‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Barrels Toward Historic $32M Box Office Launch With ‘Cat in the Hat’ at No. 2

Logo text Godzilla Minus Zero is king of the box office in its opening weekend as the sequel feature looks to dominate the frame that also sees the debuts of The Cat in the Hat, Ramayana, Wild Horse Nine and Club Kid. Hitting 3,254 North American theaters from GKids and Toho, Godzilla Minus Zero conquered $14.5 million on Friday, including Thursday previews, as it heads toward an estimated $32 million for the weekend. This is being touted as the highest-grossing live-action foreign-language opening at the box office since 2004’s Hero launched with $17.8 million. (It’s behind the debut of last year’s animated Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle with $70.6 million, while 2004’s The Passion of the Christ and its massive $83.8 million opening is not included in the category as an American-produced project). Filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki‘s sequel to 2023’s Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One earned an A CinemaScore from audiences and is performing far above the distributor’s projected opening in the mid-$20 millions. Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe and Min Tanaka star in the new movie that carries a reported budget in the mid-teens. It centers on postwar Japan dealing with attacks from the three-headed Ghidorah and the possibility of Godzilla’s return. Godzilla Minus Zero holds an impressive 90 percent critics approval on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Hollywood Reporter chief film critic David Rooney calling it a “thrilling jolt of marauding monster action.” The sequel is making an even bigger footprint than Godzilla Minus One, which opened in December 2023 with $11.4 million domestically and reached $57.1 million for the run, adding $56.9 million internationally. The film rode its massive breakout success to become Japan’s first feature to win the best visual effects Oscar. The Cat in the Hat Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros.’ The Cat in the Hat grossed $6 million domestically from 4,003 North American locations on Friday, including Thursday previews, and it is set to pounce on around $18 million for its opening frame. The studio had projected that the $92 million-budgeted film, which earned an A CinemaScore, would open with $20 million and hopes for word of mouth to help it play through the Thanksgiving holiday and into December. Directors Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni’s animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic 1957 children’s book centers on the titular feline being given a final chance to prove his worth by helping a pair of siblings. Bill Hader leads the voice cast that also includes Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson and Xochitl Gomez for the movie that marks Warner Bros. Pictures Animation’s first title since Bill Damaschke took over as president and chief creative officer in 2023. Critics have been a bit aloof on the film, as it holds a 45 percent Rotten Tomatoes score from reviewers, with THR critic Frank Scheck calling it “more taxing than enjoyable.” It’s certainly getting better notices than Universal’s 2003 live-action The Cat in the Hat starring Mike Myers, which holds an 11 score on Rotten Tomatoes. That movie opened to $38.3 million domestically en route to a North American cume of $101 million against a $109 million budget. More to come.