Gojira drummer Mario Duplantier will miss the French progressive metal band's U.S. festival dates in July 2026 due to an unspecified "immigration issue" that has prevented him from travelling to America in time. The band announced via social media that Luigi Paraventi of PaleFace Swiss will fill in on drums for the affected shows, describing Duplantier as "heartbroken" and noting he had fought hard to find a solution before the setback was confirmed.

The affected performances are Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin (16 July), Upheaval in Grand Rapids, Michigan (17 July), and Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival in Mansfield, Ohio (18 July). The announcement comes after a strong period for Gojira, who won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance in February 2025 for "Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça Ira!)" and gained global recognition for their surprise Olympic Games opening ceremony performance in Paris in 2024, the first time a metal band has performed at the Olympics.