If Varan had succeeded

[Gigantis]

So we all know that compared to the other four kaiju films at the time (Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra) poor Varan's film didn't do nearly as well because of it's rather generic script and lower budget, perhaps among other reasons. But what if that wasn't the case? What if the film succeeded like it's bethren. Would this lead to Varan appearing more? Maybe getting him on a four v one in Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster? An actual role in the Heisei and Millennium era's of films, perhaps even getting a chance at a big budget Hollywood remake like his co-stars?

I made this thread because Varan really did seem to be the only big kaiju misfire Toho ever made at the time. IDK, maybe if the film was better that could change?

[Voyager]

I don’t know. I still don’t seeing him as being one of Toho’s big monsters. Maybe closer to Anguirus and Baragon though.

[Kaltes-Herzeleid]

But what if that wasn't the case? What if the film succeeded like it's bethren. Would this lead to Varan appearing more? Maybe getting him on a four v one in Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster? An actual role in the Heisei and Millennium era's of films, perhaps even getting a chance at a big budget Hollywood remake like his co-stars?

I made this thread because Varan really did seem to be the only big kaiju misfire Toho ever made at the time. IDK, maybe if the film was better that could change?

I don't think Varan would have been in GtTHM, but I could see a Godzilla Vs. Varan happening if it was a bigger success which could have led to Varan appearing in later films. (Like GMK)

[Terasawa]

Because Varan requires another manned costume I can't see it becoming a major player in the Showa Godzillas, where there were no more than three costumed monster actors until DAM. Basically you'd either have Varan or Rodan for GTTHM, but not both.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Varan is too similar, and in many ways a hybrid, of Godzilla and Rodan so it seems pointless for him to be in GTTHM or other Showa era movies. I could see him filling more "cameo roles" and it's well documented that he was planned to have more substantial roles in some drafts of various Showa projects.

[BlankAccount]

Varan might have been used for Godzilla vs Gigan instead of being dropped.

[edgaguirus]

Varan would no doubt have appeared in other films, and may have had a more active role in DAM. However, I don't see Varan becoming a big player in the series.

[CrimsonBloodX]

Varan would have definitely appeared in more movies. I don't think he would've been given more screen-time in DAM or be in Godzilla vs Gigan because of budget issues, but Toho might allow him to be in Giant Monsters All-Out Attack and there might have been a Godzilla vs Varan movie in the 60s before DAM, but that's just a guess. But appearing in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster? I doubt it.

[Tamura]

I don't think Varan ever had a chance... maybe the film could have been accidentally slightly more popular if it had been made in color, which was still a rarity at that point and would have never been on the table anyway, when you factor in that it was supposed to be a TV movie for US consumption when most people in the world still didn't have color sets. Either way it would have been quickly forgotten anyway. Rodan already filled the niche of flying dinosaur or dinosaur-like thing native to Japan, plus the movie it comes from is better and more memorable. Varan is just a really jumbled, unbalanced joint production that went through so many phases of evolution in a short span of time that it doesn't represent what little vision it might have originally had.

It did add a new and interesting-looking character for kids to have fun with, but it's low on new or exciting play concepts for children, or scenes to re-enact with their friends... at the end of the day we have to admit Tsuburaya wanted these movies to be fun for kids and I think the movie itself fails at that. Varan attacks Haneda and a nondescript village, and the naval battle was something that hadn't been done before, and that's about it. It's not as good of a jumping off point for kids to imagine their own stories as other kaiju movies are.

I know most of the criticism of this movie focuses on the cardboard cutout characters, but honestly I think you can still have a really exciting, memorable kaiju movie with forgettable characters. I love Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla - it's been one of my favorites since I was a little kid - and I keep completely forgetting Keisuke's occupation or why different people in the movie know each other. But that movie owns bones because of the exciting fight scenes where Godzilla nearly dies but then bounces back with a cool new power and because it added two new characters who are both cool.

I think Varan would have been a better movie for its target audience if there had been another monster for Varan to fight, especially a new one with an interesting design, or if it had been in color, or if Varan did something cool besides fly one time, and the lower budget prevented two of those options.

[Kaltes-Herzeleid]

I know most of the criticism of this movie focuses on the cardboard cutout characters, but honestly I think you can still have a really exciting, memorable kaiju movie with forgettable characters. I love Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla - it's been one of my favorites since I was a little kid - and I keep completely forgetting Keisuke's occupation or why different people in the movie know each other. But that movie owns bones because of the exciting fight scenes where Godzilla nearly dies but then bounces back with a cool new power and because it added two new characters who are both cool.

Overall I agree. I find Varan to be a perfectly serviceable movie with some great scenes involving the titular kaiju himself, good atmosphere, and a great soundtrack. Eclipsed by most of its 50s compatriots, but with an undeserved bad reputation in the end.

[Tamura]

My point was that I think Varan is lacking both in drama and in kaiju action but I'm glad you see in it what you do! FWIW I don't hate the movie, as an adult I think it has a great soundtrack, great effects and a fascinating sort of train wreck quality when you know about its production. It was one of those movies I wanted to see when I was younger but never could, but I think I would have been pretty disappointed or bored by it.

[SoggyNoodles2016]

Varan was always intended to be a TV Movie, a short film made because Toho was commisoned for it. It only became a theatrical release because the TV guys stepped out.

If it succeeded as was intended, it would probably be an obscure movie Toho fans would seek out and reference as "yo, can you believe this?" like the Star Wars Holiday Special or the Captain America 90s movie.

He'd still be in DAM for 12 seconds though, because he'd be a free prop, though.

[Tamura]

If it succeeded as was intended, it would probably be an obscure movie Toho fans would seek out and reference as "yo, can you believe this?" like the Star Wars Holiday Special or the Captain America 90s movie.

I think it'd be more like a '50s Zone Fighter - a vastly overrated piece of obscure canon that everyone keeps wanting to see on a legally authorized release, a very basic premise/retread that people want to see explored again as if a retread of what was already a retread will make it better, etc. In other words I think it would have nearly the same following that it currently has.

[ShinGojira14]

Regardless of whether or not the film succeeded the way Mr. Honda had hoped, one thing is still for certain:

The film is still regarded as a cult classic by Toho fans such as myself, and hopefully we'll get to see our Mountain God Baradagi make an appearance in a future Toho or even MonsterVerse film.

[Desghidorah]

I feel like if they'd gone ham with the mythic approach to Varan, which largely differed him from other reptilian kaiju, that have helped set him further apart. And if it had succeeded, he'd probably not have made Big 5 ranking; but likely occurred a respectable fan following like Anguirus did. Further appearances in films, especially in the Heisei reboot, would be more likely.