The weekend’s box office haul surged 86 percent year-on-year, led by the Japanese monster sequel
“Godzilla Minus Zero” led the North American box office with a record $30.5 million debut for a live-action foreign-language film, while “The Cat in the Hat” opened with $20 million, according to Variety.
The Japanese production, distributed in the US by Gkids, collected $31.4 million from 77 international markets, taking its worldwide opening total to $62 million, Variety reports.
Its North American debut broke the previous record for a live-action foreign-language release, held by China’s “Hero”, which earned $17.8 million in 2002.
Strong reviews and audience reactions helped drive ticket sales. The R-rated sequel received a 90 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and an A grade in CinemaScore exit polls.
Premium large-format screenings accounted for 74 percent of domestic ticket sales, with Imax alone generating $12.7 million.
The film is the first Japanese production ever shot for Imax.
David A Gross, publisher of the box office newsletter FranchiseRe, told Variety: “This weekend’s opening takes the Japanese production to a new level.”
By contrast, “The Cat in the Hat”, featuring Bill Hader as the mischievous title character, earned $10 million from 60 international markets, bringing its global opening to $30.5 million. It received an A grade from audiences but a 45 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics.
Variety reports that the animated film, made on a $92 million budget, could struggle to recover its costs unless ticket sales improve.
Its performance adds to a difficult year for Warner Bros, which has faced several theatrical disappointments.
Overall, North American box office revenue reached $114 million over the weekend, up 86 percent from the same period a year earlier.
Year-to-date earnings have reached $8.6 billion, 20 percent above the figure at the same point in 2025, according to Rentrak data cited by Variety.
Among other releases, the Indian epic “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend” earned $12.1 million during its first four days in North American theatres and $55.7 million worldwide.
