Asian cinema dominated the global box office this weekend as Toho and Takashi Yamazaki’s “Godzilla Minus Zero” and Namit Malhotra and Nitesh Tiwari’s Indian epic “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend” posted thunderous global debuts, fueled by historic attendance on large format and high-end Imax screens.
Leading the charge across the globe, “Godzilla Minus Zero” scored a massive $63 million worldwide, led by a torrid $31.6 million debut in North America via distributor GKIDS and another $31.4 million from international territories. The R-rated monster sequel broke the long-standing domestic mark for the biggest opening ever for a foreign-language live-action film, comfortably surpassing the previous record set by Zhang Yimou’s martial arts extravaganza “Hero,” which opened to $17.8 million in 2002.
Viewership and critical reception have reached record highs, with a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an “A” rating according to CinemaScore exit polls. Premium formats played an outsized role in unleashing the titan, with PLF auditoriums, including Dolby, accounting for 74% of domestic ticket sales, outperforming recent visual benchmarks like “The Odyssey,” which drew 53% of PLF in its debut.
Worldwide, “Godzilla Minus Zero” grossed $21.3 million from Imax screens alone, capturing 34% of its worldwide total and setting a new record for the largest global Imax opening ever for a Japanese title. In North America, Imax generated $12.7 million at 429 locations, representing 40% of its domestic traffic and recording the highest Imax opening weekend grossing of all time. Internationally, Imax screens added $8.6 million from 421 screens across 64 overseas markets, propelled by a record $4 million haul in Japan, which now stands as the largest Imax debut in the territory’s history.
“With ‘Godzilla Minus Zero,’ Takashi Yamazaki and our friends at Toho have achieved a tremendous cinematic feat with striking visuals that somehow surpass its predecessor; we are proud to call this Japan’s first filmed release for Imax and delighted fans are overwhelmingly choosing to experience it on our screens,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of Imax. “Japan continues to be one of the biggest success stories in our global footprint, and we know this historic success will only create new opportunities for filmmaker partnerships and network growth in this thriving cinema marketing industry.”
Right behind the radioactive reptile, “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend” held its own unprecedented global launch, raking in a worldwide cume of $55.7 million, according to the studio. This launch sets a new Diwali holiday opening record for an Indian production. Presented by Sony Pictures and Prime Focus Studios in association with Monster Mind Creations and DNEG, the mythological adventure based on an ancient Indian epic and starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, sold over 11 million tickets worldwide to become the most watched film of the weekend in the world.
Shown in more than 130 countries, on more than 10,000 screens and in 17 dubbed languages, the rollout represents the largest distribution footprint ever attempted for Indian cinema. Domestic led the charge with a strong $32 million debut in India, while U.S. and Canadian theaters raked in $12.2 million, the second-highest domestic opening in history for an Indian film, behind “Dhurandhar The Revenge” which opened with $14 million in March. An additional wave of 37 international markets contributed $11.5 million. Local records fell in several foreign corridors, including the United Kingdom ($3 million), Thailand ($550,000), the Netherlands ($240,000) and South Africa ($75,000). Other top-performing stops include the United Arab Emirates ($2.2 million), Australia ($1.9 million), Germany ($625,000) and Nepal ($500,000).
“Ramayana” is poised for a major milestone as Diwali celebrations continue, with extensive second and third wave rollout plans planned throughout November in major markets including Indonesia on November 11; Hong Kong, Mexico and Central Asia on November 12; Brazil, Italy, Ukraine and Hungary on November 19; Poland on November 20; and Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Czechia and Central America on November 26.
In the large format space, “Ramayana: Rise of a Legend” grossed $6 million on Imax worldwide, capturing 11% of its global debut total and setting an all-time record for the largest global debut in this format for an Indian film. That total was based on $2 million from India, setting the all-time local Imax record, alongside $2.5 million from 53 North American screens (pegged at 20% of U.S. revenue) and $1.4 million spread across 32 other international territories. Together, “Godzilla Minus Zero” and “Ramayana” led Imax’s worldwide network to a stellar $29 million weekend.
To round out the world’s top players, Warner Bros. The animated family film “The Cat in the Hat” took third place in the global charts with $30.5 million, bolstered by a second place domestic of $20.5 million. Event cinema company Trafalgar Releasing secured fourth place worldwide with the broadcast of the “Stray Kids World Tour ‘Run It’ Live Viewing” concert, which grossed $13.9 million, while Warner Bros. DC title “Clayface” rounds out the top five worldwide with $13.4 million.
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