According to Tatopoulos, the only specific instructions Emmerich gave him was that it should be able to run incredibly fast. Development ĭuring the production of the 1998 film, special effects artist Patrick Tatopoulos was contacted by director Roland Emmerich and asked to create a new design for the Godzilla character. Toho had renewed the trademark on Apand is set to expire on April 20, 2027. Ever since 2004, Toho's official stance has been that any future incarnations of the character be referred to hereafter as 'Zilla'.' Keith Aiken (co-editor of SciFi Japan) also clarified that 'Zilla is a variation of the 1998 Godzilla' but stressed that only the incarnations from the 1998 film and the animated series retain the Godzilla copyright and trademark. Matt Frank (co-writer and illustrator of Godzilla: Rulers of Earth) further clarified the name change, stating, 'Toho makes zero distinction between 'Zilla' and 'Godzilla 1998' with the exception of title alone.

This name change has been reflected in subsequent official products featuring the character since 2004, though 'Godzilla' continues to be used on products that predate the name change, such as home media re-releases of the 1998 film and Godzilla: The Series. Toho had filed the 'Zilla' name on Jand was registered on April 20, 2007. The name 'Zilla' was chosen for the character by Tomiyama as a satirical take on counterfeit Godzilla products that use 'Zilla' as a suffix. This decision was made because they also felt that Emmerich's film had taken the 'God' out of 'Godzilla' by portraying the character as a mere animal. Since this was the 50th anniversary film, I thought ‘Why not include the American Godzilla?'' This incarnation of TriStar's Godzilla was named 'Zilla'. Initially, during production of Godzilla: Final Wars, director Ryuhei Kitamura asked producer Shōgo Tomiyama whether or not they were allowed to include TriStar's Godzilla in the film, whereupon Tomiyama checked Toho's contract with Sony and saw they were allowed to use it, Tomiyama stated: 'Kitamura asked me if it was possible for us to use the American Godzilla in Final Wars, so I checked our contract with Sony Pictures and found out we could use it. Tristar's cancelled trademark icons and Toho's currently active trademark icon.

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