Could Shin-Gojira have survived and be recovering from the Oxygen Destroyer?

Personally, I don't think this movie will connect with the 1954 film at all. I think it's largely a complete reboot, starting from scratch, and this is the first time Godzilla has attacked Japan.

I don't have much to go on with that theory except that Toho's done the whole "sequel to the original" enough and it would be a fresh idea to start from the ground up for a change.

I like the idea of Godzilla being in a state of regeneration, and that this should take place over the course of the film (or, even a part of it). That would be visually arresting and a source for great narrative points and exposition, if the explanation is reasonbly plausible. With Hideaki Anno penning this, I do not anticipate instances of LWS (Lazy Writing Syndrome) that we were subjected to in some of the more recent films, where things were not sufficiently explained in a way that made sense ("Somehow, I managed to escape").

There is a marked difference between the recently leaked photos and the poster released weeks ago. So it would appear that Godzilla is regenerating (perhaps after either the Bomb or the Oxygen Destroyer), as Gman suggested in his article. If it's the latter, Shin Gojira could be taking place within the universe of the first film. If it's the former, perhaps it is a complete reboot, a total retelling of the Godzilla story anew. 

GMAN2887, You sort of missed my point. My point wasn't whether the new movie will be connected to the original 1954 (though, I may make a topic of it), it is whether or not Shin-Gojira's look is the result of recovering from the Oxygen Destroyer.

I know that with the leaked photos (a mistake, by the way) and the officially released poster the emphasis has been on how Godzilla will look. But I have just as much concern about the writing and the story itself. But it's a good concern. I'm anticipating a well-thought out, moving and compelling narrative, with a message, but, without being preachy. And I do not expect the characters to be standing around, making long speeches about what got us into this mess in the first place. Dialogue and direction that helps us bond with the characters will be welcome. Hideaki Anno said (quoted from August Ragone's excellent blog, "The Good, The Bad and Godzilla"), " but I’m under pressure to make a visual effects fantasy film representative of modern Japan, with the full awareness of our current situation, which will be subjected to intentions both good and bad."

With this I am anticipating a story that is relevant, topical, moving and thought-provoking.

That was my theory too. Shin Godzilla's design has a lot of similarities with Godzilla '54 too (from the poster anyways).

I imagine a lot of the terror will come from Godzilla appearing again after all these years, having regenerated slowly from his demise in Gojira. The japanese will be awestruck and shitting themselves.

Before I say what I'm about to say, I want everyone to know that this isn't an insult.

I'm curious on where everyone is getting that this is the 54' original Godzilla coming back to life? 

The 54' Godzilla was 50 meters, 164 feet tall. He was killed by the oxygen destroyer. Melted down to bones. This "Shin" Godzilla is 118.5 meters tall, or 389 feet. I'm curious how his bones are going to grow to that size when that Godzilla died? 

Is it recovering from the oxygen destroyer? No. I highly doubt it. Especially with the size difference. 

@ Huge Ben - Those were my thoughts too. 

If it is a sequel, it's not a very well thought out one. If it's an entirely new beginning, then that works for me. It's personally what I hope for. It looks like the original '54 Godzilla because that's the film they wanted to make. Bring back the original, but that doesn't necessarily mean a sequel.

^Here's a possiblity. If they connect it to the original, they can say that the 1954 Godzilla was immature and still growing. That could work. Or say that whatever is causing him to regenerate also mutated him and caused him to grow. Or, since it's a relaunch, they can say he was a different size. Godzilla 1984 had an 80 meter Godzilla and it was still connected to the 1954 movie. It's just a theory. Not all theories are right. Eventually, we'll know how the movie is going to work, and if my theory is right, it's right. If not, oh well, I tried.

Maybe it will be from a completely different oxygen destroyer. I could see the movie starting with a short remake of the first movie ( like a small sumary ) and then continues with him waking up for whatever reason. He'll alredy start off a lot bigger so it won't be weird for him to come back a lot bigger. Maybe a powerplant meltdown will be the cause of his wake either way. 

                                                              ~ Just a theory ~
                                                    

^I feel like the Fukushima disaster will tie into the film more directly. Images of it were hinted at in the 2014 film, but they never really explored it. I think this movie has an opportunity to do just that.

I agree, and I think that is why parts of him are different from the rest of his body.  These may be scars from the oxygen destroyer, and Godzilla is back with a vengeance.  It may have caused him to become larger (he's even larger than Legendary's Godzilla).