Godzilla Minus Zero tops North American box office on Friday, ahead of The Cat in the Hat
Takashi Yamazaki's Godzilla Minus Zero took an estimated $14.5 million in North America on Friday, November 6, 2026, and is projected to reach about $32 million for the weekend, according to Variety. Warner Bros.' The Cat in the Hat was second.
Godzilla Minus Zero, the sequel to 2023's Godzilla Minus One, led the North American box office on Friday, November 6, 2026. It earned an estimated $14.5 million from 3,254 theatres, Variety reported. These are studio and industry estimates; final weekend figures are usually confirmed on Monday.
How big is the opening?
Variety said the film is on course for about $32 million by Sunday. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki and produced by Japan's Toho, it is distributed in the US by GKids. Set two years after the previous film, the story follows Godzilla as it regenerates and resurfaces to fight a new monster tormenting postwar Japan.
The film has drawn strong reviews. Variety critic Owen Gleiberman wrote that it is "destined to connect with a huge international audience."
The rest of Friday's top five
Per Variety's Friday estimates:
- 2. The Cat in the Hat (Warner Bros. Pictures Animation): $6 million from 4,003 theatres, tracking for about $18.7 million for the weekend. That is slightly below early projections of $20-25 million.
- 3. Drummer Boy (Angel Studios): $3.39 million from 2,850 theatres, eyeing about $7.9 million.
- 4. You Can See Everything (A24): $2.55 million in its fourth Friday, heading for about $8 million for the weekend and adding to a $73.49 million North American total since October 16.
- 5. Wild Horse Nine (Searchlight): $2.47 million from 1,100 locations, per rival estimates, with about $5.5 million expected by Sunday.
The Indian epic Ramayana: Rise of a Legend took $2.4 million on Friday from 1,433 locations and is projected to earn $7.3 million over three days, Variety reported.
Why it matters
A Japanese-language kaiju film leading a crowded North American weekend shows how far international, subtitled releases have come with mainstream audiences. Godzilla Minus One won the Oscar for visual effects, and its sequel is now outperforming a major studio family release on opening day.
The Daily Context will update this story when weekend actuals are reported.
Sources
- Variety, Friday box office (Nov 7, 2026): https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/box-office-godzilla-minus-zero-cat-in-the-hat-1236942032/
Image: Photo: Wolfmann / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:4DX_seats_in_cinema_(motion_and_environmental_effects_synced_with_the_on-screen_action)_bench_rows_in_a_movie_theater_hall_Kinostoler_kinosal_Kilden_kino_T%C3%B8nsberg,_Norway_2023_IMG_7849.jpg) — file photo
About this article: prepared by The Daily Context editorial desk using automated, source-based reporting from the publications linked above. No reporter was on the ground.