Godzilla Minus Zero Opens With $31.6 Million in North America

Godzilla Minus Zero earned $31.6 million in North America during its opening weekend, nearly three times the $57 million debut of its 2023 predecessor, Godzilla Minus One, according to GKIDS president Dave Jesteadt. The opening also set a record for the biggest North American debut by a live-action foreign-language film, the report said.

The film opened in more than 3,200 theaters, about 1,000 more than Godzilla Minus One. Jesteadt said premium large-format screenings, including IMAX, accounted for more than 70% of grosses. He described premium formats as an important part of the release, while encouraging audiences to see the film in standard theaters as well.

Jesteadt said Godzilla Minus Zero was the first Japanese production filmed for IMAX. He also said IMAX described the film’s U.S. opening-weekend gross on its screens as the highest-indexed opening gross. The report did not provide a dollar figure for the IMAX-only result.

GKIDS planned to keep the film in IMAX and other premium large-format theaters through the rest of the week after its opening, depending on the market. Jesteadt said those bookings are time-sensitive as new releases arrive, and acknowledged competition...