Godzilla vs. Charles Barkley
| Godzilla vs. Charles Barkley | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Michael Owens |
| Starring | Charles Barkley |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Clint Goldman |
| Cinematography | Kim Marks |
| Editor | Bob Sarles |
| Running time | 30 seconds |
| Production company | Industrial Light & Magic |
| Original release | |
| Release | September 9, 1992 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
Godzilla vs. Charles Barkley is a 1992 Nike television commercial directed by Michael Owens. Produced by Industrial Light & Magic, the commercial featured a giant-sized version of NBA star Charles Barkley challenging Godzilla to a game of basketball in the streets of downtown Tokyo.
Wieden+Kennedy employees Warren Eakins and Steve Sandoz converted the idea of Barkley contending Godzilla after Nike revealed that Barkley's face would be featured on a pair of new Nike basketball sneakers. Industrial Light & Magic began production on the commercial after Nike, Wieden + Kennedy, Barkley, and Toho approved the proposal. The crew reconstructed the miniature set used for Ghostbusters II (1989) to resemble Tokyo for Barkley and Godzilla's confrontation. Principal photography ran eight days in June 1992, with editing taking four weeks.
Godzilla vs. Charles Barkley debuted in the United States on September 9, 1992, during the MTV Video Music Awards broadcast on MTV. The commercial was later adapted into a comic book.