Godzilla Minus One exceeded the best expectations and opened in theaters in the United States with 11 million dollars, an unprecedented milestone for a Japanese film in the country.
The film is also the first foreign-language film in 19 years to top the US box office. The last international film to win first place in the ranking was Hero, in 2004, starring Jet Li and directed by Zhang Yimou.
Godzilla Minus One
The Japanese kaiju film Godzilla Minus One, written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, is the 37th film in the Godzilla franchise and the fifth film in the Reiwa era. The film was produced by Toho Studios and Robot Communications and distributed by Toho.
The film premiered in Japan on November 3, 2023, a date that coincides with the release of the first Godzilla film in 1954, to celebrate the franchise’s 70th anniversary.
Godzilla Minus One is set in post-war Japan and deals with the emergence of Godzilla. The film stars Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando and Kuranosuke Sasaki.
The film pays homage to the original 1954 Godzilla film, which is set in post-war Japan. The film’s title, Godzilla Minus One, is a reference to this period, when Japan was recovering from World War II and trying to rebuild its economy. The film explores how Japan dealt with the emergence of Godzilla during this period.
Director Takashi Yamazaki wrote the film’s script over three years, taking influence from the original 1954 Godzilla film, Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah (2001), Jaws (1975), and the films of Hayao Miyazaki. Yamazaki had previously portrayed Godzilla in Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 (2007) and in a 2021 amusement park ride in Seibu-en
The film lasts 125 minutes and has a budget of US$15 million. Godzilla Minus One received critical acclaim and grossed $43.6 million at the box office. The film received four nominations at the 48th Hochi Film Awards, with Yamazaki winning the award for Best Director, and is a finalist for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards.
