Godzilla Minus Zero has made an impressive start at the North American box office, earning $6.7 million from preview screenings ahead of its November 6, 2026, theatrical release. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One is targeting an opening in the low-to-mid $20 million range, according to distributor GKIDS.
The film is playing in 3,254 theatres across North America, including IMAX locations. Its preview earnings include special advance screenings held on November 3 to celebrate Godzilla Day, giving fans an early opportunity to watch the latest Japanese monster movie.
The strong opening interest puts Godzilla Minus Zero in contention for the domestic box office’s top position this weekend. It is also facing several competing releases, including Warner Bros.’ animated The Cat in the Hat, Searchlight Pictures’ Wild Horse Nine, and Sony’s distribution of Ramayana: Rise of a Legend.
The sequel’s early performance is particularly notable following the international success of its predecessor, which established a new commercial benchmark for Toho’s Japanese Godzilla productions in North America.
Godzilla Minus Zero’s Preview Collection Outperforms Its Predecessor
The $6.7 million preview collection represents a substantial improvement over Godzilla Minus One, which earned approximately $2.1 million from its Wednesday and Thursday previews before opening to $11.4 million domestically in 2023.
The distributor expects the sequel to open in the low-to-mid $20 millions.
The film could also become only the fourth non-English-language release to debut at No. 1 at the North American box office. Previous examples include The Passion of the Christ, Hero, and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle.
Critical reception has also been encouraging. Godzilla Minus Zero holds a 90% critics’ approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Hollywood Reporter’s chief film critic David Rooney describing it as a “thrilling jolt of marauding monster action.”
For comparison, Godzilla Minus One earned $57.1 million domestically and another $56.9 million internationally. Its worldwide success culminated in Japan’s first Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
The Cat in the Hat and Wild Horse Nine Face Godzilla’s Box Office Challenge
Warner Bros.’ The Cat in the Hat is another major newcomer competing for audience attention. The animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ 1957 children’s book earned $1 million in Thursday previews ahead of its release in more than 4,000 North American locations.
The studio is projecting an opening of approximately $20 million for the film, which features Bill Hader voicing the iconic feline. Directed by Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni, the adaptation follows the mischievous character as he gets another opportunity to prove himself by helping two siblings.
Meanwhile, Searchlight Pictures’ Wild Horse Nine collected $900,000 from Thursday previews across 1,100 theatres. Directed by Martin McDonagh, the film stars John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, and Steve Buscemi as it follows two CIA operatives travelling from Santiago, Chile, to Easter Island in 1973.
The film has received a strong 95% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it another notable release during the weekend.
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend Records $3.5 Million in North America
Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana: Rise of a Legend has also entered the North American box office competition with an encouraging opening.
Distributed by Sony Pictures, the Indian religious epic collected $3.5 million on Thursday, including Wednesday previews, after launching across 1,433 North American locations.
The release represents the widest North American theatrical launch for an Indian film. The studio is projecting approximately $6 million over the four-day weekend.
Featuring the story of Prince Rama, the two-film project reportedly carries a combined production budget exceeding $420 million. The film currently holds a 75% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
With several major releases competing for audiences, Godzilla Minus Zero has established an early advantage through its preview collection. Its final opening weekend figures will determine whether the Japanese monster sequel can secure the domestic box office crown.
