‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Set to Break Records with Impressive Rotten Tomatoes Score
When ‘Godzilla Minus One‘ debuted in 2023, it quickly became a global phenomenon. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, the film achieved an astounding 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 213 reviews and made history as the first ‘Godzilla’ film to win an Academy Award, securing the Best Visual Effects trophy. This set an incredibly high standard for its sequel.
The highly anticipated follow-up, ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’, is nearly here. Yamazaki returns as the writer, director, and visual effects supervisor, continuing the saga in 1949, two years after the first film’s events. The story follows the Shikishima family as they confront a new disaster. Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe reprise their roles, while King Ghidorah makes his long-awaited return to a mainline ‘Godzilla’ film after 24 years.
The film premiered at the New York Film Festival on September 26 and is set to release in Japan on November 3, followed by its U.S. debut on November 6. Notably, this installment is the first R-rated ‘Godzilla’ movie, and early responses indicate it takes full advantage of that rating to elevate the kaiju action and violence.
Critics have been overwhelmingly positive, with the Rotten Tomatoes score climbing to 97% from 31 reviews, positioning it to potentially become one of the highest-rated sequels ever. For context, its predecessor currently holds a 99% rating.
The film’s score has shown a steady increase, starting at 93% from 14 reviews, climbing to 96% with 23 reviews, and now reaching 97%. Its average rating stands at 8.4 out of 10, just shy of the original film’s 8.5.
If this score holds as more reviews come in before the November release, it could become the second-highest-rated ‘Godzilla’ film on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing the original 1954 ‘Godzilla’ and far exceeding the Monsterverse sequels, such as ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ at 75% and ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ at 54%.
This impressive rating has led to comparisons with some of cinema’s most acclaimed sequels. FandomWire highlights that a 97% rating places it above James Cameron’s ‘Aliens’ at 94% and ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ at 91%. However, it is important to note that this is an early score, while those classics have undergone decades of critical reassessment and have significantly larger review pools.
The caveat is crucial, as pre-release scores can fluctuate as more critics weigh in. Nonetheless, the strong start is remarkable for a sequel following an Oscar-winning film. Some critics have even likened it to the kaiju franchise’s equivalent of ‘The Empire Strikes Back’.
The new trailer for ‘GODZILLA MINUS ZERO’ has been released.
In theaters on November 6. pic.twitter.com/sgaEXweerd
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 8, 2026
The ongoing debate centers around whether ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ can match the heights of ‘Godzilla Minus One’. Clint Worthington from RogerEbert.com awarded it 3 out of 4 stars, noting that while it doesn’t quite reach the extraordinary levels of its predecessor, it still has much to offer. The only negative review thus far comes from The Daily Beast, although even that critic recognized the film’s strengths.
Other reviews have been notably more enthusiastic. GamesRadar commended the film for its impactful human drama and thrilling kaiju action, suggesting it might even be more emotionally resonant than ‘Godzilla Minus One’. Rotten Tomatoes’ initial reviews roundup indicates that the mass destruction sequences surpass those of the first film in terms of complexity, creativity, and visual effects quality.
However, opinions vary on the emotional aspect. IGN remarked that while the film excels in monster action, it lacks the emotional depth of its predecessor, while SlashFilm noted that its grander ambitions come with certain trade-offs. DiscussingFilm’s Andrew J. Salazar described it as a bold, audacious film that expresses anger in ways that Hollywood blockbusters rarely do.
With the review embargo lifted and strong critical reactions pouring in, all eyes are now on the box office and whether the score will hold up against a broader review base. ‘Godzilla Minus One’ demonstrated that audiences are eager for a human-focused monster narrative, and ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ is banking on the success of a larger, more intense sequel.
The film is slated for a theatrical-only release in November, and early critical feedback suggests it could be one of the season’s most significant cinematic events.
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