Godzilla is a 1998 American science fiction film. It is a modern-day Hollywood remake of the Japanese film of the same name. It was co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich, director of Independence Day. The film did not meet its anticipated success with critics, but it fared better worldwide, to spawn an animated sequel called Godzilla: The Series. The film was released on May 20, 1998, by TriStar Pictures.