IGN reports that Godzilla Minus Zero took about $63 million worldwide in its opening weekend. Takashi Yamazaki’s sequel to Godzilla Minus One beat its pre-release forecasts and topped a crowded North American chart. The film is now in UAE cinemas too.
A record start for GKids and for Japanese IMAX
According to Boxoffice Pro, North America supplied $31.6 million of the total from 3,254 theatres. The Hollywood Reporter says that’s the biggest opening in the history of distributor GKids, topping the $13 million of The Boy and the Heron. TheWrap adds that it’s almost triple the $11.4 million debut of Godzilla Minus One in December 2023. It also ranks as the second-highest opening for a live-action non-English film in the US, behind The Passion of the Christ.
Premium screens did much of the work. IGN reports that IMAX contributed $21.3 million worldwide, a record opening for a Japanese IMAX release. The Associated Press puts that at 34% of the film’s global take. The film was the first Japanese production shot for IMAX, a point Variety flagged in its pre-weekend forecast. Variety had predicted about $30 million domestically.
The release strategy helped. Boxoffice Pro says the film opened in more than 100 territories, the first global simultaneous release for a Japanese Godzilla film. The AP reports it made about $17 million in Japan over the weekend. Its budget is reported at under $20 million, so the opening has already covered much of that cost.
Why audiences showed up early
The sequel sets Godzilla against King Ghidorah, and IGN reckons the rematch drove early ticket sales. Toho kept the monster’s design under wraps before release, although IGN notes that images and poor-quality theatre recordings have since circulated online. The film follows Minus One by two years in story terms and picks up a Japan still rebuilding from the war.
Reviews are good but not as strong as for the first film. IGN gave the sequel 7/10, saying it raises the carnage but lacks the same emotional resonance. It also reports a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90% from critics and 96% from audiences, compared with 99% and 98% for Minus One. IGN says Yamazaki recently described himself as “fifty-fifty” on directing another sequel.
The rest of the weekend
Rotten Tomatoes puts the domestic opening of the new animated The Cat in the Hat at $20.5 million, which left it behind Godzilla on the chart. Hollywood has seen bigger swings this year, from the $360 million Spider-Man: Brand New Day opening to the soft $54 million debut of Masters of the Universe. Godzilla’s $63 million sits well below both, but it came from a subtitled Japanese-language film with a small budget.
In UAE cinemas
VOX Cinemas lists Godzilla Minus Zero in Japanese from 5 November, rated PG15, with showtimes across the emirates. We haven’t seen UAE box-office figures for the film yet. Our weekly UAE box office round-up will cover local numbers when they’re available.
Is Godzilla Minus Zero showing in UAE cinemas?
Yes. VOX Cinemas lists the Japanese-language film from 5 November, rated PG15, with showtimes in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Fujairah. Check the cinema’s site for formats, as the listing varies by venue.
Do I need to watch Godzilla Minus One first?
We recommend it. The sequel is set two years after the first film and continues its post-war story, so Minus One gives the context for the characters and the tone.
Will there be another Godzilla Minus film?
Not confirmed. IGN reports that Yamazaki is “fifty-fifty” on returning for another sequel, despite the film’s tagline of “no third time”. IGN also reports that the Monsterverse continues separately with Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, due in March 2027.
