Godzilla Minus Zero Roars to Record $30 Million US Opening Weekend Debut

Godzilla Minus Zero has stomped its way into the record books. Takashi Yamazaki's sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One opened in North American theatres on Friday, November 6, 2026, and is tracking for a $30 million to $33 million opening weekend, a record debut for a live-action foreign-language film at the United States box office.

The film earned $13.5 million on Friday, including $6.7 million from Thursday previews, in 3,254 theatres. If the estimate holds, it will be distributor GKIDS' biggest opening ever, more than doubling its previous record of $13 million for The Boy and the Heron in 2023.

Key Points

• Godzilla Minus Zero is tracking for a $30 million to $33 million opening weekend in North America after a $13.5 million Friday, including $6.7 million in previews, in 3,254 theatres.
• That would be a record opening for a live-action foreign-language film at the US box office and GKIDS' biggest debut ever, beating the $13 million opening of The Boy and the Heron in 2023.
• Opening-night audiences gave the film an A CinemaScore, tying the franchise's best-ever audience grade and a rare mark for a non-English-language film.
• In Japan, the film opened on Godzilla Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with 910 million yen (about $5.7 million) and more than 590,000 admissions on day one, the biggest opening day ever for a live-action film in Japan.
• The global opening is tracking at around $60 million, and the 135-minute film is the first Japanese production ever filmed for IMAX.

What Happened

The North American opening began with a strong Thursday night. Preview screenings brought in $6.7 million, and Friday's total of $13.5 million put the film on course for a weekend in the low $30 million range. Trade estimates put the likely final figure at $30 million to $33 million, which would clear the previous benchmark for a live-action foreign-language opening by a wide margin.

The result is a major step up from Godzilla Minus One, which opened to $11.4 million in the United States in December 2023 and finished with $57.1 million domestically. Minus Zero is on pace to pass that entire domestic total in a single weekend.

Background: From Oscar Winner to Record Sequel

Godzilla Minus Zero is the direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One, one of the great box-office surprises of 2023. Made for a modest budget by Japanese studio Toho, the film earned $113.9 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, the first Oscar ever won by a Godzilla film and the first time a Japanese production had won the visual-effects prize.

Director Takashi Yamazaki returns for the sequel, which runs 135 minutes and was shot for IMAX, the first time a Japanese production has been filmed for the format. The film continues the story of post-war Japan facing the return of the giant monster, keeping the human drama at the centre that critics praised in the first film. Its Japanese opening was timed for Godzilla Day, November 3, the anniversary of the original 1954 film, and the North American release followed three days later.

Godzilla Minus Zero: Japan's Biggest Live-Action Debut Ever

In Japan, the opening was even more striking. The film took in 910 million yen, about $5.7 million, on its first day, with more than 590,000 admissions. That is the biggest opening day ever for a live-action film in Japan, foreign or domestic, and 201 percent of the first day of Godzilla Minus One.

The three-day total reached about 1.37 billion yen, roughly $8.7 million, and forecasts now put the final Japanese total above 10 billion yen, about $63.2 million. A finish at that level would make it one of the biggest Japanese films of the year. With North America tracking at $30 million to $33 million, the worldwide opening is tracking at around $60 million, putting the sequel well ahead of its predecessor at the same stage.

Reactions: Audiences Give It an A

The strongest signal beyond the grosses is the audience response. Opening-night crowds gave Godzilla Minus Zero an A CinemaScore, tying the best audience grade the franchise has ever received and a rare achievement for a non-English-language film, which usually scores lower with American audiences polled on opening night.

The grade matters because it points to strong word of mouth. Films that earn an A from opening-night audiences tend to hold up better in their second weekend, and a strong hold would push the film well past the $57.1 million domestic total of Minus One.

Why It Matters

The record matters because it breaks a long-standing assumption about what American audiences will watch. Foreign-language films have had notable successes in the United States, but the live-action opening record stood as a reminder that subtitles were seen as a ceiling. Minus Zero has now broken through that ceiling by a wide margin.

It also matters for the business of independent film. GKIDS built its name on animated films and festival titles, and this opening shows that a well-chosen international release can now compete with studio films on an opening weekend. For Toho, it confirms the Minus One formula travels far beyond Japan. Hollywood studios are also reshaping their leadership, with Pixar naming a new president this week.

What Happens Next

The final weekend figure will be confirmed on Monday, when studios report Sunday estimates. The key number to watch is the second-weekend hold: an A CinemaScore suggests the film could drop less than the typical 50 percent or more for a big opening, which would put it on course for a domestic total well above $80 million.

In Japan, the film's run will be measured against the 10 billion yen forecast, a mark that would confirm it as one of the year's biggest domestic hits. International markets will roll out in the coming weeks, and the global total will show whether the $60 million opening was the start of a run that could approach or pass $200 million worldwide. In other entertainment news, Dolly Parton's estate dropped its lawsuit against her nephew this week.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Godzilla Minus Zero make in its opening weekend?
The film is tracking for a $30 million to $33 million opening weekend in North America after a $13.5 million Friday, including $6.7 million in previews.

Is Godzilla Minus Zero a record opening?
Yes. It is a record opening for a live-action foreign-language film at the US box office, and the biggest debut ever for distributor GKIDS.

How did the film do in Japan?
It opened on Godzilla Day, November 3, 2026, with 910 million yen (about $5.7 million) on day one, the biggest opening day ever for a live-action film in Japan, and a three-day total of about 1.37 billion yen.

What did audiences think of the film?
Opening-night audiences gave it an A CinemaScore, tying the franchise's best-ever audience grade and a rare mark for a non-English-language film.

How does it compare with Godzilla Minus One?
Minus One opened to $11.4 million in the US in December 2023 and finished with $57.1 million domestically and $113.9 million worldwide, winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.