Three years after Godzilla Minus One was a critical darling and an Oscar winner for its visuals, Toho looks to post a monster number for follow-up Godzilla Minus Zero starting November 6th. Takashi Yamazaki is back in the director’s chair along with returning cast members Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yuki Yamada, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Sakura Ando, and Miou Tanka. Newcomers to the franchise (going strong for over 70 years) include Min Tanaka, Masami Nagasawa, and Jun Kunimura.
Zero debuted at the New York Film Festival late last month. The reception was similar to its predecessor’s with 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 78 Metacritic. 2023’s Minus One has had time to build an even bigger following since its theatrical performance. Back in December of that year, it opened with $11.4 million and legged out impressively to $57 million. That made it the highest grossing live-action Japanese feature of all time stateside.
The sequel should surpass that with little trouble. I believe $30 plus million out of the gate is achievable.
Godzilla Minus Zero opening weekend prediction: $32.1 million
Arriving in theaters nearly 70 years after its source material hit bookshelves, The Cat in the Hat opens November 6th. The animated take on the Dr. Seuss classic has Bill Hader voicing the title character. Other behind the mic talent includes Matt Berry, Quinta Brunson, Xochitl Gomez, Giancarlo Esposito, and America Ferrera. Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni direct.
The Warner Bros animation project comes at a time when the studio could use a solid performer after a year filled with duds. Eight years ago, Illumination Entertainment put out an animated version of The Grinch which made off with $67 million out of the gate. In 2003, a live-action version of Cat with Mike Myers did not meet expectations with poor reviews and middling box office. The $38 million debut was front-loaded with a $101 million eventual domestic take. This version may surpass that with a low 40s haul with hopes that its word-of-mouth is stronger. That could mean decent subsequent weekends as the holidays approach though it’s unlikely to post Grinch level numbers.
The Cat in the Hat opening weekend prediction: $41 million
For my Godzilla Minus Zero prediction, click here:
Halloween is typically a quiet time at the box office and that should play out in 2026 with it falling on a Saturday. There are no significant wide releases other than Christmas at the Kringles. I didn’t do an individual prediction post for the Briarcliff release. The comedic horror flick is slated to release on approximately 1800 screens and I don’t think it’ll make enough cash (maybe $2 to $2.5 million) to place in the top five.
That leaves holdovers for what could be a close contest between current champ Clayface and You Can See Everything, which has held the runner-up spot for two weeks in a row. I have the former dropping in the mid 40s with the latter easing in the mid 30s.
After kicking off on the higher end of its expected range, Wildwood should remain in third with Street Fighter and Wicker in a battle for fourth and fifth position. Here’s how I have it shaking out:
1. Clayface
Predicted Gross: $13.5 million
2. You Can See Everything
Predicted Gross: $12.9 million
3. Wildwood
Predicted Gross: $8 million
4. Wicker
Predicted Gross: $4 million
5. Street Fighter
Predicted Gross: $4 million
Box Office Results (October 23-25)
Sporting a reported $40 million budget (certainly small for the DC Universe), Clayface made $24 million for a slightly better debut than my $22 million prediction. The R-rated comic book adaptation’s results are alright considering the price tag as it hopes viewers will keep coming during the Halloween frame.
A24’s acclaimed doc You Can See Everything expanded wide and was second with $19.5 million. I went a little higher at $23.8 million though it can boast a better per theater average than Clayface. The probable Oscar contender has amassed $45 million.
Laika Animation’s Wildwood capitalized on rave reviews in third with $12.2 million. That’s still not great when factoring the $100 million plus budget, but it’s stronger than the lower forecasts including my own at $7.2 million.
Video game adaptation Street Fighter was knocked down from 1st to 4th in its sophomore outing with $8.5 million. That’s a whopping 72% plummet and under my $11.6 million projection. The two-week total is $46 million.
Wicker with Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård built a commendable female following in fifth with $5.7 million. I went with $4.9 million.
Jessica Chastain’s horror pic Other Mommy was sixth with $3.9 million. My guess? $3.9 million! The three-week tally is $51 million.
Seventh place went to Sense and Sensibility as the Jane Austen adaptation made $3.3 million, not matching my $4.2 million call. The ten-day gross is an underwhelming $13 million.
Whalefall sunk to eighth in frame #2 with $3 million (I said $3.7 million). The whale tale is also at $13 million.
Last (and least), Taika Waititi’s Klara and the Sun had a dark debut in 15th (!) with just $701,000 and an average of under $800 per venue. Oof. I said it would do $2.3 million.
**Blogger’s Update (10/21): I didn’t do an individual post for Wicker with Olivia Colman, but with the news that it is debuting on over 1400 screens, my $4.9 million puts it in fifth place on my chart.
Clayface from the DC Universe was, until very recently, expected to easily rule the box office charts this weekend. That may be challenged from a previously unanticipated source. We also have Laika Animation’s critically acclaimed Wildwood and Taika Waititi’s far from acclaimed sci-fi dramedy Klara and the Sun starring Jenna Ortega premiering. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:
Clayface could gross high teens for a floor to possibly mid to high 20s in the best case scenario. My estimate puts it right in the middle of the range in the low 20s. That’s far from impressive but not too shabby considering its reported $40 million budget.
As mentioned, that figure was thought to be enough to give it bragging rights at #1. Then You Can See Everything happened. Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s documentary about imprisoned Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes exceeded all expectations with a sizzling #2 debut on 855 screens (more on its opening below). It is slated to grow to around 2600 venues this weekend. I think the word-of-mouth could mean a low to mid 20s output in its sophomore frame. That means I’m giving it the edge for the top spot.
Wildwood, despite glowing reviews, may fall under $10 million for a fourth place start. As for Klara, my meager $2.3 million guesstimate might mean it struggles to even make the top 10.
Current champ Street Fighter should be third with a low 60s percentage fall while holdovers Sense and Sensibility, Whalefall, and Other Mommy all post similar grosses.
Here’s how I see it all shaking out:
1. You Can See Everything
Predicted Gross: $23.8 million
2. Clayface
Predicted Gross: $22 million
3. Street Fighter
Predicted Gross: $11.6 million
4. Wildwood
Predicted Gross: $7.2 million
5. Wicker
Predicted Gross: $4.9 million
6. Sense and Sensibility
Predicted Gross: $4.2 million
7. Other Mommy
Predicted Gross: $3.9 million
8. Whalefall
Predicted Gross: $3.7 million
Box Office Results (October 16-18)
Video game based Street Fighter kicked off in line with expectations at $30.7 million for first, managing to outdo my $24.5 million take. I look for it to fade quickly.
A24 nailed down the second highest non-concert documentary opening in history behind 2004’s Fahrenheit 9/11 with You Can See Everything. With over $18k per screen, the doc (which no one knew existed until it surprise screened at Telluride) was runner-up with $15.6 million. That’s well beyond my $8.9 million prediction as its future looks rosy.
Other Mommy dropped to third with $8.2 million (a 70% plummet) compared to my $9.1 million call. The horror flick with Jessica Chastain sits at $44 million after two weeks.
Survival tale Whalefall flopped in fourth with $7.8 million, in line with my $8.2 million projection. Mixed reviews helped sink it.
Sense and Sensibility rounded out the top five with a respectable $7.2 million, ahead of my $5.3 million forecast. The latest Jane Austen adaptation may hold up fairly in subsequent weekends.
Finally, Verity was sixth with $6 million (I said $5.9 million) as the romantic thriller brought its three-week tally to $65 million.
Taika Waititi’s latest dramedy is Klara and the Sun and it’s out October 23rd. Based on the Kazuo Ishiguro 2021 novel, Jenna Ortega stars in the sci-fi tale with Amy Adams, Mia Tharia, Aran Murphy, Steve Buscemi, and Natasha Lyonne providing support.
After its premiere at the London Film Festival, negative word-of-mouth start peeking out. Sun now sports a 25% Rotten Tomatoes score with 27 on Metacritic. This will struggle mightily to find an audience. There is little hope this will approach the $33 million domestic gross that greeted the filmmaker’s awards player Jojo Rabbit in 2019.
My forecast puts this in line with Waititi’s 2023 predecessor Next Goal Wins. The soccer tale also whiffed with critics and underperformed with a mere $2.5 million in its opening. I don’t see a compelling argument for Sun eclipsing it.
Klara and the Sun opening weekend prediction: $2.3 million
Stop-motion animated fantasy Wildwood is the latest effort for distributor Laika and their first this decade. Directed by Travis Knight, the voice cast includes Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant. Following its premiere at the London Film Festival, it hits domestic screens on October 23rd.
Critics are on it side and it could be a frontrunner for Best Animated Feature prize at the Oscars. Rotten Tomatoes is at 100% with 86 on Metacritic. Laika’s projects are typically acclaimed and all five previous features have been Academy nominated in its genre category. That hasn’t always translated to box office dollars stateside.
In 2016, Kubo and the Two Strings (also directed by Knight) debuted with $12.6 million and that’s under what predecessors Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls started off with. That trio all premiered between $14-17 million. The last Laika tale, 2019’s Missing Link, was a major commercial failure with $5.9 million out of the gate.
I’m expecting Wildwood to do better, but not much better.
Clayface is not your typical DC Universe flick and it might not reach the numbers of most other entries in the franchise. The R-rated thriller containing elements of body horror comes from director James Watkins with Tom Rhys Harries as the title character. Costars include Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella, and Eddie Marsan.
It’s been a rough year for Warner Bros and DC was part of that with the massive underperformance of Supergirl. It opened to a less than expected $38 million and was heavily front-loaded with just $72 million domestically. Guesstimates aren’t as high for Clayface and it only sports a $40 million budget compared to Supergirl‘s (at least) $170 million.
Unless this picks up steam in the coming week, low to mid 20s is the likely result.
A quartet of newcomers step into the box office ring this weekend. Video game adaptation Street Fighter looks to lead the pack while survival tale Whalefall, acclaimed documentary You Can See Everything, and the latest adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility jockey for position in the top five. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on them here:
Arriving 32 years after the Jean-Claude Van Damme version was a considerable bomb, Street Fighter should fare better with a decent if unspectacular mid 20s start. That should easily give it a first place finish.
Whalefall features Resident Evil lead Austin Abrams stuck in the belly of a sperm whale and I have it logging a so-so fourth place start in the high single digits.
You Can See Everything is the major question mark. It made a splash at the Telluride Film Festival and the covering of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes before she entered prison should generate eyeballs. The challenge is that I’ve yet to see a screen count. My higher single digits estimate could put in anywhere from 2nd to 4th depending on the Other Mommy drop.
Jessica Chastain’s horror flick opened in line with expectations (more on that below) but poor reviews and a dreadful D+ Cinemascore grade could spell a mid to high 60s percentage decline in weekend #2.
Sense and Sensibility doesn’t seem to have significant buzz and my mid single digits take should have it rounding out the top six just behind Verity‘s third frame.
Here’s how I see it shaking out:
1. Street Fighter
Predicted Gross: $24.5 million
2. Other Mommy
Predicted Gross: $9.1 million
3. You Can See Everything
Predicted Gross: $8.9 million
4. Whalefall
Predicted Gross: $8.2 million
5. Verity
Predicted Gross: $5.9 million
6. Sense and Sensibility
Predicted Gross: $5.3 million
Box Office Results (October 9-11)
Audiences were hungry for horror despite a critical drubbing as Other Mommy brought in $27.8 million, on pace with my $27.2 million prediction. As mentioned, even with genre fans craving scares, this should fade quickly.
Verity dropped to second with $12 million, just under my $13.1 million call. The thriller with Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson eased 63% for a two-week total of $54 million.
Resident Evil was third in its fourth frame with $8.5 million compared to my $7.8 million projection. This video game adaptation grew to $138 million.
Heart of the Beast took fourth with $7.4 million (I said $6.6 million) as the Brad Pitt survival tale hit $50 million after three weeks.
Finally, Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning tanked in fifth with $5 million. Taking in just a quarter of what 2010 predecessor The Social Network achieved out of the gate, the tech drama couldn’t match my $7.4 million number.
Ever since its surprise premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, Nathan Fielder and Primetime director Lance Oppenheim’s You Can See Everything has been picked up considerable buzz that could translate to impressive box office numbers (especially for its genre). The A24 release finds the filmmakers deeply involved in documenting the life of Theranos founder and convicted swindler Elizabeth Holmes as she awaits her prison stay and beyond.
Clocking in at nearly three hours, Everything is one of 2026’s most acclaimed titles at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 97 on Metacritic. It is rolling out in limited fashion this Friday, October 16th. A theater count has yet to be published which makes a projection tricky.
Everything appears to be playing indie venues and select AMC locations. My local indie theater’s showtimes this coming weekend are filling up quickly while the AMC showings have better availability. With some pundits predicting it could be the first doc to receive a Best Picture nomination, the curiosity factor should be high.
The largest non-concert documentary opening belongs to 2004’s Fahrenheit 9/11 at nearly $24 million. I don’t believe this challenge that, but the second best is Chimpanzee with $10.6 million. In a best case scenario, Everything might achieve that figure or slightly more.
My forecast could fluctuate once I see a count. For now, I’ll put it a little under $10 million.
You Can See Everything opening weekend prediction: $8.9 million
Georgia Oakley’s Sense and Sensibility is the latest update to Jane Austen’s 215-year-old novel and it arrives stateside on October 16th. The director’s follow-up to the acclaimed British debut Blue Jean, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles lead the cast with supporting turns from Caitriona Balfe, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, George MacKay, and Fiona Shaw.
The romantic drama is the first major retelling of the source material since Ang Lee’s rendering in 1995 with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. It was an awards hit with seven Oscar noms including Best Picture. The box office was strong with just over $40 million domestically and $135 million worldwide.
While reviews are respectful for Oakley’s take, they’re not as glowing as what preceded it three decades ago. Rotten Tomatoes is at 78% with 72 on Metacritic. This is not expected to be a significant Oscar player and that could have assisted with increased word-of-mouth.
I imagine the most dedicated Austen faithful will turn up and that could mean mid single digits.
Sense and Sensibility opening weekend prediction: $5.3 million
