'Godzilla Minus Zero' smashes a major box office record
USA Today • • entertainment
Key Points:
- "Godzilla Minus Zero," the latest Japanese Godzilla film, topped the North American box office with a record-breaking $31.6 million debut, marking the biggest opening weekend for any Japanese live-action Godzilla movie in the U.S.
- The film set a new record for the largest opening weekend for any live-action foreign-language movie in North America, highlighting the franchise's strong popularity despite being in Japanese with subtitles.
- "Godzilla Minus Zero" is a direct sequel to 2023's "Godzilla Minus One," which won an Academy Award for best visual effects and received critical acclaim; "Minus Zero" also garnered positive reviews following its New York Film Festival premiere.
- The success of "Godzilla Minus Zero" suggests that both Japanese and American Godzilla films can thrive simultaneously, with the American series continuing alongside the Japanese reboot.
- Other notable box office results include "The Cat in the Hat" opening at $20.5 million, a modest start compared to past Dr. Seuss adaptations, and "Drummer Boy," a historical musical, grossing $9.3 million in third place.
