‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Could Become Just the 4th Non-English Film to Top the US Box Office

After the surprise success of “Godzilla Minus One” three years ago, Takashi Yamazaki and Toho Studios have delivered a sequel, “Godzilla Minus Zero.” The latest film could potentially become the fourth non-English movie to top the U.S. box office this weekend. “Minus One” grossed nearly $114 million worldwide, including $57.1 million in the U.S. and Canada, and was the first "Godzilla" film to win an Oscar.

Now, with the upcoming release of “Minus Zero,” which is expected to have an impressive domestic opening of $30-35 million, there's a possibility that it could break into the top three highest grossing non-English films of all time. The first non-English film to reach the top spot in the U.S. was Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" in 2004 with a record-breaking opening of $83.8 million.

Six months later, Zhang Yimou's Mandarin-language film "Hero" also topped the charts with an $18 million opening. More recently, "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle," a mix of English and Japanese dubs, opened with a record-breaking $70.6 million in September 2025. As "Minus Zero" is set to release during the holiday season, it will be competing against future releases like Lionsgate's "Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping."

However, the aversion to subtitles among mainstream audiences has decreased over the years, and "Minus Zero" received high praise from critics for its kaiju battles. If the film can draw in new viewers who saw "Minus One" and encourage them to watch the original, it might just become a breakout hit among the top three highest grossing non-English films in history.