Godzilla Minus Zero is heading for a record-breaking North American debut, with the Japanese-language sequel projected to earn approximately $32 million during its opening weekend. Director Takashi Yamazaki‘s follow-up to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One took an estimated $14.5 million on Friday, 6 November, easily outpacing Warner Bros.’ animated The Cat in the Hat.
The latest industry forecasts range from approximately $30 million to $32 million across 3,254 North American cinemas, with distributor GKIDS expecting about $32 million. If that figure holds, the Toho production would set a new opening-weekend record for a live-action foreign-language film in North America, surpassing the $17.8 million debut of Hero in 2002. These remain projections as of Sunday morning, 8 November, rather than confirmed final weekend grosses.
‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Leads The US Box Office
According to The Numbers, the sequel’s $14.5 million Friday figure includes $6.7 million from Thursday previews and earlier IMAX advance screenings. Of that combined preview amount, approximately $3 million came from Thursday evening and a further $3.7 million from special early screenings. The preview receipts are included in the Friday total and should not be added again when calculating the weekend gross.
The Cat in the Hat took approximately $6 million on Friday from 4,003 cinemas, despite playing in more locations, while Drummer Boy followed with roughly $3.5 million. TheWrap initially projected $31 million for the weekend, while The Numbers cited GKIDS’ $32 million expectation. Other early estimates have come in closer to $30 million. The film’s first-place position on Friday is established; its final three-day total is not.
‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Eyes A Historic Box Office Record
The projected opening would exceed the $17.8 million that Zhang Yimou’s Hero earned in its North American wide-release debut in 2002, setting a new benchmark for a live-action film presented in a language other than English. The record remains conditional on the weekend projections holding; Forbes has also highlighted the potential milestone. The film is additionally on course for the largest domestic opening in GKIDS’ history.
The response from ticket buyers suggests the strong initial turnout is not entirely driven by advance demand. According to TheWrap, audiences awarded the sequel an A CinemaScore, matching the grade received by Godzilla Minus One. Nevertheless, a major opening does not automatically guarantee the same long-term box-office performance as its predecessor, which benefited from positive word of mouth over several weeks.
How Does ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Compare With ‘Godzilla Minus One’?
Godzilla Minus One opened to approximately $11.4 million in North America in December 2023 and ultimately grossed around $57.4 million domestically. A $32 million opening for Minus Zero would represent roughly 2.8 times its predecessor’s debut. Even the current $14.5 million Friday tally, which includes advance screenings, is already higher than Minus One‘s entire initial three-day opening.
The comparison is especially notable given the different release circumstances. Godzilla Minus One became an international word-of-mouth success and later won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Its follow-up arrived with a significantly larger North American release, a near-simultaneous Japanese launch and premium-format screenings designed to make the film an event from its opening week.
A Historic Start In Japan And A Major IMAX Release
The film began its Japanese theatrical run on Tuesday, 3 November, ahead of its North American release on Friday, 6 November. Its opening was also supported by special IMAX screenings held around Godzilla Day. Premium formats have been central to the North American launch, helping make the film an event release despite its Japanese-language presentation.
Yamazaki again serves as director, screenwriter and visual-effects lead. Set in 1949, two years after the events of Godzilla Minus One, the sequel reunites Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe as the Shikishima family confronts another threat. The production was shot using IMAX-certified digital cameras, with GKIDS promoting it as the first Japanese film made under the Filmed for IMAX programme. It also opened in UK cinemas on 6 November, following a screening at the BFI London Film Festival.
For more of Popped’s Godzilla coverage, read our review of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
Watch The ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Trailer
Updated Sunday, 8 November 2026: The $30–32 million opening-weekend range is based on early industry and distributor projections. Final North American grosses have not yet been reported and may differ.
