Godzilla Movies in Order 2026: MonsterVerse & Toho Timeline Guide

Godzilla has been flattening cities since 1954, but figuring out the right watch order is somehow even more destructive. That’s because, unlike franchises with one neat timeline, Godzilla has spent over 70 years getting rebooted, reimagined, and occasionally reinvented from scratch.

Toho’s Japanese films span four distinct eras, while Legendary’s MonsterVerse tells its own connected story with Godzilla, Kong, and a growing roster of Titans. Throw in a standalone American reboot, and suddenly the King of the Monsters has more timelines than you’d expect from a giant radioactive lizard.

Whether you’re planning a complete Godzilla marathon or just want to catch up on the MonsterVerse before the next installment arrives, here are all the Godzilla movies in order.

Godzilla Movies in Order: The Complete Masterlist

If you want to experience the franchise the way audiences did, release order is the way to go. This list includes every theatrical Godzilla movie released through July 2026, covering all four Toho eras, the standalone 1998 American reboot, and Legendary’s MonsterVerse films. 

*IMDb scores are subject to change.

Godzilla Movies in Order: The MonsterVerse Movies

If you’re just here for the MonsterVerse, things are much simpler. Unlike Toho’s multiple continuities, Legendary tells one ongoing story where each movie builds on the last. 

Simple, right? There’s just one tiny issue where the first movie on this list isn’t technically a Godzilla movie.

1. Kong: Skull Island (2017) 

It might feel weird kicking off a Godzilla watch order with a Kong movie, but Kong: Skull Island is where the MonsterVerse quietly begins. More than introducing Kong, the film establishes Monarch, the secretive organization that spends the rest of the series tracking giant creatures around the globe. 

The post-credit scene is the real prize, though. It’s the moment the MonsterVerse stops being “that new Kong movie” and starts teasing a much bigger world filled with familiar kaiju.

2. Godzilla (2014) 

Legendary’s first Godzilla film barely shows Godzilla. Instead, director Gareth Edwards builds suspense by treating every appearance like a natural disaster. 

So, if you’re expecting nonstop monster fights, this one plays the long game. But it also gives the MonsterVerse its grounded tone and delivers one of the coolest atomic breath reveals in modern blockbuster cinema.

3. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) 

Mothra, Rodan, and the legendary King Ghidorah all make their MonsterVerse debut, turning the sequel into a full-blown kaiju showdown instead of another slow-burn disaster movie. It’s louder, bigger, and proudly embraces the over-the-top energy longtime Godzilla fans have loved for decades.

4. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) 

Godzilla vs. Kong isn’t just two hours of monster punches. It expands the Hollow Earth mythology, gives Kong a much larger role, and introduces Mechagodzilla into the mix. The titular fight absolutely lives up to the hype.

5. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024) 

The film leans much harder into fantasy than previous entries, fully embracing Hollow Earth’s weirdness instead of trying to keep things grounded. Kong gets most of the emotional arc, while Godzilla shows up whenever the situation needs a healthy dose of atomic overkill.

Godzilla Movies in Order: The Toho Timeline Explained 

Unlike the MonsterVerse, Toho’s movies aren’t one long story. Over the decades, the studio has rebooted Godzilla several times, creating four distinct eras. The easiest way to tackle the Japanese films is to watch each era in release order. 

I. Showa Era (1954–1975) 

This is the era that started it all. It begins with Godzilla as a terrifying force of nature before gradually embracing the delightfully chaotic monster brawls the franchise became famous for. 

II. Heisei Era (1984–1995) 

Think of this as Godzilla’s first proper reboot. It ignores every Showa film except the 1954 original and tells one continuous story across seven movies. 

III. Millennium Era (1999–2004) 

Toho hit the reset button again, with most films acting as standalone sequels to the 1954 original rather than following one shared continuity. 

IV. Reiwa Era (2016–Present) 

Modern Toho doesn’t stick to one timeline either. Instead, each project takes a fresh swing at the King of the Monsters, from political satire to anime and the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One. 

What’s Next for Godzilla?

The King of the Monsters isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Toho has a direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One lined up for November 2026, while Legendary’s MonsterVerse will continue with Godzilla x Kong: Supernova in 2027.

Whether you’re here for the political satire of Shin Godzilla, the emotional gut punch of Godzilla Minus One, or simply to watch Godzilla and Kong punch skyscraper-sized problems into submission, there’s never been a better time to catch up on cinema’s most enduring kaiju franchise.

Dishari Sarkar

Writer. Dreamer. Journalist (maybe?). Anime lover (definitely). I turn curiosity into stories and everyday life into a narrative worth reading.

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