- Godzilla Minus One has become the highest-grossing Japanese-language film in the franchise, surpassing Shin Godzilla.
- The movie had the biggest opening weekend for a live-action Japanese film in the U.S.
- Despite competition at the box office, Godzilla still secured the No. 3 spot with $11 million on its opening weekend.
Godzilla remains a dominant force in Godzilla Minus One, as the film shatters Shin Godzilla’s worldwide gross and secures the title of the highest-grossing Japanese-language movie in the franchise. According to Collider, the film has now amassed over $78 million, outperforming Shin Godzilla’s $77.9 million from 2016. This includes a remarkable $42 million from domestic theaters, which is a significant increase from the $2 million generated by its predecessor.
Godzilla Minus One previously set a record for the most prominent opening weekend ever for a live-action Japanese film in the U.S. The film also achieved the second-best opening day for a “non-English, live-action” feature film, surpassed only by Hero (2002), starring Jet Li, which earned $17.8 million.
The $11 million earned by Godzilla Minus One was enough to capture the No. 3 spot at the box office that weekend. This accomplishment occurred despite the release of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé in theaters at the same time, which claimed the No. 1 position with $21 million. Meanwhile, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes secured the second-place spot with $14.5 million earlier in the month.
The latest installment of the King of the Monster franchise, Toho’s Godzilla Minus One, demonstrated its potential for success early on. The film earned a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score and positive reviews from critics in early press screenings. Fans also expressed their approval, as the movie received an “A” CinemaScore and a 98% RT audience score.
Diehard fans of Godzilla will appreciate the return of the monster to its dark, gritty roots in the original 1954 film Gojira, as opposed to the more light-hearted and kid-oriented Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), which featured the kaiju teaming up with Jet Jaguar. Legendary’s MonsterVerse has also emphasized Godzilla’s heroic side since 2014. However, the Minus One version of Godzilla is portrayed as a deadly and utterly ruthless force of nature.
For those who can’t get enough of the King of the Monsters and are interested in more than just the Toho-led outings, the new trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire offers plenty of excitement. Additionally, check out a brief video compilation of fun facts about the Godzilla franchise and the monster itself: