The film is a co-production between Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures. It was distributed by Warner Bros. worldwide, except in Japanwhere it was distributed by Toho. It is the second Godzilla film to be completely filmed and produced by an American studio, the first being the 1998 film of the same name.^[a] The project initially began in 2004 and was originally intended to be an IMAX short film titled, Godzilla 3D: To the Max, to be directed by Yoshimitsu Banno, director of Godzilla vs. Hedorah. After several years in development, the production was transferred to Legendary for development as a feature film. Producers Kenji Okuhira, Brian Rogers and director Banno were retained by Legendary. Shortly before filming began, several producers were dismissed from the production and a court case is ongoing between themselves and Legendary. Principal photography took place in the United States and Canada in 2013.

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Godzilla was released worldwide in 2D, 3D and IMAX on May 15, 2014; in North America on May 16; with releases in China on June 13 and Japan on July 25, 2014. Critical reception for the film has been positive, with some praising the film for its slow pace and dramatic build-up, while others criticized the underwritten script, thinly developed characters, the length of time before Godzilla's appearance, as well as his on-screen duration and the fact that the film, despite its eponymous title, does not focus primarily on Godzilla, however, Gareth Edwards' directing and the film's visual effects, music, and creature designs were positively received. Critics and fans have also praised director Edwards for honoring the spirit and legacy of the Godzilla character and franchise.