Since it debuted almost 70 years ago, the Godzilla movie franchise has become the biggest monster property on the planet (sorry, King Kong). It took America until 2014 to make a worthy Godzilla flick, but Japan has been cranking them out since 1954, so we’ve rounded up every one of them with our own ‘Zilla streaming guide.
Godzilla movies and where to stream them
38. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Kong lives inside the Hollow Earth, Godzilla roams the surface world, and the Monarch organization works to keep them apart—which, as we all know, they can’t. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is a CGI-heavy battle-palooza with a slightly overcomplicated plot, but still entertaining.
Where to watch Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
37. Godzilla Minus One (2023)
Set in post-WWII Japan and focused on just one threat (Godzilla, of course), Godzilla Minus One is being praised as one of the franchise’s best-ever movies. It’s a classic man vs. monster tale with stunning cinematography that doesn’t rely on digital excess. Watch it subbed, not dubbed.
Where to watch Godzilla Minus One
36. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
Five years after Godzilla defeated Ghidorah and went on vacation, he’s back and rampaging around the world. Monarch calls up Kong from Skull Island to try and stop him, but both monsters end up getting a beatdown from Mechagodzilla, a laser-breathed robot. Can ‘Zilla and Kong work together? You bet.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Kong
35. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
Godzilla fights Mothra, Rodan, and the three-headed Ghidorah for the crown of “King of the Monsters,” even though the outcome has already been given away by the movie’s title. There’s also an underlying ecological message about the monsters saving the planet from itself, but it’s mostly scaly scuffling.
Where to watch Godzilla: King of the Monsters
34. Godzilla: The Planet Eater (2018)
Earth turns to Godzilla as its unlikely savior when the alien Ghidorah arrives to destroy the world. The tagline for this animated Japanese production is “Bow down and worship the Golden Demise,” but no planets are actually eaten.
Where to watch Godzilla: The Planet Eater
33. Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle (2018)
In this animated outing, Godzilla battles Mechagodzilla, newly reactivated after being lost for 20,000 years. Fortunately, the warranty was still valid.
Where to watch Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle
32. Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017)
In the first of the animated trio of movies, humanity searches for a habitable planet since Godzilla and the Kaijus have wrecked this one. Plan B is to defeat Godzilla—guess which they go with.
Where to watch Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters
31. Shin Godzilla (2016)
An accident in Tokyo Bay unleashes Godzilla, who promptly stomps everything in sight because Godzilla gonna Godzilla. Shin Godzilla is Toho’s Japanese reboot of the series and is a solid fan favorite.
Where to watch Shin Godzilla
30. Godzilla (2014)
The American reboot of Godzilla, which is also the first film of Legendary Pictures’ Monsterverse franchise, finally got it right after failed attempts in the ’80s and ’90s (more on them below). Reportedly, this Godzilla made even Quentin Tarantino cry for joy.
Where to watch Godzilla (2014)
29. Godzilla: Final Wars (2014)
A 50th-anniversary Japanese production, Godzilla: Final Wars finds our … hero? … being released from captivity to battle alien monsters that have invaded Earth. Fast and furious, but far from final.
Where to watch Godzilla: Final Wars
28. Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)
Mothra returns to Tokyo to warn humanity that Godzilla and Mechagodzilla must be taken back to the sea or face dire consequences. Like Godzilla and Mechagodzilla throwing down in the city? Yes, like that.
Where to watch Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
27. Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
To defend itself against a new Godzilla, the Japanese government creates Mechagodzilla using the bones of the original Godzilla. So, a Godzilla turducken?
Where to watch Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
26. Godzilla, Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
When Godzilla returns to trash Tokyo, three guardian monsters are summoned to stop him: Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Baragon, the last being too wack to even mention in the title.
Where to watch Godzilla, Mothra & King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
25. Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)
Japan finally has a solution to its Godzilla problem: Throw him into an artificial black hole created by its new Dimension Tide tech. But, the black hole has brought forth a new threat, Megaguirus, a massive dragonfly monster. Watch for the strings.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
24. Godzilla 2000 (1999)
America’s 1998 Godzilla bombed so badly that Toho felt compelled to rush out Godzilla 2000 to make up for it. This time, ’Zilla brawls with a new alien monster, Orga (yes, that’s the name—they were obviously in a hurry).
Where to watch Godzilla 2000
23. Godzilla (1998)
Director Roland Emmerich has made some decent disaster flicks (Independence Day, 2012, The Day After Tomorrow), but his Godzilla is just a disaster of a flick. The much-hyped American comeback is basically warmed-over Jurassic Park with a post-grunge soundtrack and Ferris Bueller as an “action hero.”
Where to watch Godzilla (1998)
22. Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)
Godzilla has developed a glow—and not the good kind. The nuclear energy inside him is overheating to the point he could explode, so the G-Force cools him off by freezing him. Meanwhile, the airborne Destoroyah lives up to its lethal moniker.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Destoroyah
21. Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla (1994)
Godzilla faces dual threats: the United Nations-built Mogera and Spacegodzilla, which was born from Godzilla’s cells and a black hole (this is somehow connected to that one time Mothra went to space to stop a meteor). Also in the mix: Junior Godzilla.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla
20. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)
The U.N. manufactures a robotic version of Godzilla, Mechagodzilla, to defeat the scaly terror (spoiler: it doesn’t work). Making matters worse, scientists also discover a new pteranodon egg on a remote Japanese island.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
19. Godzilla & Mothra: The Battle for Earth (1992)
Japan is caught in the middle of the worst threesome ever: Godzilla, Mothra, and her evil counterpart, Battra, as they fight it out and—you guessed it—smash everything in sight.
Where to watch Godzilla & Mothra: The Battle for Earth
18. Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
Time travelers from the 23rd century arrive in the ’90s to inform Japan that Godzilla is a danger (thanks for that newsflash). They then go back to 1944 to stop the creation of Godzilla but instead bring forth King Ghidorah. Does a battle ensue? Are you new here?
Where to watch Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
17. Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
The Japanese government enlists a geneticist to create a new monster from the cells of Godzilla, a human, and … a rose plant. Don’t laugh: Godzilla vs. Biollante was voted the best Godzilla movie in a 2014 Japanese fan poll.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Biollante
16. Godzilla 1985 (1985)
After a 10-year absence, Godzilla 1985 brought the big green guy back to theaters. The movie also brought back Raymond Burr as the coincidentally named journalist Steve Martin from 1956’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (an American recut of the first Godzilla movie).
Where to watch Godzilla 1985
15. Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
Believed-dead scientist Dr. Mafube is revealed to not only be alive but also working with aliens from a black hole to destroy Godzilla with the twin forces of Mechagodzilla 2 and Titanosaurus. Can his daughter Katsura stop him? Awkward.
Where to watch Terror of Mechagodzilla
14. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1975)
Aliens bent on taking over Earth have brought a secret weapon: Mechagodzilla, an android version of Godzilla designed to battle the real thing. It was built over 50 years ago, and Mechagodzilla still looks cooler than a Cybertruck.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
13. Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
Seatopia monster god Megalon teams up with Gigan to lay waste to the surface world—until flying android Jet Jaguar recruits Godzilla to help defeat them. Naturally, the surface world is laid to waste in the battle, anyway.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Megalon
12. Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
From their secret headquarters in a Godzilla-themed amusement park, aliens lure space monsters Gigan and King Ghidrah to Earth, and only the unlikely team of Godzilla and Anguirus (an oversized armadillo) can stop them.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Gigan
11. Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
Hedorah, a space creature from the Dark Gaseous Nebula, lands on Earth to eat its pollution. Doesn’t seem like a bad thing, but Godzilla is mightily opposed to it—he was never much of an environmentalist, after all.
Where to watch Godzilla vs. Hedorah
10. All Monsters Attack (1969)
Bored and lonely, young boy Ichiro imagines himself away to Monster Island, where he hangs out with Minilla, the son of Godzilla. Yes, All Monsters Attack is just a fantasy in a kid’s mind. But if you’ve read this far, you’re probably not concerned about “real” stories.
Where to watch All Monsters Attack
9. Destroy All Monsters (1968)
In the distant future of 1999, an all-female race of aliens brainwashes its monsters to attack major Earth cities from their base on the moon. Why would this require brainwashing? Godzilla and the gang do it all the time, unprompted.
Where to watch Destroy All Monsters
8. Son of Godzilla (1967)
A reporter follows Godzilla to a remote island in the South Seas, where the big softie discovers a baby monster and adopts him as his own. The reporter also stumbles across scientists conducting weather experiments that inadvertently create giant, mutated mantises—what a scoop!
Where to watch Son of Godzilla
7. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)
Shipwrecked on Letchi Island, a search crew discovers a group of natives enslaved and forced to fend off Ebirah, a crustacean monster. Purely coincidentally, Godzilla is taking a nap on the same island. Best of all, the tagline for Ebirah, Horror of the Deep is “This is one lobster you don’t want to order!”
Where to watch Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
6. Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
Astronauts explore Planet X and learn that its inhabitants, the Xiliens, have their own problem in Monster Zero, a three-headed flying terror. Earth then offers to loan out Godzilla and Rodan to fight Monster Zero, which sounds like a great plan.
Where to watch Invasion of Astro-Monster
5. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
Are King Ghidorah and Monster Zero the same tri-headed creature? Hard to say, but Mothra must convince frenemies Godzilla and Rodan to team up to defeat him and save the planet. Godzilla counters with, “We have no reason to help humans. Humans are always bullying us.” Legit.
Where to watch Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
4. Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
When the corporate goons of Happy Enterprises steal an egg from Mothra’s island, her fairies travel to Japan to plead for its return. Then Godzilla shows up inconveniently, and Japan asks for Mothra’s help to fight him off. The gall of humans, huh?
Where to watch Mothra vs. Godzilla
3. King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963)
The chairman of a pharmaceutical company seeks publicity by acquiring a monster. So, he captures King Kong and brings him to Japan because apparently billboards aren’t enough to sell aspirin. The epic showdown of King Kong vs. Godzilla was Japan’s Star Wars of the time.
Where to watch King Kong vs. Godzilla
2. Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
Though Godzilla was killed at the end of the first movie (spoiler), a second Godzilla and another monster, Anguirus, are discovered at sea—and they’re heading for Japan. Factoid: The fight scenes in Godzilla Raids Again were meant to be in slow motion but were accidentally sped up, and they just went with it.
Where to watch Godzilla Raids Again
1. Godzilla (1954)
The one, the only, the original Godzilla! When a giant beast is awakened from its undersea hibernation by atomic bomb testing, he ambles directly to Tokyo to complain to the manager—and trash the place, of course. The rubber monster suit and the effects look ridiculous, but Godzilla was a deadly serious commentary on America’s WWII bombing of Japan and the toll of nuclear war. But also fun!
Where to watch Godzilla (1954)
Bill Frost has been a journalist and TV reviewer since the 4:3-aspect-ratio ’90s. His pulse-pounding prose has been featured in The Salt Lake Tribune, Inlander, Coachella Valley Independent, Las Vegas Weekly, and many other dead-tree publications (see BillFrost.tv). In addition to being a Senior Staff Writer at CableTV.com, Bill is a syndicated streaming TV columnist forSalt Lake City Weekly and other alternative weeklies, and host/producer of TV Tan Podcast. By night, Bill cranks a Flying V with his band at the bar.
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