Godzilla Minus Zero Sets Live-Action Foreign Film Opening Record With $31.61 Million

Premium large format screenings delivered a record 74% of Godzilla Minus Zero’s estimated US$31.61 million North American debut. IMAX accounted for 40%, or US$12 million.

The sequel from Godzilla Minus One filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki became GKIDS’ biggest U.S. opener. It surpassed The Boy and the Heron’s US$13 million debut in 2023.

It also recorded the highest U.S. opening weekend for a live-action foreign film. Worldwide revenue reached US$63 million after its opening weekend. Deadline reported that it led the global box office that weekend.

The first Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle anime film still holds the overall foreign-film opening record. It earned US$70.6 million in September 2025, unadjusted for inflation.

The English dub of Pokémon: The First Movie earned US$50.8 million over its first five days in July 1998.

Godzilla Minus Zero is the first Japanese film to meet the standard for advertising itself as “filmed for IMAX.”

In Japan, its opening day drew 590,000 admissions and earned 910 million yen, about US$5.75 million. That set a Japanese opening-day revenue record for live-action films, including domestic and foreign releases.

Its Japanese opening-day earnings were 201% higher than those of Godzilla Minus One.

The sequel opened in Japan on Tuesday, November 3. The date marks Godzilla Day, celebrating the original Godzilla film’s November 3, 1954 release.

Godzilla Minus One also opened in Japan on November 3, 2023. This year’s Godzilla Day fell on a Tuesday and coincided with Japan’s Culture Day holiday.

GKIDS and TOHO released the sequel in North America on Friday, November 6. This marked the first Japan-produced Godzilla film to open in Japan and North America during the same week.

The film also opened that week in:

• Latin America
• Europe
• Asia
• The Middle East
• Australia
• New Zealand

The companies said they would announce further international release dates later. TOHO acquired GKIDS in October 2024.

The sequel takes place in 1949, two years after the events of Godzilla Minus One.

Min Tanaka, whose credits include 47 Ronin and the live-action Rurouni Kenshin films, joins the cast as biologist Kanji Murakami. Returning cast members include:

• Ryūnosuke Kamiki as Koichi Shikishima
• Minami Hamabe as Noriko Ōishi
• Hidetaka Yoshioka as Noda
• Yūki Yamada as Shiro Mizushima
• Kuranosuke Sasaki as Seiji Akitsu
• Sakura Andō as Sumiko Ota
• Miō Tanaka as Tatsuo Hotta

Godzilla Minus One has earned more than US$116 million worldwide. Box Office Mojo lists its estimated U.S. earnings at US$57,144,669.

As of 2024, it ranked as the third-highest-grossing foreign-language film in the United States.

Netflix streams Godzilla Minus One and its black-and-white version, Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color, worldwide. Both versions are also available for digital rental and purchase in North America through:

• Amazon
• Apple iTunes
• Google Play
• Microsoft
• FandangoNOW/VUDU
• inDemand
• XBOX
• Vubiquity

In Japan, Amazon Prime Video exclusively streams both the color and monochrome versions.

Godzilla Minus One won Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards in March 2024. It became the first Japanese film to win that category and the first Godzilla film nominated for an Oscar.

Yamazaki returned for Godzilla Minus Zero as director, screenwriter and VFX supervisor. Naoki Satō returned to compose the music, and Shirogumi Inc. handled visual effects.

Sony Pictures recently moved Grandgear, Yamazaki’s first English-language film, to January 14, 2028. It was previously scheduled for February 18, 2028.