Godzilla Minus Zero has made a powerful start at the North American box office, earning approximately $6 million from preview screenings ahead of its wide theatrical release on November 6. The impressive figure sets a new preview record for distributor GKIDS and puts the Japanese monster movie on course for a potentially massive opening weekend.
Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the sequel to the 2023 Oscar-winning film Godzilla Minus One generated its preview earnings through special fan screenings for Godzilla Day and additional showings ahead of its Friday release. More than $4 million of the reported total came from the latest round of preview screenings.
Godzilla Minus Zero Breaks GKIDS Preview Record
The film has surpassed GKIDS’ previous preview record, held by Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. The animated film earned $2.39 million from Thursday and early-access screenings in 2023.
Meanwhile, Godzilla Minus One collected approximately $2.1 million from its Wednesday and Thursday previews before opening with $11.4 million in North America.
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With its early performance surpassing that of its predecessor, Godzilla Minus Zero is now tracking towards a domestic opening weekend of more than $30 million. Industry projections could rise further if the film maintains its momentum throughout the weekend.
Strong Competition at the Box Office
The sequel is also outperforming early comparisons with Predator: Badlands, which earned $4.8 million from Wednesday and Thursday previews before opening to $40 million last year.
Its preview total is also approaching the $6.3 million earned by Legendary’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters during Thursday previews in 2019.
The film’s performance is particularly notable because it carries an R rating, an unusual classification for a modern Godzilla release. Strong interest in premium large-format screenings and IMAX presentations appears to be helping drive ticket sales despite the age restriction.
Godzilla Minus Zero Sets Records in Japan
The film has also enjoyed a successful opening in Japan, earning approximately 1.38 billion yen ($8.7 million) during its first three days.
Its Godzilla Day opening alone generated 910 million yen ($5.7 million), marking a record opening day for a live-action film in Japan. It surpassed the previous benchmark held by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
The sequel arrives three years after Godzilla Minus One, which became an unexpected international success. The 2023 film earned approximately $113 million worldwide against a relatively modest production budget.
It also won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, making history as the first Godzilla film to receive an Oscar.
