Man | 1978 | Japan | swordfish | [48] |
The Story of Voyages | 1983 | Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Romania | Dragon | [49] |
Super 8 | 2011 | United States | alien | [12] |
Tarantula | 1955 | United States | spider | [50][15] |
Tentacles | 1977 | Italy, United States | octopus | [51] |
Terror of Mechagodzilla | 1975 | Japan | Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha | [8][28]: Chapter 24 |
Them! | 1954 | United States | radioactive ants | [11][15] |
Tremors | 1990 | United States | Graboids | [11] |
Trollhunter | 2010 | Norway | troll | [11] |
World Without End | 1956 | United States | mutated spiders | [15] |
Wrath of the Titans | 2012 | United States, United Kingdom, Spain | monsters from Greek mythology | [12] |
The X from Outer Space | 1966 | Japan | Guilala / daikaiju | [52] |
Za humny je drak | 1982 | Czechoslovakia | Dragon | [53] |
Zarkorr! The Invader | 1996 | United States | daikaiju | [54] |