‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Debuts in Theaters With Impressive Rotten Tomatoes Score
Few franchise sequels have faced as much pressure as ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’. Its predecessor, ‘Godzilla Minus One’, was one of the biggest surprises of 2023, a post-war monster movie that transformed a modest budget into a global phenomenon.
That film was produced for a reported $15 million and grossed over $116 million worldwide. It earned around $56 million in North America, making it the highest-grossing Japanese-language live-action film of all time there. It also won Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards, marking the first Oscar win for any Godzilla movie and the first for a Japanese-language film in that category.
Writer-director Takashi Yamazaki, who also supervised the effects, has returned for the sequel. With such a legacy, a strong reception from critics was far from assured.
The early verdict is in, and it’s overwhelmingly positive. Following its world premiere at the New York Film Festival, ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ debuted at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes from its initial 22 reviews. It briefly climbed to 97% from 33 reviews, and it currently stands at 95% from 41 reviews. The audience Popcornmeter has yet to be populated.
This score is just shy of the first film’s impressive 99% critics score, making the sequel the second most acclaimed Godzilla movie on the site if it maintains this rating. The 1954 original now ranks behind it. ‘Godzilla Minus One’ also boasts a 98% audience score.
The film opens in Japan on Tuesday, Nov. 3, coinciding with Godzilla Day, the anniversary of the original film’s release in 1954. North American audiences will get it just three days later, on Friday, Nov. 6, via GKIDS, which Toho acquired in 2024. The film runs for 2 hours and 15 minutes and is rated R.
Reviewers largely agree that Yamazaki has crafted a bigger, bolder movie. Many praised its blend of heartfelt human drama and earth-shaking monster mayhem, with some even claiming it surpasses the original. The Guardian noted how it combines fight-to-the-death kaiju action with disaster-movie scope and horror-movie intensity while prioritizing quality of effects over quantity.
However, not every critic was fully convinced. IGN rated it 7/10, stating it delivers on the kaiju front but lacks the emotional depth of the first film. Slashfilm’s 7.5/10 review mentioned that the larger ambition comes at a cost, while Screen Rant rated it 5/10, calling it mediocre. One critic pointed out that the film spends a significant amount of time on defense planning rather than action. Nevertheless, the majority of reviews lean towards the positive side, with The Daily Beast providing the only early rotten score.
The sequel begins in 1949, two years after the events of ‘Godzilla Minus One’, continuing the story of the Shikishima family as they confront a new calamity. Ryunosuke Kamiki reprises his role as Koichi Shikishima, with Minami Hamabe returning as Noriko. Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Miou Tanaka, and Sae Nagatani also return, while Min Tanaka joins as Kanji Murakami, a biologist with deep psychological scars from the war.
The first teaser revealed a trip to New York for Godzilla, showcasing humanity’s desperation to destroy the monster, even considering the use of a nuclear bomb to counter one apocalypse with another. Reports also indicate that King Ghidorah will join the fray this time. The film was produced by Toho Studios and ROBOT, with effects by Shirogumi, and it’s the first Japanese project filmed for IMAX.
The new trailer for ‘GODZILLA MINUS ZERO’ has been released.
In theaters on November 6. https://t.co/sgaEXweerd— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 8, 2026
The strong reception is particularly noteworthy, as sequels to critically acclaimed films often struggle to match their predecessors. Consequence’s July trailer coverage suggested that ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ could be a formidable contender in next year’s awards race, given the first film’s highly praised effects.
Box office performance could be the next significant test. Yamazaki has indicated that the budget will likely be larger this time, and the near-simultaneous release in Japan and North America is a rare move for a Japan-produced Godzilla film. If audiences respond as positively as critics have, the film could further extend the franchise’s remarkable run.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!