We all know the story: Godzilla is one of the icons of monster movie history, and his many Japanese films are still popular to this very day. Our own silly Hollywood attempted to make a new re-imagined version of the giant lizard-beast back in 1998, and as you might be aware, it is still to this day the victim of many, many jokes.

To wash the slate clean and try and prove it can be done, Legendary Pictures has announced that they have partnered up with Japan’s Toho Company to produce another American Godzilla film. This comes as no major shock; back in August, Bloody-Disgusting had heard whispers of this very news being in the beginning stages of becoming a reality. Now we have confirmation, and Legendary hopes to find a director and get moving on the project relatively soon with plans for a release in 2012 currently set.

Rampage your way on over to the other side to read the press release from Legendary Pictures.

While the ’98 version is one we’d ultimately like the cast of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to come in and remove from our memories, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves attempted to give America its own new monster (not that King Kong could ever be replaced), and the result was of course, Cloverfield. That film had one of the best viral marketing campaigns we’ve ever seen, but consensus on the actual movie is pretty vague. Many loved it (including I), and many hated it. A valiant effort, but not fully supported by monster movie fans everywhere.

I still personally hope for Cloverfield 2 to happen (c’mon, if THAT thing was a baby, we need to have a backstory and meet Mama) eventually, but few things are more fun than a good monster movie, and I can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeves for a new Godzilla flick. Let this begin a new trend of at least one new monster movie a year!

Here’s the press release that Legendary Pictures sent out!

*LEGENDARY PICTURES TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE BASED ON TOHO COMPANY’S ICONIC MONSTER, GODZILLA*

Burbank, CA – March 29, 2010 – Legendary Pictures announced today that they will develop and produce a new film based on Toho Company’s famed GODZILLA character. Through the terms of the agreement, Legendary Pictures has acquired the rights to produce a movie inspired by Toho’s Godzilla, a franchise the Japanese company created and has nurtured for over fifty years.

Toho’s GODZILLA franchise boasts one of the most widely recognized film creatures worldwide, resulting in a series of books, television programs, video games and more than 25 films worldwide. Legendary intends to approach the film and its characters in the most authentic manner possible. The company will, in the near future, announce a filmmaker to helm the film for an intended 2012 release. The film will fall under the company’s co-production and co-financing deal with Warner Bros. Toho will distribute the film in Japan.

“Godzilla is one of the world’s most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise,” said Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO of Legendary. “Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has.”

“Godzilla is a signature Japanese character which we have nurtured over the years. It is a great honor to reach an agreement with Legendary Pictures, the parent to many a blockbuster film, and we are delighted in rebooting the character together to realize its much anticipated return by fans from all over the world,” comments Hideyuki Takai, President of Toho Co., Ltd. “We are anxious to find out where Godzilla’s new stomping will take us.”

“Godzilla is emblematic of the kind of branded, event films for which Warner Bros. and our partners at Legendary are best known. We have enjoyed a great deal of success together to date and this newest opportunity represents yet another chance for us to collaborate on a property that is very clearly in their wheelhouse,” said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

In addition to Legendary, producers on the new film will be Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Brian Rogers. Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will Executive Produce.

[Source: via Collider]