Godzilla Minus Zero targets $30M opening as Cat in the Hat lags

Godzilla Minus Zero is projected to open at the top of the North American box office this weekend with an estimated $30 million from 3,254 theaters. The figure would secure a clear lead over the other new releases entering the market on Friday.

The film serves as the sequel to the 2023 hit Godzilla Minus One, which began with an $11.4 million domestic start and finished with $57 million in U.S. revenue. That previous entry became the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film in North America and collected $113 million worldwide. It also won the Academy Award for visual effects. The new movie is directed by Takashi Yamazaki and represents the first Japanese production filmed for Imax. GKids is handling U.S. distribution for the Toho production. The plot follows Godzilla two years after the last film as the creature fights a new monster in postwar Japan. Variety critic Owen Gleiberman described the sequel as an even grander follow-up to the original.

Warner Bros. Animation’s The Cat in the Hat is tracking for second place with a forecast of $20 million to $25 million from 4,000 domestic venues. This projection sits well below the openings of earlier animated Dr. Seuss adaptations. The 2018 film The Grinch opened to $67 million, while The Lorax debuted to $70 million in 2012. The current release carries a $92 million production budget. It will rely on word-of-mouth to sustain its run, particularly since Disney’s Hexed will not arrive until November 25. Bill Hader voices the title character in a story about a cat who brightens the lives of two siblings. This marks the second screen adaptation of the classic, following the 2003 live-action version that opened to $38 million.

Searchlight Pictures is targeting $5 million to $7 million for Wild Horse Nine across roughly 1,000 screens. The dark comedy stars John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as CIA officers sent to Easter Island before a Chilean military coup. Martin McDonagh directs the film, which aims for an Oscar bid similar to his 2022 release The Banshees of Inisherin. That earlier film started with a limited release but earned $10.5 million domestically and $50 million globally.

The Indian epic Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is projected to earn $6 million over its first four days in 1,300 theaters. Sony is distributing the film, marking the widest North American release ever for an Indian movie. The figure is comparable to recent Telugu-language fantasy releases such as Kalki 2898 AD, Devara Part 1, and Pushpa: The Rule Part 2, which opened between $5 million and $5.6 million in 2024.