Godzilla Minus Zero is projected to open to roughly $60 million globally, with a $25 million–$30 million North American start and another $30 million-plus from 23 overseas markets. The first hard data point landed on opening day in Japan, where the Toho sequel grossed $5.7 million (¥910 million) and drew more than 590,000 attendees.
Japan delivers the first signal
The Japan opening day is the clearest demand check. Gkids and Toho say it came in 201% above the first day of Godzilla Minus One, and forecasts now place the Japanese run above ¥10 billion, or $63.2 million. Toho is calling it a live-action opening-day record in Japan, though it remains below the first day of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle at ¥1.64 billion. On Imax screens, Deadline hears, the opening day did beat that anime benchmark.
- Japan day one: $5.7 million, 201% above the predecessor’s first day.
- North America forecast: $25 million–$30 million across 3,250 theaters.
- Global opening projection: about $60 million from domestic and 23 overseas markets.
Why the number matters for Gkids
Even a mid-$20 million domestic debut would be the distributor’s biggest opening, well above the $13 million start for Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. That is notable because this campaign was built on a reported marketing spend under $10 million, largely on social. It also opened with premium-format fan shows tied to Godzilla Day, the 72nd anniversary of the 1954 original, then rolled those into Thursday previews across every Imax and PLF screen.
For context, Godzilla Minus One opened to $11.4 million in North America, legged out to $57.1 million domestic and $113.9 million global, and won the visual effects Oscar. The new film enters with an 89% certified fresh score and an R rating.
Ramayana brings a different scale
At the same time, Ramayana: Rise of a Legend opens in 1,300 North American locations, the widest theatrical release ever for an Indian film. Sony expects about $6 million over four days in the U.S. and Canada, in line with Kalki 2898 AD ($5.6 million) and Pushpa: The Rule – Part 2 ($5 million). Industry projections for the two-part epic, reported to cost $420 million–$500 million, run from $30 million to more than $75 million, though the confirmed Sony footprint is much smaller.
The film arrives with 40% on Rotten Tomatoes from ten reviews, so it is working against weaker critical support than the Godzilla sequel. Still, a Diwali-timed release and Imax and 3D shows could make it an event for diaspora audiences.
Also in the frame
Warner Bros Pictures Animation’s The Cat in the Hat is tracking around $20 million domestically in 4,000 locations, with a staggered family-style offshore rollout. Angel Studios’ Drummer Boy is looking at mid-single digits with about $3 million in presales, and Searchlight’s Wild Horse Nine is forecast at $4 million–$6 million with a strong 94% critics score.
What to watch
The frame is a live test of two strategies: a lean, fan-first campaign on premium screens versus a large-scale, culturally specific event release. For media planners and film marketers, the key data points are whether premium formats turn early fan energy into weekend multiples, and whether Ramayana’s theater count can overcome soft reviews.
Source: Deadline
