Box Office: ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ to Lead With $30 Million Opening Weekend, ‘Cat in the Hat’ Aims for $20 Million Debut — SkimNews
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- Godzilla Minus Zero is projected to earn $30 million from 3,254 North American theaters in its opening weekend, placing it ahead of the other newcomers.
- The Cat in the Hat is aiming for $20 million to $25 million from 4,000 domestic venues, below the $67 million debut of 2018’s The Grinch and $70 million debut of 2012’s The Lorax, neither figure adjusted for inflation.
- The Cat in the Hat carries a $92 million production budget and will rely on word of mouth and overseas audiences to build staying power; 2024’s Garfield, cited as a comparable, opened at $23 million and went on to gross $91 million domestically and $257 million globally.
- Wild Horse Nine is targeting $5 million to $7 million from roughly 1,000 screens, a larger initial footprint than The Banshees of Inisherin, which began in limited release and ultimately earned $10.5 million domestically and $50 million globally.
- Ramayana: Rise of a Legend is projected to earn $6 million during its first four days from Sony’s 1,300-theater North American launch, marking the widest North American release for an Indian film.
- Godzilla Minus One opened with $11.4 million during the 2023 actors and writers strike but went on to gross $57 million in North America and $113 million globally, winning a visual effects Oscar.
- Godzilla Minus Zero is the first Japanese production ever filmed for Imax; reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, and Variety chief film critic Owen Gleiberman called it “an even grander follow-up to Godzilla Minus One.”
Why it matters: Warner Bros. Animation faces a demanding theatrical task: The Cat in the Hat targets $20 million-$25 million from 4,000 venues against a $92 million production budget, so word of mouth and overseas audiences are central to its staying power. Godzilla Minus Zero projects $30 million from 3,254 theaters and is the first Japanese production ever filmed for Imax.
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