Godzilla Minus Zero Earns 92% Critics' Score
The R-rated sequel to Godzilla Minus One opens nationwide in theaters on Friday.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Science Fiction
Rotten Tomatoes critics gave Godzilla Minus Zero a 92% fresh critics' score based on 53 reviews as of Monday. The film, written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki, opens nationwide in theaters on Friday after preview screenings on Thursday.
Why it matters
The film is the follow-up to Godzilla Minus One, which earned a 99% fresh critics' score and $105.2 million worldwide. Its strong early reception sets up a test of whether the franchise's momentum carries into its sequel.
The 92% critics' score is drawn from 53 reviews, versus 99% from 213 reviews for Godzilla Minus One, which grossed $105.2 million worldwide and $57.1 million domestically. Commercial results for the sequel have not yet been reported.
The players
Toho
Toho is the Japanese studio behind the Godzilla franchise and is self-distributing this film through its GKids banner.
Takashi Yamazaki
Takashi Yamazaki is a Japanese filmmaker who wrote and directed both Godzilla Minus One and Godzilla Minus Zero.
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an online review aggregator that compiles critics' and audience scores for films and television.
The details
Toho is self-distributing Godzilla Minus Zero through its GKids banner. The film held its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on Sept. 26 before its nationwide release.
Timeline
Godzilla Minus One released and opened in theaters in 2023.
Godzilla Minus Zero held its world premiere at the New York Film Festival on Sept. 26.
Godzilla Minus Zero preview screenings take place Thursday.
Godzilla Minus Zero opens nationwide in theaters Friday.
Industry Dynamics
Godzilla Minus Zero follows Godzilla Minus One, which earned a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score and won a Best Visual Effects Oscar. The sequel's early critical reception places it within a run of well-reviewed Toho productions as the studio self-distributes its own release.
Godzilla Minus Zero is available in theaters nationwide starting Friday, with preview screenings on Thursday. Viewers seeking the film can find it through local theater listings once it opens.
The takeaway
Readers planning to see Godzilla Minus Zero can attend Thursday's preview screenings or wait for the Friday nationwide opening. Viewing the first film beforehand is not required, but it provides context for the sequel's continuation of its story.
What happens next
Godzilla Minus Zero opens nationwide in theaters on Friday.
Further reading
For more on the genre, see the Science Fiction section.
