Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Barrels Toward Historic $32M Box Office Launch With ‘Cat in the Hat’ at No. 2
Godzilla Minus Zero is heading for an estimated $32 million opening weekend in North America, leading a busy frame of new releases. The sequel’s projected debut would be the biggest for a live-action foreign-language film since Hero opened to $17.8 million in 2004, and it is well ahead of expectations.
The film earned $14.5 million on Friday, including previews, across 3,254 cinemas and received an A CinemaScore. Takashi Yamazaki’s sequel to Godzilla Minus One has a reported budget in the mid-teens and follows postwar Japan facing attacks from Ghidorah and the possible return of Godzilla. The Cat in the Hat is in second place, heading for about $18 million against a $92 million budget; Ramayana: Rise of a Legend and Drummer Boy are also expected to open among the top five.
In short
- Godzilla Minus Zero is projected to open at $32 million.
- It could set a live-action foreign-language opening record since 2004.
- The Cat in the Hat is expected to earn about $18 million.
Explained simply
Godzilla is a giant monster from Japanese films first released in 1954. The character has appeared in many films, including a recent series from Japan; Godzilla Minus Zero follows Godzilla Minus One, which is set in Japan after the Second World War.
The latest film is directed by Takashi Yamazaki and also features the monster Ghidorah. Godzilla films have been made in Japan and in Hollywood, and their releases can draw attention to how films in languages other than English find audiences in North America.