LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9 (TodayViralUSA) — “Godzilla Minus Zero” stormed to the top of the North American box office with an estimated $31.6 million, the biggest opening ever for a live-action foreign-language film, leaving Warner Bros.’ animated “The Cat in the Hat” well behind in second place.
The Toho production, distributed in North America by GKids, took about $63 million worldwide in its first weekend, including roughly $17 million in Japan, according to studio figures reported by The Associated Press and Screen Daily.
A record for live-action imports
The debut eclipses the previous live-action foreign-language mark of about $17.9 million set by 2004’s “Hero.” Only animated or Aramaic-language exceptions — last year’s anime “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” at $70.6 million and 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ” — have opened bigger among non-English releases.
Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the sequel to 2023’s Oscar-winning “Godzilla Minus One” is set in postwar Japan two years after the first film. It cost less than $20 million to make, the AP reported, and is already on pace to pass its predecessor’s $57.1 million North American total.
Premium screens drove much of the result. Variety reported that Imax contributed $12.7 million, about 40% of domestic grosses, and that premium large formats overall accounted for 74% of ticket sales. The film holds a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” CinemaScore.
“This historic opening shows how deeply audiences around the world connect with Godzilla and with Takashi Yamazaki’s vision,” Toho Global president Koji Ueda said in a statement.
‘Cat in the Hat’ stumbles
“The Cat in the Hat,” with Bill Hader voicing the title character, opened to $20.5 million domestically and $10 million overseas. Industry estimates put its budget between $86 million and $92 million, and critics were cool, though audiences gave it an “A” CinemaScore that could help it hold through Thanksgiving.
Angel Studios’ Revolutionary War musical “Drummer Boy” placed third with $9.3 million. Sony’s “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend,” the widest North American release ever for an Indian film, opened with about $8.7 million.
Overall, the weekend reached $114 million across all films, up 86% from the same frame a year ago, according to Variety.
Sources & Credits
- Associated Press: ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ stomps to a record-setting debut, clobbering ‘The Cat in the Hat’
- Variety: Box Office: ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Starts Strong, ‘Cat in the Hat’ Fizzles
- Screen Daily: ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ roars with $63m at global box office
Image: Godzilla statue at Godzilla Square, Hibiya, Tokyo (2018) by Wpcpey, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Join the conversation