'Godzilla Minus Zero' is projected to earn more than $60 million worldwide in its opening weekend, following a strong debut in Japan. But India's 'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend' could make the global box office race less predictable, with widely varying estimates for the epic's opening.
Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the sequel to 2023's 'Godzilla Minus One' is forecast to take between $25 million and $30 million in North America, with more than $30 million expected from 23 international territories, according to Deadline. Its release falls during a relatively quiet November for major Hollywood titles.
The film opened in Japan on November 3, coinciding with the annual Godzilla Day celebrations, earning approximately $5.7 million (910 million yen) and drawing more than 590,000 moviegoers on its first day. It is projected to earn more than 10 billion yen ($63.2 million) in Japan.
The previous film offers a useful benchmark. Made on a reported $10 million budget, 'Godzilla Minus One' collected $113.9 million worldwide, including $48.2 million in Japan.
'Ramayana: Rise of a Legend,' directed by Nitesh Tiwari and based on the ancient Sanskrit epic, carries a reported combined two-part budget of between $420 million and $500 million, making it India's most expensive film project to date. Forecasts for its worldwide opening range from $30 million to more than $75 million. In North America it is expected to earn around $6 million over four days, with another $6 million projected from Sony's selected international territories, opening in 1,300 North American locations, the widest theatrical release for an Indian production in the region. At the time of reporting, it held a 40% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews.
The competition extends beyond these two releases. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation's 'The Cat in the Hat' is projected to earn around $20 million domestically from approximately 4,000 cinemas, while Angel Studios' 'Drummer Boy' is also tracking for a mid-range opening.
