Godzilla Minus Zero is king of the box office in its opening weekend as the sequel feature looks to dominate the frame that also sees the debuts of The Cat in the Hat, Ramayana, Wild Horse Nine and Club Kid.
Hitting 3,254 North American theaters from GKids and Toho, Godzilla Minus Zero conquered $14.5 million on Friday, including Thursday previews, as it heads toward an estimated $32 million for the weekend. This is being touted as the highest-grossing live-action foreign-language opening at the box office since 2004’s Hero launched with $17.8 million. (It’s behind the debut of last year’s animated Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle with $70.6 million, while 2004’s The Passion of the Christ and its massive $83.8 million opening is not included in the category as an American-produced project). Filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki‘s sequel to 2023’s Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One earned an A CinemaScore from audiences and is performing far above the distributor’s projected opening in the mid-$20 millions.
Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe and Min Tanaka star in the new movie that carries a reported budget in the mid-teens. It centers on postwar Japan dealing with attacks from the three-headed Ghidorah and the possibility of Godzilla’s return. Godzilla Minus Zero holds an impressive 90 percent critics approval on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Hollywood Reporter chief film critic David Rooney calling it a “thrilling jolt of marauding monster action.”
The sequel is making an even bigger footprint than Godzilla Minus One, which opened in December 2023 with $11.4 million domestically and reached $57.1 million for the run, adding $56.9 million internationally. The film rode its massive breakout success to become Japan’s first feature to win the best visual effects Oscar.
Warner Bros.’ The Cat in the Hat grossed $6 million domestically from 4,003 North American locations on Friday, including Thursday previews, and it is set to pounce on around $18 million for its opening frame. The studio had projected that the $92 million-budgeted film, which earned an A CinemaScore, would open with $20 million and hopes for word of mouth to help it play through the Thanksgiving holiday and into December.
Directors Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni’s animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic 1957 children’s book centers on the titular feline being given a final chance to prove his worth by helping a pair of siblings. Bill Hader leads the voice cast that also includes Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson and Xochitl Gomez. The movie marks Warner Bros. Pictures Animation’s first title since Bill Damaschke took over as president and chief creative officer in 2023.
Critics have been a bit aloof on the film, as it holds a 45 percent Rotten Tomatoes score from reviewers, with THR critic Frank Scheck calling it “more taxing than enjoyable.” It’s certainly getting better notices than Universal’s 2003 live-action The Cat in the Hat starring Mike Myers, which holds an 11 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. That movie opened to $38.3 million domestically en route to a North American cume of $101 million against a $109 million budget.
Sony Pictures releases Prime Focus Studios’ Ramayana: Rise of a Legend in 1,433 North American locations, with the film grossing $2.4 million Friday and headed to a sum of roughly $7.3 million for the weekend and $10.8 million for the four days. Boasting the widest domestic launch ever for an Indian movie, director Nitesh Tiwari’s religious epic focuses on the life of Prince Rama, with the two-film project’s budget reported at $420 million and beyond. It holds a 76 score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, along with an 89 from audiences.
Also likely debuting in the top five is Angel Studios’ Drummer Boy, with directors Ben and Joel David Smallbone’s historical drama grossing $3.5 million Friday from 2,850 North American locations for a weekend opening around $7.9 million. Earning an A CinemaScore, the faith-based movie focuses on an unlikely bond during the American Revolution and stars Joel David Smallbone in the title role. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 50 critics score and a 93 from audiences.
Academy Awards hopeful Wild Horse Nine opened in 1,100 North American theaters with around $2.4 million Friday for an estimated frame of $5.5 million. John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell and Steve Buscemi lead writer-director Martin McDonagh’s comedic thriller about two CIA operatives who travel from Santiago, Chile, to Easter Island in 1973. The Searchlight Pictures release holds a 94 critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with Rooney’s review describing it as “uniquely affecting.”
Looking to squeak into the top 10 is Burns & Co and Fathom Entertainment’s Jimmy, with the Jimmy Stewart biopic collecting $832,000 Friday from 1,470 North American theaters for a likely $2 million frame. Scheck’s review calls star KJ Apa “top-notch” but deems director Aaron Burns’ film “heartfelt to a fault.”
Another Oscar hopeful launched in platform release as A24 debuted Club Kid on six screens, with the Cannes standout grossing $175,398 on Friday. Making his feature directorial debut, Jordan Firstman also stars as a party promoter who learns he has a 10-year-old son. Set to expand into Thanksgiving, it boasts a sterling 100 score from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes, with THR critic Richard Lawson heralding it as “winning and clever.”
Amazon MGM Studios releases I Play Rocky in seven locations, and it grossed around $160,000 on Friday. Anthony Ippolito stars as Sylvester Stallone in director Peter Farrelly’s making-of story for the 1976 classic Rocky. In his review, Rooney wrote that the movie — which holds an 88 Rotten Tomatoes score from critics — creates “a wave of warm nostalgia.”
Among holdovers, A24’s much-discussed Elizabeth Holmes documentary You Can See Everything looks to pull in around $8 million for the weekend as it competes with Ramayana and Drummer Boy for third place. The domestic cume for directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s feature stands at $73.4 million through Friday.
Next weekend brings the Johnny Depp studio comeback vehicle Ebenezer, along with How to Rob a Bank and Paper Tiger.
