Godzilla Minus Zero is heading for a North American opening of about US$30 million, putting the Japanese monster sequel on course for distributor GKIDS’ biggest debut.
Preview screenings brought in US$6.7 million ahead of the opening weekend. The three-day forecast remains an early projection, not a completed weekend total, with Saturday’s business still to determine how far the film can climb.
The numbers already point to a substantial step up from Godzilla Minus One. That film opened to US$11.4 million in North America in 2023, and went on to earn US$113 million worldwide, before winning the Academy Award for visual effects. GKIDS’ previous opening benchmark was The Boy and the Heron, which launched with US$13 million.
Takashi Yamazaki returns as director, screenwriter and visual-effects supervisor. The sequel picks up two years after the earlier film’s devastation, as Japan begins rebuilding and another threat shatters its fragile recovery. It is the first Japanese-produced Godzilla film made for IMAX.
Japan opened the film on November 3, with the United Kingdom, Ireland and North America following within days.
For now, Godzilla is expected to lead the North American weekend ahead of The Cat in the Hat. The animated film earned US$1 million in previews and is forecast to open with US$20 million.
