List of films featuring giant monsters

This is an alphabetical list of films featuring giant monsters, known in Japan as kaiju.

Overview

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 The King Kong That Appeared in Edo in 1938, which is now presumed to be a lost film. The visual effects in King Kong, created by Willis O'Brien, inspired future monster film effects artists such as Ray Harryhausen and Dennis Muren. 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.: 42  The 1954 film Them! involved giant irradiated ants. Later in 1954, the Japanese film Godzilla was released, followed by Rodan in 1956. This was at a time when giant creatures created by nuclear radiation became popular. 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 and Denmark with Gorgo and Reptilicus, both released 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 and the growth of the environmental movement in the 1970s inspired the release of various horror films, and the giant monster subgenre saw the release of 1971's Godzilla vs. Hedorah, in which the themes of pollution and environmentalism were incorporated into the series. Following a second series of films in the 1980s and 1990s, Godzilla received a 1998 remake by TriStar Pictures, while King Kong received a 2005 remake by Universal Pictures. 2008 saw the release of the successful Cloverfield, which some critics have claimed took inspiration from the September 11 attacks. 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. A reboot of King Kong known as Kong: Skull Island was released in March 2017.

List of films

Name Year Country Description Ref.
20 Million Miles to Earth 1957 United States extraterrestrial from Venus
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad 1958 United States Cyclops, dragon, roc
A Monster Calls 2016 UK giant anthropomorphic yew tree
All Monsters Attack 1969 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Alligator 1980 United States Giant alligator
Always Zoku Sanchōme no Yūhi 2007 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Anaconda 1997 United States Giant anaconda
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid 2004 United States giant anacondas
Aquaman 2018 United States Karathen (giant sea creature)
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters 2007 United States Insanoflex / robot
The Arctic Giant 1942 United States Dinosaur-esque monster
Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader 2012 United States Giantess
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman 1958 United States Giantess : 18 
Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1993 film) 1993 United States Giantess
Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold 1995 United States Giantess
Attack of the Crab Monsters 1958 United States giant crabs
Attack on Titan 2015 Japan giants / Titans
Atragon 1963 Japan Manda / daikaiju
Attack of the Giant Leeches 1959 United States Giant leech
The Avengers 2012 United States Chitauri Leviathans
Avengers: Endgame 2019 United States Chitauri Leviathans
Avengers: Infinity War 2018 United States Chitauri Leviathans
The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms 1953 United States Rhedosaurus : 28–37 
The Beast of Hollow Mountain 1956 United States Allosaurus : 37–42 
Beginning of the End 1957 United States radioactive grasshoppers
The BFG 2016 United States Giants
Big Ass Spider! 2013 United States giant spider
Big Man Japan 2008 Japan daikaiju
The Black Scorpion 1957 United States giant scorpion
The Blob 1958 United States Blob
The Blob 1988 United States Blob
Bulgasari 1962 South Korea Bulgasari / daikaiju
Clash of the Titans 1981 United States Kraken
Clash of the Titans 2010 United States, United Kingdom monsters from Greek mythology
Cloverfield 2008 United States Clover
The Cloverfield Paradox 2018 United States Clover
Colossal 2016 Canada/Spain unknown creature
Conan the Barbarian 1982 United States giant snake
Crocodile 2000 United States Giant crocodile
Daimajin 1966 Japan Daimajin
Daimajin Strikes Again 1966 Japan Daimajin
The Deadly Mantis 1957 United States Praying mantis
Deep Rising 1998 United States giant octopus-like creature
DeepStar Six 1989 United States Giant undersea creature
Destroy All Monsters 1968 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Detective Pikachu 2019 United States Giant Torterras
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 2022 United States Gargantos
Dogora 1964 Japan jellyfish-like amorphous alien lifeform
Dune 1984 United States Sandworms (giant worms)
Dune 2021 United States Sandworms (giant worms)
Earth vs. the Spider 1958 United States giant spider
The Empire Strikes Back 1980 United States Exogorth (giant slug)
Eight Legged Freaks 2002 United States, Germany, Australia giant spiders
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure 1984 United States Gorax
The Food of the Gods 1976 United States Giant Rats
Galaxy Quest 1999 United States Gorignak (rock monster)
Gamera 1965 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera 2: Attack of Legion 1996 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris 1999 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe 1995 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera: Super Monster 1980 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera the Brave 2006 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera vs. Barugon 1966 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera vs. Guiron 1969 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera vs. Gyaos 1967 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera vs. Jiger 1970 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera vs. Viras 1968 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gamera vs. Zigra 1971 Japan Gamera / daikaiju
Gappa: The Triphibian Monster 1967 Japan bird-lizards / daikaiju
Gargantua 1998 United States Prehistoric Creature
Garuda 2004 Thailand Garuda / giant bird creature
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster 1964 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Ghostbusters 1984 United States Stay Puft Marshmallow Man
The Giant Behemoth 1959 United Kingdom, United States Paleosaurus
The Giant Claw 1957 United States extraterrestrial prehistoric bird
The Giant Gila Monster 1959 United States beaded lizard
The Giant Spider Invasion 1975 United States giant spiders
Godzilla 1954 Japan Godzilla : Chapter 3 
Godzilla 1998 United States, Japan Godzilla
Godzilla 2014 United States Godzilla, MUTOs
Godzilla 2000 1999 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla 2002 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha : Chapter 32 
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle 2018 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla: Final Wars 2004 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla: King of the Monsters 2019 United States Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack 2001 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla: The Planet Eater 2018 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters 2017 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla Raids Again 1955 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. 2003 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha
Godzilla vs. Biollante 1989 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju : Chapter 28 
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah 1995 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju : Chapter 33 
Godzilla vs. Gigan 1972 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju : Chapter 20 
Godzilla vs. Hedorah 1971 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah 1991 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla vs. Kong 2021 United States Kong / Godzilla / Mechagodzilla
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla 1974 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II 1993 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus 2000 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla vs. Megalon 1973 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju : Chapter 21 
Godzilla vs. Mothra 1992 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster 1966 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju : Chapter 14 
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla 1994 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Goosebumps 2015 United States giant praying mantis
Gorgo 1961 Ireland, United Kingdom, United States sea monster
Grabbers 2012 Ireland, United Kingdom tentacled
Graveyard Shift 1990 United States Giant bat
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 2017 United States Abilisk
Half Human 1955 Japan Abominable Snowman
He's a Dragon 2015 Russia Dragon
Helluva Good Luck 1999 Czech Republic Dragon
Helluva Good Luck 2 2001 Czech Republic Dragon
The Host 2006 South Korea amphibious
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation 2018 United States Kraken
Ilya Muromets 1956 Soviet Union Dragon
Invasion of Astro-Monster 1965 Japan, United States Godzilla / daikaiju
It Came from Beneath the Sea 1955 United States radioactive octopus
Jack the Giant Slayer 2013 United States giants
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 2012 United States giant lizard
Journey to the Beginning of Time 1955 Czechoslovakia dinosaurs
The Jungle Book 2016 United States King Louie (gigantopithecus)
Jurassic Park 1993 United States numerous dinosaurs
Jurassic Park III 2001 United States numerous dinosaurs
Jurassic World 2015 United States genetically-modified dinosaurs
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 2018 United States numerous dinosaurs
King Kong 1933 United States King Kong
King Kong 1976 United States King Kong
King Kong 2005 United States/New Zealand King Kong
King Kong Appears in Edo 1938 Japan King Kong
King Kong Lives 1986 United States King Kong
King of the Lost World 2005 United States Giant ape
King Kong vs. Godzilla 1962 Japan, United States King Kong / Godzilla : Chapter 42 
Konga 1961 United Kingdom giant gorilla
Kong: Skull Island 2017 United States King Kong, Skullcrawler
The Loch Ness Horror 1981 United States Loch Ness Monster
The Lego Batman Movie 2017 United States King Kong
Love and Monsters 2020 United States numerous monsters
Mammoth 2006 United States alien/woolly mammoth
Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus 2010 United States shark and crocodile
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus 2009 United States giant shark and giant octopus
Mega Shark Versus Mecha Shark 2014 United States giant shark
Mighty Joe Young 1949 United States giant gorilla
Mighty Joe Young 1998 United States giant gorilla
The Mighty Kong 1998 United States King Kong
The Mist 2007 United States various
Monster 2008 United States giant octopus
Monster Hunter 2020 United States numerous monsters
The Monster That Challenged the World 1957 United States Giant molluscs
Monsters 2010 United Kingdom six-legged, tentacled beast
Monsters: Dark Continent 2014 United Kingdom six-legged, tentacled beast
Monsters vs. Aliens 2009 United States various
Mothra 1961 Japan daikaiju / giant moth
Mothra vs. Godzilla 1964 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Night of the Lepus 1972 United States mutated rabbits
Notzilla 2020 United States daikaiju / Godzilla parody
On the Comet 1970 Czechoslovakia Dinosaurs, Sea monster
Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon 1994 Japan Yamata no Orochi / dragon
Outlander 2008 United States Moorwen
Pacific Rim 2013 United States, Mexico daikaiju / mecha
Pacific Rim: Uprising 2018 United States daikaiju / mecha
Primeval 2007 United States crocodile
Princ Bajaja 1971 Czechoslovakia dragon
Pulgasari 1985 North Korea Pulgasari / daikaiju
Q 1982 United States Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, depicted as a giant winged lizard
Queen Kong 1976 UK giant gorilla
Ralph Breaks the Internet 2018 United States Giant Ralph Monster
Rampage 2018 United States Giant Three Monsters - George the Gorilla, Lizzie the Alligator, Ralph the Werewolf
Ready Player One 2018 United States King Kong, Mechagodzilla, Tyrannosaurus
Rebirth of Mothra 1996 Japan daikaiju / giant moth
Rebirth of Mothra II 1997 Japan daikaiju / giant moth
Rebirth of Mothra III 1998 Japan daikaiju / giant moth
Reign of Fire 2002 United Kingdom, Ireland, United States dragons
Reptilicus 1961 Denmark, United States prehistoric reptile
Return of Daimajin 1966 Japan Daimajin
The Return of Godzilla 1984 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju
Return of the Jedi 1983 United States Rancor and Sarlacc
Rock Monster 2008 United States rock monster
Rodan 1956 Japan flying daikaiju / irradiated pteranodon
Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster 2004 United States Loch Ness Monster
Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf 1988 United States Genghis Kong
Scooby-Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur 2011 United States Phantosaur
Shin Godzilla 2016 Japan Godzilla
Snakeman 2005 United States Giant five-headed snake
Snow Dragon 2013 Czech Republic Dragon
Son of Godzilla 1967 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju : Chapter 92 
Son of Kong 1933 United States Giant ape
Space Amoeba 1970 Japan daikaiju : 75–76 
Space Jam: A New Legacy 2021 United States King Kong
Space Monster, Wangmagwi 1967 South Korea Wangmagwi
Spider-Man 1978 Japan swordfish
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 1999 United States Sando Aqua Monster
The Story of Voyages 1983 Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Romania Dragon
The Suicide Squad 2021 United States Starro / giant alien starfish
Super 8 2011 United States alien
Tarantula 1955 United States giant tarantula
Tentacles 1977 Italy, United States octopus
Terror of Mechagodzilla 1975 Japan Godzilla / daikaiju / mecha : Chapter 24 
Lake Placid 1999 United States Giant crocodile
Lake Placid 2 2007 United States Giant crocodile
Lake Placid 3 2007 United States Giant crocodiles
Lake Placid: The Final Chapter 2012 United States Giant crocodiles
Lake Placid: Legacy 2018 United States Giant crocodile
Lake Placid vs. Anaconda 2015 United States Crocodile and anaconda
The Lost World 1925 United States numerous dinosaurs
The Lost World: Jurassic Park 1997 United States numerous dinosaurs
Them! 1954 United States radioactive ants
Thor 2011 United States Frost Beast
Thor: The Dark World 2013 United States Frost Beast
Thor: Ragnarok 2017 United States Surtur, Fenris, dragon
Tremors 1990 United States Graboids
Tremors 2: Aftershocks 1996 United States Grabboids
Tremors 3: Back to Perfection 2001 United States Grabboids
Tremors 4: The Legend Begins 2004 United States Grabboids
Tremors 5: Bloodlines 2015 United States Grabboids
Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell 2018 United States Grabboids
Tremors: Shrieker Island 2020 United States Grabboids
Trollhunter 2010 Norway troll
Underwater 2020 United States Cthulhu
Varan 1958 Japan Varan / Giant lizard
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep 2007 United States, United Kingdom, New Zealand Crusoe (Loch Ness Monster)
The War of the Gargantuas 1966 Japan daikaiju
What to Do With the Dead Kaiju? 2022 Japan daikaiju
World Without End 1956 United States mutated spiders
Wrath of the Titans 2012 United States, United Kingdom, Spain monsters from Greek mythology
The X from Outer Space 1967 Japan Guilala / daikaiju
Yonggary 1999 South Korea Yonggary
Yongary, Monster from the Deep 1967 South Korea Yonggary
Za humny je drak 1982 Czechoslovakia Dragon
Zarkorr! The Invader 1996 United States daikaiju

See also


This page was last updated at 2022-09-20 05:28 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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