The King of the Monsters is ruling the box office this weekend. Godzilla Minus Zero is on track for a history making opening, and it is easily beating Warner Bros.’ The Cat in the Hat for the top spot.
Godzilla Minus Zero Is Heading for a Record
According to Deadline, Godzilla Minus Zero earned $13.5 million on Friday from 3,254 theaters, including $6.7 million from Thursday night previews.
The movie is now projected to open with $30 million to $33 million this weekend. If it lands there, it will be the biggest North American opening ever for a foreign language live action film, smashing the record of $17.8 million set by Hero back in 2002. It would also be the biggest opening ever for distributor GKIDS.
Audiences love it too. Godzilla Minus Zero earned an A CinemaScore, the same grade as 2023’s Oscar winning Godzilla Minus One. A grade like that usually means strong word of mouth and a long run in theaters.
The Cat in the Hat Lands in Second Place
The Cat in the Hat, the new animated Dr. Seuss movie starring Bill Hader as the voice of the Cat, is having a softer start. It is now projected to open with $17 million to $20 million from 4,003 theaters, below the $30 million plus that early tracking suggested.
That is a tough number for a movie with an $86 million production budget, according to Deadline. For comparison, the 2003 live action version starring Mike Myers opened to $38.3 million on its way to $133.9 million worldwide.
Family movies often make up ground on Saturday and Sunday, though, so the final number could still climb. With Thanksgiving and the holiday break coming, The Cat in the Hat also has plenty of time to keep earning.
This Weekend’s Box Office Projections
- Godzilla Minus Zero: $30 million to $33 million
- The Cat in the Hat: $17 million to $20 million
- Drummer Boy: about $9 million
- You Can See Everything: $8 million to $9 million
- Ramayana: Rise of the Legend: about $6 million
Searchlight’s Wild Horse Nine is projected at $5 million to $6 million from 1,110 locations.
These are projections based on Friday numbers. We will update this post with the official weekend estimates on Sunday.
Planning to See Them?
Catch up on everything you need to know before you go in Godzilla Minus Zero Stomps Into Theaters This Weekend: Everything to Know and The Cat in the Hat Is in Theaters Now: What Families Should Know About Bill Hader’s Animated Dr. Seuss Movie.
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