Godzilla Minus Zero earns $6 million in previews, Cat in the Hat $1 million

Takashi Yamazaki’s R-rated Godzilla Minus Zero has accumulated roughly $6 million from preview showings over the past three days, including fan events tied to Godzilla Day. The film’s preview earnings surpass the distributor GKIDS’s previous record set by The Boy and the Heron, which earned $2.39 million in Thursday and early-access previews and $13 million over three days.

Industry forecasts had projected a North American total of $30 million or more for the film, citing strong IMAX attendance and high per-theater averages. Early earnings already exceed the $2.1 million preview revenue recorded by Yamazaki’s earlier Godzilla Minus One, which later opened to $11.4 million.

For comparison, Disney’s November preview of Predator: Badlands earned $4.8 million on Wednesday and Thursday, leading to a $15.8 million Friday and a $40 million opening. Godzilla Minus Zero’s preview figures are close to those of Legendary’s 2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which posted $6.3 million in Thursday previews before a $19.4 million Friday and a $47.7 million opening.

In Japan, the film has earned about 1.38 billion yen (approximately $8.7 million) in its first three days, with a record-setting opening day of 910 million yen ($5.7 million) for a live-action release, surpassing the debut of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.