Godzilla Minus Zero claimed the top spot at the U.S, according to Theguardian. box office over the weekend, generating $63 million worldwide on its debut.
The release set a domestic record for opening weekend receipts for a live-action foreign-language film, shown in Japanese with English subtitles. The 39th installment in the franchise generated $31.6 million in the U.S. and Canada.
Distributed in North America by GKIDS, the monster sequel brought in an additional $31.4 million from international territories.
The monster sequel faced competition from Prime Focus Studio and Sony’s Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, which collected a global cume of $55.7 million.
Ramayana brought in $32 million in India and $12.2 million in the U.S. and Canadian markets.
Godzilla Minus Zero brought in $21.3 million from Imax screens alone, capturing 34% of its worldwide total and setting a record for the highest global Imax opening for a Japanese title. Large-format screens drove audience interest globally, with Imax collecting $29 million combined from both major titles.
With ‘Godzilla Minus Zero,’ Takashi Yamazaki and our friends at Toho have delivered a tremendous feat of filmmaking with arresting visuals that somehow top its predecessor; we are proud to call this the first Filmed For Imax release from Japan and delighted fans are overwhelmingly choosing to experience it in on our screens,
Rich Gelfond, CEO of Imax
Internationally, Imax added $8.6 million across 64 overseas markets, led by a $4 million haul in Japan. In North America, Imax generated $12.7 million across 429 venues, accounting for 40% of the film’s domestic haul.
Koji Ueda, president of Toho Global, commented on the studio’s distribution strategy following the opening.
This historic opening shows how deeply audiences around the world connect with Godzilla and with Takashi Yamazaki’s vision,
Koji Ueda, president of Toho Global
Industry analyst David A. Gross noted that the opening takes the production to a new level, performing at nearly three times the opening of Godzilla Minus One in December 2023.
Earlier coverage: Godzilla Minus One Tops JustWatch Charts Ahead of New Sequel
