Godzilla can't be stopped by traditional military powers or at the North American box office.
In its 6th weekend in North America, Godzilla Minus One is estimated to gross just over a million to bring its North American total to $50.94. That's not bad for a film with a reported budget of just $15 million.
Worldwide, Minus One currently stands at $94.75 million.
Recently, director Takashi Yamazaki held a special screening of the movie at Lucasfilms. It's worth noting that prior to the whirlwind success of the film, Yamazaki let it be known that he would like to direct a Star Wars film. Do you think he had the chance to pitch anything to Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni during the screening?
Also, a special black-and-white version of the film was just released in theaters in Japan on Friday. North American kaiju enthusiasts are currently awaiting news on whether the special version will also be released, stateside.
Yamazaki (Lupin III: The First, Dragon Quest: Your Story) directed and wrote Godzilla Minus One. In the film Ryunosuke Kamiki portrays Koichi Shikishima, Minami Hamabe portrays Noriko Oishi, Yuki Yamada portrays Shiro Mizushima, Munetaka Aoki portrays Sosaku Tachibana, and Hidetaka Yoshioka portrays Kenji Noda.
In a press release, Yamazaki commented on the film becoming the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film in North America. "I am happy that Godzilla, of all characters, has eclipsed a record that had not been broken for a long time. Looking back, I think that the cast and crew were all working on the film with the same goal in mind: to make something entertaining! That is what led to such a wonderful result. I will always remember this."
The official synopsis for the film reads, "In the final days of World War II, a small group of Japanese soldiers encounter a dinosaur-like creature on a remote island and are massacred—leaving only two survivors. Two years later, the creature, now many times its original size and capable of shooting thermonuclear breath, appears and begins attacking ships off the coast of Japan—moving ever closer to the still-devastated, post-war Japanese mainland."
Godzilla Minus One started its limited theatrical run in North America on December 1, following special fan showings on November 29.