'Godzilla Minus Zero' makes waves at N America box office

The film is expected to secure the top position, marking another significant theatrical success for the Japanese franchise. The sequel follows the success of 2023's Godzilla Minus One, which earned $11.4 million during its North American opening weekend before eventually collecting approximately $57 million domestically.

The previous instalment also received widespread critical acclaim and won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. The new film is benefiting from strong audience interest, positive early reactions and its availability on IMAX and other premium large-format screens.

Its projected opening could also make it the biggest North American debut for distributor GKIDS.Meanwhile, The Cat in the Hat is expected to finish in second place with an estimated $20 million to $25 million from approximately 4,000 theatres.

The animated film features Bill Hader voicing the iconic Dr Seuss character, with Warner Bros. hoping to attract family audiences during the November release period. However, early tracking has suggested a more modest opening for the animated adaptation than initially anticipated.

Its performance will be closely watched as Warner Bros. introduces a new interpretation of the familiar children's character. Another newcomer, Wild Horse Nine, directed by Martin Mc. Donagh and starring Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich, is targeting between $4 million and $7 million from around 1,000 theatres.

The weekend's box office competition also includes returning titles such as Clayface and You Can See Everything, which are expected to experience declines as the new releases enter cinemas.

Although the projections remain subject to change as weekend ticket sales come in, Godzilla Minus Zero is currently positioned to lead the North American box office, continuing the franchise's impressive theatrical momentum following the success of Godzilla Minus One.

Godzilla Minus Zero premiered at the 2026 New York Film Festival on September 26, and was released theatrically in Japan by Toho on November 3. Critics praised its visual effects as superior to those of its predecessor, but were divided on whether the overall film was superior.

The film has grossed over $15.4 million worldwide and set records for the highest opening day of any live-action film in Japanese history and the largest previews for a GKIDS release in the United States and Canada.

After its New York Film Festival premiere, reviewers described the film as larger in scope, bolder, and more visually impressive than Minus One, with debate over whether it was better overall than its predecessor. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 90% of 162 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.9/10.

The website's consensus reads: "Keeping its epic action rooted in human interest, Godzilla Minus Zero solidifies director Takashi Yamazaki's take on the King of Monsters as one of the mightiest yet by upping the ante without losing sight of its lovable characters.

" Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 74 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Audiences polled by Cinema. Score gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, the same grade earned by its predecessor.

An animated adaptation of The Cat in the Hat, which is in second place, was originally announced by Illumination Entertainment in 2012. The film premiered at Warner Bros. Studios Burbank on October 25, 2026, and was theatrically released in the United States on November 6, by Warner Bros.

Pictures. It received mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 45% of 53 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.7/10.

The website's consensus reads: "A high-energy sprint through the world imagined by Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat's eagerness to please has some charm but could have benefitted from smaller stakes and a less frantic pace.

" Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 46 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences polled by Cinema. Score gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.