Shin Godzilla Director Begins Work On Evangelion Movie

Fans of Neon Genesis Evangelion, do not despair! Creator Hideaki Anno hasn't forgotten you in the wake of Shin Godzilla. The creator is making good on his recent apology to anime fans and getting started on a long-awaited Evangelion movie.

During a recent interview with Yahoo! Japan, Hideaki said he is already working on the fourth and final entry of the Rebuild of Evangelion film series. "I'll work hard [on it]," he said. "I mean, I'm already working hard [on it]."

The film, which is entitled Evangelion: 3.0+1.0, will complete the on-screen tetralogy that Hideaki has been working on since 2007. The first installment Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone debuted to critical praise and helped the series roll out its next two films. Fans have been waiting for the fourth film since the third debuted in 2012, but they were asked to be patient in light of Hideaki's other projects.

Understandably, the creator's involvement with Shin Godzilla kept him too busy to work on Evangelion. Hideaki directed the kaiju flick which features the King of Monsters, and the film has done extraordinarily well in Japan. However, Hideaki said he's ready to return to Evangelion and doesn't think he will be asked to helm another Godzilla project.

When asked if he'd consider doing a sequel, Hideaki said that it's up to Toho to decide. "I've had enough," he confessed. "It'd be more interesting if they changed directors. Toho wouldn't let me do it anyway, because it was so hard."

Of course, this news is what Evangelion fans have been waiting to hear. Anime lovers were disappointed when they learned the franchise's fourth film had been indefinitely delayed due to Shin Godzilla, and Hideaki pleaded for those fans to forgive him.

"To all the Evangelion fans, I'm really, really keeping you all waiting," he lamented. "I am truly sorry."

The creator went on to describe Evangelion as his "soul" and something that "chips off" pieces of him. Hideaki admitted the film franchise had drained him and left him feeling trapped without a chance to recharge.

"After doing the third entry Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo, I thought I wasn't going to make any more," Hideaki said before saying that Shin Godzilla gave him the break he desperately needed. "I went into talks with Toho, and it saved me. I think this is how I'm able to keep making Evangelion. However, since it is a fact that I'm making everyone wait, I deeply apologize for that."

While Hideaki gets back into the Evangelion swing, U.S. fans are preparing for Godzilla to head West. Shin Godzilla will be coming to the U.S. for a limited theatrical release between October 11-18.

"We are thrilled to bring Shin Godzilla to theaters across North America this October," said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and president of Funimation. "Toho established Godzilla as one of the most iconic monsters in science fiction history and we're honored to now be a part of that history with the theatrical release of this new movie. Fans will not want to miss this limited theatrical event."

[H/T] Kotaku