What has hurt this fall is that several anticipated titles have underperformed theatrically. Disney’s “Wish” was a major disappointment, “The Marvels” flat-out bombed, and even “Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce” dropped significantly in its second frame this past weekend. It’s been rough out there for theater owners. That being the case, the fact that this movie has unexpectedly broken out is a welcome surprise. Especially since it’s giving IMAX and other premium format screens a boost.
Not to be lost in the conversation is the fact that “Minus One” cost around $10 million to produce. Given the IMAX-worthy scale and blockbuster-sized production value, it’s downright hard to believe. Granted, a Hollywood production could never accomplish the same for that amount of money as things work differently in Japan but it’s hard not to marvel at what Yamazaki did with so little. And, for Toho, the financial reality is the same. A budget of less than $15 million, widespread critical acclaim (read our review here), and a modest marketing spend means this is going to be a huge hit for the studio. The film has earned $52 million worldwide to date.
It’s also worth pointing out that, just ahead of his 70th birthday next year, Godzilla is having arguably his biggest moment ever. We’ve got this movie being hailed as one of the greatest in the history of the franchise, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” is on the way next year, and “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” is currently airing on Apple TV+. In short, it’s a good time to love monster movies.
“Godzilla Minus One” is in theaters now.