As the Superhero boom starts to meet its eventual end (after all, how many A-list heroes remain to have films made?), Hollywood needs to stay ahead of the trends, and figure out where the next source for quality event films is.

Of course, one would go “young, hungry screenwriters?!”, but you’d be wrong. The next source to be tapped dry? Japan!

Much how the comics world saw their fandom shift to anime and then manga (and then back to comics?), film is now looking toward Japan with some stunning looking projects, two of whom were announced over the weekend.

The one which is farthest ahead is an adaptation of the 70’s giant robot series Gaiking.  The filmmakers who are behind it intend to use a mixture of CGI and practical effects to make the film happen, and they unleashed a teaser to the web, which appears below - it’s VERY cool, VERY exciting stuff.

If that wasn’t enough, we’re now going to see yet ANOTHER American attempt at adapting Godzilla, this time coming from Warner Brothers.  The full press release is as follows:

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.

Personally, I don’t care the source, so long as the films are good, but again I ask aloud - where are the ORIGINAL ideas?

Let us hope these movies aren’t just a cash-in, and the money from these films go toward some original projects.