Box Office: Godzilla Minus Zero Leads New Releases

The kaiju sequel Godzilla Minus Zero is projected to take the top spot at North American theaters this weekend. Analysts estimate the film will earn $30 million from 3,254 screens. This figure positions it ahead of two other major new releases entering the market on Friday.

Warner Bros. Animation’s The Cat in the Hat is expected to finish second. Projections place its opening between $20 million and $25 million across 4,000 domestic venues. Searchlight Pictures is releasing Wild Horse Nine in approximately 1,000 theaters. The studio anticipates an opening of $5 million to $7 million for the dark comedy directed by Martin McDonagh.

Godzilla Minus Zero follows the 2023 hit Godzilla Minus One. That predecessor opened to $11.4 million and accumulated $57 million in domestic ticket sales. It became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film in North American history. The global total reached $113 million, and the film received the Academy Award for visual effects. Takashi Yamazaki directs the new entry, which is set two years after the previous installment.

The Cat in the Hat is tracking below the numbers of prior Dr. Seuss animated adaptations. The Grinch opened to $67 million in 2018, and The Lorax debuted to $70 million in 2012. The current film has a $92 million production budget. Bill Hader voices the title character in the story about a mischievous cat interacting with two siblings. The 2003 live-action version starring Mike Myers opened to $38 million and finished at $134 million.

Searchlight is launching Wild Horse Nine with a wider initial release than The Banshees of Inisherin. The 2022 McDonagh film started in limited release before earning $10.5 million domestically. The new movie features John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as CIA officers sent from Santiago to Easter Island. The plot unfolds shortly before a Chilean military coup. The studio hopes the film will attract older audiences and enter the Oscar conversation.

An Indian epic titled Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is also opening this weekend. Sony is distributing the film in 1,300 theaters. This represents the widest North American release for an Indian film to date. Projections estimate it will earn $6 million over its first four days. This figure aligns with recent Telugu-language fantasy releases such as Kalki 2898 AD and Devara Part 1, which both earned $5.6 million in 2024.