Godzilla Minus Zero and Ramayana Lead Global Box Office Over Weekend
Japan's Godzilla Minus Zero earned $63 million worldwide, while India's Ramayana: Rise of a Legend opened with $55.7 million, marking strong performances for Asian cinema in premium formats.
Asian films topped the worldwide box office this weekend as Toho and director Takashi Yamazaki’s "Godzilla Minus Zero" and the Indian production "Ramayana: Rise of a Legend" posted strong openings. The monster sequel generated $63 million globally, including $31.6 million in North America and $31.4 million from other territories, setting a new record for the largest opening by a live-action foreign-language film in the United States. Premium-format screenings accounted for 74 % of its domestic ticket sales, and the film earned $21.3 million from IMAX screens, a record for a Japanese title.
"With ‘Godzilla Minus Zero,’ Takashi Yamazaki and our friends at Toho have delivered a tremendous feat of filmmaking with arresting visuals that somehow top its predecessor; we are proud to call this the first Filmed For IMAX release from Japan and delighted fans are overwhelmingly choosing to experience it on our screens," said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX.
The Indian epic "Ramayana: Rise of a Legend" opened to $55.7 million worldwide, establishing a new Diwali-holiday opening record for an Indian film. The movie was released in more than 130 countries on over 10,000 screens and in 17 dubbed languages, selling more than 11 million tickets. It earned $32 million in India and $12.2 million in the United States and Canada, the second-largest North American debut for an Indian film. Additional markets contributed $11.5 million, with notable openings in the United Kingdom, Thailand, the Netherlands and South Africa.
"Ramayana" is poised for substantial legs as Diwali holiday celebrations continue, with second- and third-wave rollouts planned throughout November in markets such as Indonesia, Hong Kong, Brazil and several European countries.
In IMAX, "Ramayana" brought in $6 million, 11 % of its global debut, setting a record for the format’s biggest launch for an Indian title. Combined, the two Asian releases helped IMAX generate $29 million worldwide over the weekend. Warner Bros.’ "The Cat in the Hat" ranked third globally with $30.5 million, followed by a concert broadcast and the DC film "Clayface" in the top five.