Godzilla (1998) is a science-fiction monster disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich and produced by Dean Devlin. The story follows Dr. Niko "Nick" Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick), a biologist recruited by the U.S. military to investigate a gigantic creature awakened by French nuclear testing in the Pacific. Nick and his team track the monster—now called Godzilla by the media—as it rampages from Tahiti through the Philippines and finally to New York City, where it nests and lays hundreds of eggs. The film combines massive CGI destruction of Manhattan, high-speed military pursuits, and a race against time to stop Godzilla before its offspring hatch and overrun the planet. While heavily criticized for deviating from Toho's classic Godzilla (smaller, more iguana-like, no atomic breath), it was a commercial success with over $379 million grossed worldwide and remains a divisive 90s cult favorite for its spectacle, humor, and sheer scale.
Release Dates
Release Type
Date
Theatrical release (United States)
May 20, 1998
VHS release
December 1, 1998
LaserDisc release
Late 1998 / Early 1999
DVD release (initial)
1999
Blu-ray release
September 29, 2009 (as part of Sony collections)
Digital / streaming availability
Ongoing (Netflix, Prime Video, rentable on Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, etc. as of 2026)
Cast
Actor
Character
Matthew Broderick
Dr. Niko "Nick" Tatopoulos
Jean Reno
Philippe Roaché
Maria Pitillo
Audrey Timmonds
Hank Azaria
Victor "Animal" Palotti
Kevin Dunn
Colonel Hicks
Michael Lerner
Mayor Ebert
Lorry Goldman
Gene (Mayor Ebert's aide)
Harry Shearer
Charles Caiman
Arabella Field
Lucy Palotti
Vicki Lewis
Dr. Elsie Chapman
Doug Savant
Sergeant O'Neal
Production Crew
Role
Name(s)
Production studio
TriStar Pictures / Fried Films / Independent Pictures
Distributor (theatrical)
TriStar Pictures (Sony Pictures)
Director
Roland Emmerich
Producers
Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich, Ute Emmerich
Writers
Dean Devlin, Roland Emmerich, David Arnold (story)
