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Godzilla Minus One, released in 2023, was a surprise critical and commercial hit, becoming the first Japanese Godzilla film to win an Academy Award (for visual effects). It was set in postwar Japan and followed the Shikishima family as they dealt with the fallout of the war alongside a new Godzilla attack. Its director, Takashi Yamazaki, has since become closely associated with reviving the long-running Godzilla franchise for a new generation.

Godzilla Minus Zero is the sequel, continuing the Shikishima family's story two years on from the events of the first film. It is being launched at the New York Film Festival, a major annual event run by Film at Lincoln Center that showcases new international and American cinema, often ahead of wider theatrical release. The festival's Spotlight Gala slot is a prominent showcase reserved for films expected to draw significant attention.

The film's US distributor is GKIDS, a company known for bringing Japanese and other international animated and live-action films to American audiences. Its inclusion alongside other high-profile titles at the festival, and the presence of Yamazaki and cast members at the premiere, reflects the strong critical reputation the rebooted Godzilla series has built more than seven decades after the original 1954 film first introduced the character.