Godzilla Minus Zero Breaks Box Office Record: What to Know
Godzilla Minus Zero opened with about $31.6M, the biggest North American debut for a live-action foreign-language film. Numbers, IMAX share, streaming status.
"Godzilla Minus Zero" opened at No. 1 in North America with about $31.6 million over the November 6–8 weekend, according to studio estimates reported by the Associated Press. That is the biggest opening ever for a live-action foreign-language film in the US and Canada. Variety later reported final figures slightly lower, at $30.5 million, which still breaks the old record by a wide margin.
The Japanese monster movie, directed by Takashi Yamazaki and produced by Toho, is the sequel to 2023's "Godzilla Minus One," which won the Oscar for best visual effects. It played in IMAX theaters starting Tuesday, November 3, and opened wide in 3,254 North American theaters on Friday, November 6. GKIDS, Toho's US distribution label, released it here.
What record did Godzilla Minus Zero break?
The film now holds the record for the largest North American opening by a live-action movie not in English. The previous holder was "Hero," the Chinese martial-arts film that opened with about $17.8 million in its 2004 US release, according to Boxoffice Pro and the AP.
There are two caveats worth knowing. The AP notes that "The Passion of the Christ" opened with $83.8 million in 2004 despite dialogue that was largely in Aramaic, so some lists count it as the real record. And animated films are counted separately: the anime "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" opened with $70.6 million last year, the AP reported. So the cleanest way to say it is that "Godzilla Minus Zero" had the best start for a live-action foreign-language film, unless you count "Passion."
It also nearly tripled the $11.4 million opening of "Godzilla Minus One," which went on to earn $57.1 million in North America. The new film cost less than $20 million to make, according to the AP, so it is already well on its way to being a big hit for its studio.
Godzilla Minus Zero box office numbers at a glance
| Figure | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| North American opening (Sunday estimate) | $31.6 million | AP, Boxoffice Pro |
| North American opening (updated actual) | $30.5 million | Variety |
| Theaters | 3,254 | Boxoffice Pro, Variety |
| Thursday previews | $6.7 million | Boxoffice Pro |
| Overseas opening | $31.4 million | Variety, Boxoffice Pro |
| Worldwide opening | About $62–63 million | Variety, The Guardian |
| IMAX share in North America | $12.7 million (40%) | IMAX |
| IMAX worldwide | $21.3 million (34%) | IMAX |
| Production budget | Under $20 million | AP |
Box office figures are usually reported as studio estimates on Sunday and then updated with actual ticket sales on Monday, which is why you may see both $31.6 million and $30.5 million in headlines.
Why it did so well
Big screens drove the weekend. "Godzilla Minus Zero" is the first Japanese production ever filmed for IMAX, and more than half the movie is shown in IMAX's taller expanded picture. IMAX said its screens brought in $12.7 million in North America, about 40% of the total, which it called the biggest opening-weekend domestic share in IMAX history. Variety reported that premium large-format screens, including Dolby, made up a striking 74% of ticket sales.
Strong word of mouth. The film holds a 90% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and an "A" CinemaScore from opening-night audiences, according to Variety and Boxoffice Pro. Not every critic loved it: the AP's own review gave it two stars out of four, Quartz reported, praising a mid-movie aerial sequence but calling the final battle awkwardly staged.
A first-ever global release. Toho opened the film in Japan on November 3, known to fans as Godzilla Day, and in many other countries the same week. The Guardian reported it set a Japanese record for the first day of a live-action release there. Toho Global's president, Koji Ueda, said the opening shows how strongly audiences worldwide connect with Godzilla and with Yamazaki's vision.
What is Godzilla Minus Zero about?
The story picks up in 1949, two years after the first film. Japan is still rebuilding after World War II when a new, dragon-like monster called Ghidorah attacks the city of Matsumoto, firing lightning from its mouth. Former kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) and Noriko (Minami Hamabe) return, along with naval engineer Kenji Noda (Hidetaka Yoshioka), who leads the effort to stop it, according to the AP's plot summary as reported by Quartz. Godzilla returns too, and the plan becomes getting the two monsters to fight each other.
What to know before you go
- Language: it is in Japanese with English subtitles in US theaters.
- Rating: rated R for some violent content and bloody images.
- Running time: 135 minutes (2 hours, 15 minutes).
- Best format: if you can, an IMAX screen shows the full expanded picture the film was shot for.
- Busy days: weekends and holidays such as Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11) tend to be busier, so booking IMAX seats ahead helps.
Is Godzilla Minus Zero streaming?
Not yet. As of November 5, the film was only in theaters, and no digital or streaming date had been announced, Decider reported. For comparison, "Godzilla Minus One" arrived on digital rental and purchase in the US on June 1, 2024, about six months after it hit theaters, and it later streamed on Netflix. Decider also notes that GKIDS has a licensing deal with HBO Max, so where the sequel ends up streaming is still an open question. Treat any site claiming a free full stream today with suspicion.
How the rest of the weekend looked
Warner Bros.' animated "The Cat in the Hat," with Bill Hader voicing the Cat, finished second with $20.5 million, a soft start for a family film based on such a famous book. Angel Studios' musical "Drummer Boy" was third with $9.3 million. The Indian epic "Ramayana: Rise of a Legend" earned $8.7 million in the widest North American release ever for an Indian film. Overall, it was a strong weekend for movie theaters, well ahead of the same weekend last year.
Next up for the big lizard in the US: Warner Bros. and Legendary's English-language "Godzilla x Kong: Supernova" is due in March, the AP reported. For more business stories explained simply, see our Business section, including our explainer on why Nvidia's board is investigating its CEO. Theme park fans can also read about California's Great America closing in 2027.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Godzilla Minus Zero make opening weekend?
About $31.6 million in North America by Sunday's studio estimate, later updated to $30.5 million, according to Variety. Worldwide it opened with roughly $62 million to $63 million.
What box office record did Godzilla Minus Zero break?
It had the biggest North American opening ever for a live-action foreign-language film, beating the roughly $17.8 million opening of "Hero" in 2004. "The Passion of the Christ," largely in Aramaic, opened higher in 2004 and is often listed separately.
Is Godzilla Minus Zero dubbed or subtitled?
In US theaters it plays in Japanese with English subtitles. It is rated R and runs 135 minutes.
When will Godzilla Minus Zero be on streaming?
No date has been announced. The previous film reached US digital rental about six months after its theatrical release, but there is no confirmed schedule for the sequel yet.
Sources
- The Associated Press (via CP24): 'Godzilla Minus Zero' stomps to a record-setting debut
- Variety: 'Godzilla Minus Zero' roars, 'Cat in the Hat' fizzles
- Boxoffice Pro: Godzilla Minus Zero explodes to number one
- IMAX press release: biggest global IMAX opening for a Japanese film
- The Guardian: Godzilla Minus Zero takes US box office by storm
- Quartz: release dates, rating, running time and reviews
- Decider: Is Godzilla Minus Zero streaming?
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