Godzilla Minus Zero has delivered the biggest opening day in the franchise’s history in Japan, earning an estimated ¥910 million (approximately $5.7 million) on November 3, 2026. The film attracted 590,000 moviegoers on its first day, which coincided with the national holiday known as Godzilla Day.
The Godzilla Minus Zero box office figures include midnight screenings and double bills, helping the sequel set a new opening-day record for the series. Reports also suggest it may have achieved the biggest opening day for any live-action film in Japanese box office history.
For comparison, Godzilla Minus One opened to approximately $3 million in Japan, while Godzilla: King of the Monsters earned around $2 million and Shin Godzilla debuted with $2.2 million.
The new film’s single-day earnings also came close to matching the entire three-day opening weekend of Godzilla Minus One, which generated roughly ¥1 billion during its initial release.
Audience reception has been positive as well. Godzilla Minus Zero currently holds an audience score of 4.1, the highest opening score recorded for the franchise. Its predecessor debuted with a score of 4.0 before settling at 3.9.
The strong opening has raised expectations for the film’s extended debut period. Early projections suggest that Godzilla Minus Zero could approach $20 million across its first six days, which would establish another franchise record in Japan.
Takashi Yamazaki returns as writer and director for the direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One. The film previously premiered at the New York Film Festival on September 26, 2026, before opening in Japanese theaters on November 3. Its international rollout is scheduled to continue through early November.
Godzilla Minus One was a major commercial success, earning ¥7.65 billion (approximately $50 million) in Japan and more than $116 million worldwide. The film also generated over $57 million in North America despite having a production budget of around $15 million.
