The only thing harder than destroying Godzilla? Correctly pronouncing its name.


Though 2021 may have seen Godzilla take on King Kong in the mid-dest movie event of the year, the 2024 Oscars heralded yet another epic battle involving the iconic monster: Arnold Schwarzenegger vs. the silver screen icon’s name.



The ex-Governator hit the stage at Sunday’s Academy Awards alongside Twins costar Danny DeVito to present the team behind Godzilla Minus One with the award for Best Visual Effects, a pronouncement that came with its own set of challenges.


“And the Oscar goes to Godzilla!” Schwarzenegger read while opening the card, pronouncing the flick’s name as “gah-zilla.”



While the actor was ultimately able to herald the winning team to the stage, the visual effects team hitting the podium with toys in tow, his pronunciation was just strange enough to garner a whole lot of jokes on Twitter.



“Hearing Arnie say ‘Godzilla’ is gold,” wrote @jaros428, while @TheTumboy argued the rogue pronunciation made the entire milquetoast ceremony worth tuning in.



“Watching the Oscars is worth it just to have heard Arnold Schwarzenegger say ‘Godzilla,’” they joked.


Somewhere in the Oscars ether, John Travolta and the ethereal being of Adele Dazeem are weeping tears of pride.