Godzilla Minus Zero stomps to a record $31.6M North American opening
The sequel to Godzilla Minus One opened at No. 1 in North America with $31.6 million, the biggest debut ever for a foreign-language live-action film.
Remember the little Japanese monster movie that took on Hollywood and won an Oscar? Its sequel just came back with a much bigger roar.
Godzilla Minus Zero opened at No. 1 in North America this weekend with about $31.6 million. That is the biggest debut ever for a live-action, foreign-language film there. It also beat the new The Cat in the Hat.
The film's official X account says opening-day takings in Japan were the highest single-day box office revenue for a live-action film in Japanese history.
Why it matters
Director Takashi Yamazaki's film follows Godzilla Minus One, which surprised North American audiences in December 2023. It then won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects in March 2024. The new story is set in 1949, as Japan tries to rebuild after World War II.
It also beat the Indian epic Ramayana at the North American box office this weekend. Indian outlet NDTV reports that Godzilla Minus Zero was made on just 9% of that film's budget.
So much for audiences fearing subtitles.
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Godzilla Minus Zero box office debut · 6 updates
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