One of cinema’s greatest sources of destruction, Godzilla, is already stomping all over the box office after the Tuesday release of Godzilla Minus Zero (read our review here). According to Deadline, the direct sequel to 2023’s masterpiece Godzilla Minus One grossed a staggering $6.7 million during Thursday preview screenings alone. To put that absolute dynamic carnage into perspective, that preview total handily outpaces the Thursday numbers for both Legendary’s high-budget Godzilla: King of the Monsters and last year’s Predator: Badlands.
Initially, box office analysts predicted Godzilla Minus Zero would stomp its way toward a respectable $30 million opening weekend, but that projection already feels drastically low. The film currently boasts a stellar 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a legion of critics testifying that this new chapter is every bit as emotionally devastating and visually spectacular as its predecessor, if not better.
Moving beyond the King of the Monsters, Sony Pictures’ release of Prime Focus Studios’ Ramayana: Rise of a Legend (read our review here) pulled in $3.5 million on Thursday across 1,433 locations (a figure that includes Wednesday previews). The sweeping Indian epic marks the first installment of an ambitious two-part cinematic event, with Sony banking on Rise of a Legend to capture roughly $6 million in its opening frame.
Over on the animation front, Warner Bros.’ The Cat in the Hat collected $1 million in preview screenings. I actually caught a late-night screening of the Dr. Seuss adaptation yesterday, and I was practically the only soul in the theater. The only other two people in the room bolted the second the opening credits began to roll. Honestly, it’s a shame they bounced so fast; the movie is a lot of fun. While it stumbles through a slightly sluggish second act, it packs far more genuine heart and visual charm than you’d expect. (Be sure to click here if you want to check out my full review!)
Finally, Martin McDonagh’s dark spy comedy Wild Horse Nine bolted out of the gate with a solid $900K. Starring John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as a pair of CIA agents navigating a trust-testing mission from Santiago to Easter Island in 1973, the film is off to a promising start following its Thursday and early access screenings. Searchlight is clearly hoping that strong word-of-mouth will keep the momentum charging ahead all weekend long.