NEW YORK — “Godzilla Minus Zero” stomped to the top of the box office with $31.6 million over the weekend, the biggest North American debut ever for a live-action foreign-language film, according to studio estimates reported by the Associated Press.
Takashi Yamazaki’s sequel to the Oscar-winning “Godzilla Minus One” easily beat Warner Bros.’ animated “The Cat in the Hat,” featuring the voice of Bill Hader, which opened with $20.5 million domestically plus $10 million overseas.
The previous live-action foreign-language record belonged to 2004’s “Hero,” which opened with $17.9 million, the AP said. That excludes “The Passion of the Christ,” which opened with $83.8 million in 2004 despite its largely Aramaic dialogue.
Produced by Toho and distributed in North America by GKids, the film is set in post-World War II Japan and was released near-simultaneously worldwide. It took in about $17 million in Japan over the weekend.
“This historic opening shows how deeply audiences around the world connect with Godzilla and with Takashi Yamazaki’s vision,” Toho Global President Koji Ueda said in a statement.
Made for under $20 million, the film is expected to pass the $57.1 million North American total of its predecessor. It holds a 90% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” CinemaScore. IMAX screens generated $21.3 million globally, or 34% of its take.
The weekend also brought the widest North American release ever for an Indian film. “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend,” the most expensive Indian film ever made, opened with $8.7 million domestically and $32 million in India.
Sources: KTAR News/Associated Press. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Elijah Flores baesik / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.
