In short: Takashi Yamazaki’s “Godzilla Minus Zero” opened in US cinemas on November 6, 2026 and went straight to No. 1. It earned about $14.5 million on its first Friday, and Deadline projects around $32 million for the weekend — a record for a live-action foreign-language film. In Japan, its November 3 opening day brought in ¥910 million, which Toho calls a record for a live-action film in the country.

How much has “Godzilla Minus Zero” made?

  • US, Friday November 6: about $14.5 million from 3,254 theatres, ranked first.

  • US, weekend of November 6–8: about $32 million projected (Deadline’s Saturday-morning estimate).

  • Japan, November 3: ¥910 million (about $5.75 million) from more than 590,000 admissions.

  • Japan, first three days: about ¥1.38 billion ($8.6 million).

For comparison, “Godzilla Minus One” opened to $11.4 million in the US in December 2023, and in Japan the new film earned more than twice its predecessor’s opening day. Final weekend figures will be reported on Monday.

Why did it open so strongly?

First, the predecessor’s reputation: “Minus One” became a global hit and won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Second, the format: “Minus Zero” is the first Japanese production shot for IMAX, and according to Deadline about 74% of its weekend gross came from IMAX and premium large-format screens — an unprecedented share. Third, word of mouth: Japanese audiences rated it 4.1 stars, the highest score ever for a Godzilla film.

What is the film about?

Set in 1949, it follows the Shikishima family, who survived the monster in the first film, as they face a new catastrophe. Min Tanaka, Masami Nagasawa and Jun Kunimura join the cast. Yamazaki again led the visual effects himself; his team of 35 artists spent about eight months on 610 shots. The running time is 2 hours 15 minutes.

What else is leading the box office?

Warner Bros.’ animated “The Cat in the Hat” opened to $6 million on Friday, below expectations. The next big release is “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” on November 20; Deadline sees an opening floor of at least $80 million.

FAQ

When was “Godzilla Minus Zero” released?

November 3, 2026 in Japan and November 6 in the US. Check local cinema listings for other countries.

Do I need to see the first film?

It helps: “Minus Zero” continues the story of the “Godzilla Minus One” characters.

Is it worth seeing in IMAX?

Yes. It was shot for IMAX, and those screenings account for most of its gross.

Sources: Deadline, Box Office Mojo, Toy People (дані Toho), Occupy Cinema, Fiction Horizon.