Codzilla (franchise)

Codzilla is a Radictistani series of monster films featuring the character Codzilla, a gigantic Cod. The series is distributed by Morzov Entertainment Group.

The first film, Codzilla: Guardian of the Deep, became a smash hit despite an initial period of low ticket sales. The success of the original prompted the release of four additional movies and a number of other media properties. Codzilla films have grossed over half a billion radin and become major cultural icons of Radictistan.

Films

Codzilla, Guardian of the Deep

Codzilla, Guardian of the Deep was released in 2009. The film was produced for a budget of just R$1.8 million. The practical and special effects used were decidedly primitive, the monster being depicted by an actual Cod with scenes of victims being devoured produced using the double exposure technique. In the film, Codzilla terrorizes fishermen and pleasure boaters off the coast of Westwoodsur to protect Cod spawning waters. The film grossed over R$210 million and made household names of its lead actors.

2 Big, 2 Cod

The second entry of the series, 2 Big 2 Cod, was released in 2011. The film introduced a second Codzilla monster, dubbed "Beta Codzilla" by fans, which the original monster from the first film becomes locked in combat. The second entry of the series differed from the original with its budget, R$31.7 million in comparison to R$1.8 million, in the replacement of many practical effects including Codzilla itself with computer-generated imagery, and in having a more serious tone. The changes were poorly received by critics as well as fans of the original movie.

Codzilla vs. Megalodon

Codzilla vs. Megalodon, released in 2012, saw a return to the series' farcical roots. The plot, which revolved around combat between Codzilla and a thought to be extinct Megalodon shark, marked a major turn for the series. For the first time Codzilla was depicted as positive force, protecting humanity from the giant shark, rather than as an antagonist. The film was extremely successful at the Radictistani box office, drawing R$125 million against its budget of R$4.75 million.

Mechacodzilla

Released in 2014, Mechacodzilla maintained the new depiction of Codzilla as savior. In the film, the Radictistani military develops a giant robotic Cod as a top-secret superweapon. When communications is lost with the mechanical beast, it goes errant and exacts a terrible toll on shipping before being defeated by Codzilla. The film made R$138 million at the Radictistani box office against a production budget of R$16.4 million.

Codzilla vs. SpaceCodzilla

The fifth entry of the series, Codzilla vs. SpaceCodzilla, was released in 2017. In the film, Earth is threatened by SpaceCodzilla, a spacefaring fish monster inadvertently created by the irradiation of fish balls intended as food for the crew of a new Radictistani space station. Receipts at the Radictistani box office were R$187 million against its production budget of R$22.4 million. Codzilla vs. SpaceCodzilla was the first film in the series not to be directed by Rudolf Krossmeier.

Tripis, the Three-Headed Fish

The sixth entry in the series, Tripis, the Three-Headed Fish, was released in 2020. The film introduced a new adversary for Codzilla, a three-headed anglerfish named Tripis. The film had a production budget of R$24.7 million and made R$219 million at the domestic box office.

Other media

Television

Codzilla: Monster Trek, an animated series about a team of researchers following Codzilla as it travels from continent to continent, aired on syndication for fifty-two episodes from 2012 to 2013. Common plots included encounters with other cryptids which Codzilla then battles.

Video games

Codzilla: The Game was released in 2010 for personal computers. The game loosely followed the plot of the first movie. 2 Big 2 Cod was released for personal computers in 2011 to tie in with the movie of the same name. A game based on the third film in the series, Codzilla vs. Megalodon was released alongside the film in 2012. Rather than release a tie-in with the 2014 release of Mechacodzilla, Morzov Entertainment group released Codzilla: Evolution with an original storyline.

Cultural impact

Codzilla holds an important place in Radictistani popular culture. The annual CodzillaCon in Brightburg attracts around fifty thousand attendees yearly. While the Codzilla movies are mostly known only in Radictistan, Guardian of the Deep received an international home video release.