Warner Bros. Pictures’ Next GODZILLA Film And TAG Movie Begin Production

Following the global success of 2014’s “Godzilla” and this year’s “Kong: Skull Island,” comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ cinematic MonsterVerse: an epic action adventure that pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history.

The film, which began principal photography on June 19, is being directed by Michael Dougherty (“Krampus”), and stars Oscar nominees Vera Farmiga (“Up in the Air,” “The Conjuring” films), and Ken Watanabe (“The Last Samurai”) and Sally Hawkins (“Blue Jasmine”), both reprising their “Godzilla” roles; Kyle Chandler (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Manchester by the Sea”); Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”) in her feature film debut; Bradley Whitford (“Get Out”); Thomas Middleditch (HBO’s “Silicon Valley”); Charles Dance (HBO’s “Game of Thrones”); O’Shea Jackson Jr. (“Straight Outta Compton”); Aisha Hinds (“Star Trek Into Darkness”); and Golden Globe nominee Zhang Ziyi (“Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”).

The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.

Dougherty directs from a script he wrote with Zach Shields. The film is being produced by Mary Parent, Alex Garcia, Brian Rogers and Thomas Tull, with Barry H. Waldman, Zach Shields, Yoshimitsu Banno and Kenji Okuhira serving as executive producers and Alexandra Mendes co-producing for Legendary.

Behind the scenes, Dougherty’s creative team includes director of photography Lawrence Sher, whose past credits include “War Dogs” and “Godzilla,” for which he handled additional photography; production designer Scott Chambliss (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Star Trek Into Darkness”); editor Roger Barton (“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” the “Transformers” films); costume designer Louise Migenbach (the “X-Men” and “Hangover” films); and Oscar-winning VFX supervisor Guillaume Rocheron (“Godzilla,” “Ghost in the Shell,” and part of the Oscar-winning team behind “Life of Pi ”).

Filming is taking place mainly in Atlanta, Georgia. A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, the film is currently scheduled for release in March 2019, and will be distributed in 3D and 2D and in select IMAX theaters by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, except in Japan, where it will be distributed by Toho Co., Ltd.

Meanwhile, TAG! You’re It!

Production begins this week on location in Atlanta for the new comedy “Tag,” directed by Jeff Tomsic (Comedy Central’s “Broad City”) for New Line Cinema. The film’s starring ensemble cast is led by Ed Helms (The “Hangover” movies, “We’re the Millers”), Jake Johnson (TV’s “New Girl”), and Hannibal Buress (“Neighbors”), with Jon Hamm (“Baby Driver,” TV’s “Mad Men”) and Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner (“The Hurt Locker, “The Town”).

For one month every year, five highly competitive friends hit the ground running in a no-holds-barred game of tag they’ve been playing since the first grade—risking their necks, their jobs and their relationships to take each other down with the battle cry “You’re It!” This year, the game coincides with the wedding of their only undefeated player, which should finally make him an easy target. But he knows they’re coming…and he’s ready. Based on a true story, “Tag” shows how far some guys will go to be the last man standing.

The film also stars Annabelle Wallis (“The Mummy”), Rashida Jones (TV’s “Parks and Recreation”), Isla Fisher (“Now You See Me”) and Leslie Bibb (“Iron Man 2”).

Tomsic directs from a screenplay written by Mark Steilen (TV’s “Mozart in the Jungle”) and Rob McKittrick (“Waiting”), based on the Wall Street Journal article entitled “It Takes Planning, Caution to Avoid Being It.” The film is produced by Todd Garner, Mark Steilen and Sean Robins, with Hans Ritter serving as executive producer. The creative filmmaking team includes director of photography Larry Blanford, editor Josh Crockett, production designer David Sandefur, and costume designer Denise Wingate.

“Tag” is set for a June 29, 2018, release.