Godzilla Minus Zero beats Ramayana in the US, takes global box-office crown

A Japanese monster has managed to outmuscle one of India's most ambitious cinematic projects at the box office. Godzilla Minus Zero opened with $63 million (Rs 567 crore) worldwide over the weekend, taking the global top spot ahead of Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana. The gap was even more striking in North America, where the Japanese film earned 260 per cent more than the Indian epic between Friday and Sunday, despite being made on a fraction of its budget.Made at a reported cost of $19 million (Rs 171 crore), Godzilla Minus Zero has already delivered a strong opening for its makers. In comparison, Ramayana reportedly cost around $210 million (Rs 1,890 crore), making it one of the most expensive Indian films ever made.According to industry estimates and reports by Box Office Mojo, Godzilla Minus Zero collected $31.6 million in North America over the weekend, comfortably securing the top spot. It finished ahead of Hollywood release Cat in the Hat, which took second place.Ramayana, released internationally as Ramayana: Rise of a Legend, had to settle for fifth place. Despite securing the widest US release ever for an Indian film, it earned $8.7 million (around Rs 78.3 crore) between Friday and Sunday, taking its extended opening-weekend collection in the market to $12.2 million (Rs 109.8 crore). The Japanese film's North American success is particularly notable because it hasn't yet released in South Asia. Its arrival in the region was pushed back as Ramayana continued to dominate IMAX screens.Godzilla Minus Zero edges past Ramayana worldwideThe worldwide numbers tell a similar story, although Ramayana put up a strong fight on its home turf. Godzilla Minus Zero collected $63 million globally during its opening weekend, compared with approximately $55 million, or around Rs 500 crore, for Ramayana over its four-day opening weekend. More than $30 million of the Indian film's worldwide earnings came from India, where it grossed around Rs 290 crore. Its domestic performance helped narrow the gap, but wasn't enough to take it past the Japanese release. What is Godzilla Minus Zero about?Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, Godzilla Minus Zero is set in 1949, as Japan struggles to rebuild in the aftermath of World War II. The story brings back Godzilla, who was believed to have been defeated in the 2023 film Godzilla Minus One.This time, the monster returns after being regenerated by radiation and faces King Ghidorah, a giant, three-headed dragon-like creature. Humans also lend a hand as the two monsters go head-to-head.The film is produced by Japanese studio Toho and distributed in North America by GKIDS. Its opening has taken the franchise to a new box-office high, with the $63-million worldwide debut nearly three times the opening of Godzilla Minus One in December 2023.- Ends