Kaiju season is going strong. Godzilla Minus One is shaping up to be the biggest hit for Toho after breaking a domestic box office record with its Thursday previews. Its early screenings grossed $2.1 million between Wednesday and Thursday before going for its wide release today. This makes it the biggest preview for a non-English-speaking live-action movie in the U.S., beating out Shin Godzilla‘s entire U.S. run ($1.9 million).
The record was originally brought to light by box office analysis Luiz Fernando on X (seen below). According to Fernando, the film could possibly reach an impressive $9-12 million opening weekend that would tower over Toho’s other Godzilla movies.
Shin Godzilla Defeated by Godzilla Minus One as Record for Domestic Box Office Previews Is Blasted
While it’s yet to be seen what the overall run will be for the King of the Monsters, the film is in a good position to have a strong time on the big screen domestically. Breaking the record for foreign language movies in the U.S. puts it above some successful films from international filmmakers. Before the start of the weekend, the kaiju movie has already surpassed the entire opening weekend of films like Parasite ($393,216), Life Is Beautiful ($118,920), and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ($663,205).
Despite the impressive two days Godzilla Minus One has had at its previews, the Japanese films have always grossed less by the end of a theatrical run compared to the American films. The last Japanese film, 2016’s Shin Godzilla, grossed a total of $75 million worldwide, which was the best overall run Toho had with the IP. From there, the American-made films top it with the 2014 self-titled film ($529 million), Godzilla vs. Kong ($468 million), King of the Monsters ($383 million), and 1998’s Godzilla ($376 million).
No matter what you’re looking for when seeking time with the king kaiju, there is plenty to go around. Godzilla Minus One is now in theaters globally. Meanwhile, Legendary is expanding its Monsterverse with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which is streaming on Apple TV. The next installment in the franchise will be Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which will stomp theaters on April 12, 2024.
