The prospect of 'Godzilla Minus Zero' contending for the Academy's top honor is a bold one, yet not entirely unfounded, especially after 'Godzilla Minus One' made history by securing the Best Visual Effects Oscar in 2024. That unprecedented win marked the first time a 'Godzilla' film received an Academy Award, a feat that surprised many, including its own director.

Speaking to Variety at the New York Film Festival premiere of 'Godzilla Minus Zero,' Takashi Yamazaki, visibly thrilled by the reception, addressed the burgeoning Best Picture speculation. He acknowledged the difficulty of not harboring hope when the possibility exists. "I mean, I try not to think about that," Yamazaki told Variety, referencing his mindset during 'Godzilla Minus One's' awards run. "If the possibility is not zero, it’s hard not to have a little bit of hope."

'Godzilla Minus One's' journey to Oscar glory was a remarkable underdog story. Produced on a modest budget of just $15 million, Yamazaki led a compact team of only 35 visual effects artists to create 610 complex effects shots. This lean operation triumphed over Hollywood blockbusters with significantly larger resources, including 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,' 'Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,' and 'Napoleon.' The victory was also personally significant for Yamazaki, a director who began his career in visual effects, making him the first feature director since Stanley Kubrick ('2001: A Space Odyssey') to be recognized in the VFX category.

Reflecting on the previous win, Yamazaki had previously shared with Variety, "It’s going to take me a few years to process what has happened and what it all means." He credited the iconic monster for paving the way to the Academy Awards.

Now, with 'Godzilla Minus Zero,' Yamazaki finds himself back in the awards conversation. Variety's chief awards editor, Clayton Davis, has already listed the film among his top five predictions for Best Visual Effects nominations, alongside other highly anticipated features like 'Dune: Part Three.'

While a Visual Effects nomination seems probable, the true test for 'Godzilla Minus Zero' will be its ability to transcend its genre origins and convince Academy voters of its merit for Best Picture. The Academy has shown an increasing willingness to consider effects-heavy genre films for its top prize in recent years, with examples like 'Joker' and 'Dune' demonstrating that strong auteur vision can elevate IP-driven movies beyond typical franchise fare. The question for 'Godzilla Minus Zero' is whether it can similarly resonate with voters as a prestige genre film, rather than merely another installment in a long-running series.