'Godzilla Minus Zero' US release: Here's how critics and audiences are reacting to Takashi Yamazaki’s highly-anticipated kaiju epic

Writer-director and VFX maestro Takashi Yamazaki’s highly-anticipated sequel "Godzilla Minus Zero" is finally out in theaters across the United States and Canada, and is all set to become a box office blockbuster. The film is already dominating North American ticket counters, having collected $14.5 million by Friday (Nov. 6). It is on path to mint an estimated $32 million for the weekend, in what is being called the highest live-action foreign-language opening in the US. Here's how critics and audiences are liking the movie.

Critic and audience response

Early reviews for the film are overwhelmingly positive. On the review aggregator platform Rotten Tomatoes, "Godzilla Minus Zero" has a 90 percent overall rating based on over 160 critic reviews, with an even higher 96 percent overall rating based on audience reviews on the website. These figures will likely see some change as more critics and audiences weigh in.


On Letterboxd, "Godzilla Minus Zero" currently has an average fan rating of 4.1. The film has a critic score of 74 of 100 based on 44 critic reviews on the website Metacritic. The film review website Roger Ebert has given the movie three out of four stars.

What is 'Godzilla Minus Zero' about?

"Godzilla Minus Zero" premiered at the New York Film Festival in September and was released in Japan on Nov. 3 before debuting in cinemas across North America on Nov. 6.

The sequel is set in 1949, two years after the events of "Godzilla Minus One" as Japan struggles to rebuild from the devastation of war and Godzilla’s attack.

Film follows prequel's massive success

"Godzilla Minus One", which came out in 2023, was a commercial and critical success. It scripted history by becoming the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film in North America.

It was also the first film in the multi-decade Godzilla franchise to win an Oscar, taking home the best visual effects award despite competing in that category against major Hollywood flicks with much bigger budgets.

"Godzilla Minus Zero" is the first film in the franchise to get an 'R' rating from the Motion Picture Association (MPA). It also marks the first-ever Japanese production filmed for IMAX screens.