Godzilla has arrived, and he means serious business. Godzilla Minus One, Toho’s 33rd Godzilla movie, is now playing now in cinemas, IMAX, and Dolby Cinema screens, and already it is causing quite the commotion. Anime Limited and Toho Co. Ltd. have announced that the critically acclaimed blockbuster opened to #2 at the box office, already earning its title as the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film in UK & IRE box office history.
Earning over £800,000 from previews and its opening weekend, Godzilla Minus One is the largest-ever opening for Anime Limited, who distributed the film on behalf of Toho Co. Ltd. The film has proven a hit with audiences, enjoying the highest per-screen average of any Japanese film released this year.
Now, that’s not the only good news. Godzilla Minus One‘s success extends well beyond the UK. As of now, Godzilla Minus One is the highest-grossing Japanese movie at the US box office. Not only is this great news for the Godzilla franchise, it’s also great news for Japanese cinema. Movies such as Minus One that do well financially in the US and in the UK could help usher in a new wave of theatrically released Japanese films. While this new iteration has incredibly impressive box office numbers, it hasn’t yet beaten 2016’s Shin Godzilla, but it is very close.
Currently, Godzilla Minus One has earned $60.6 million at the worldwide box office. Shin Godzilla earned $78 million, so that’s only an $18 million gap, remembering of course that Minus One is still playing in cinemas. But let’s not make this a competition. The fact that a Japanese Godzilla movie is causing waves around the world is a major achievement, and is worth celebrating. What could this mean for the future of Godzilla? Who knows. Minus One certainly teased a potential future, but we’ll have to wait and see whether a sequel is in Toho’s plan. We’d certainly like to think so.
GODZILLA MINUS ONE is OUT NOW in cinemas, IMAX, and Dolby Cinema screens, showing in Japanese with English subtitles. For more information and to book tickets, please visit godzillafilm.co.uk
Don’t forget to check out our raving ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review here.
