Kamal Ghorui
A major box office showdown is brewing this Diwali as the Japanese film ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ and Indian film ‘Ramayana‘ prepare for their global release in November. The first trailer for ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ by filmmaker Takashi Yamazaki, was unveiled at CinemaCon 2026. The film, has already made history as the first Japanese film to receive the “Filmed for IMAX” certification. As per reports, it will serve as a follow-up to the critically acclaimed Oscar-winning film ‘Godzilla Minus One’. Set in 1949 it will be the direct sequel to the film and will reportedly continue the post-war narrative.
‘Godzilla’ and ‘Ramayana’ to clash
‘Godzilla Minus One’ not only earned global acclaim but also became the first non-English language film to win the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. With all the buzz around the film, it will now be targeting premium IMAX screens and international audiences, with its simultaneous releases in Japan and America.‘Ramayana’, on the other hand, is also eyeing the same box office window. The film directed by Nitesh Tiwari and starring Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram, Sai Pallavi as Sita and Yash as Ravana, is slated for worldwide release on Diwali 2026.
Box office pressure
‘Godzilla’ has a significantly lower budget than ‘Ramayana’. The film’s predecessor grossed over USD 116 million worldwide on a modest sub-USD 15 million budget.In contrast, ‘Ramayana’, backed by producer Namit Malhotra is one of India’s most ambitious cinematic undertakings. With a reported combined budget of approximately USD 500 million for its two-part saga. As per reports, the mythological epic is heavily reliant on global markets, particularly North America, to generate profits. The film is also eyeing IMAX screens for its release, placing it in direct competition with ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ for premium formats.
Crowded November box office
Adding to the competition, the animated adaptation of ‘The Cat in the Hat’ is also slated to release on November 6, targeting family audiences. The two-week theatrical window that follows will be crucial for all three films before the arrival of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ on November 20, followed by the romantic-comedy ‘Focker-In-Law’ on November 25.
A defining box office clash
The ‘Ramayana’ and ‘Godzilla’ face-off is shaping up to be one of the biggest global box office clashes of the year-end calendar. The clash will be followed by another box office showdown between ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Dune: Part Three’, both of which are also reportedly locking horns for premium screening formats. As per reports, ‘Dune’ has already secured IMAX releases, leaving ‘Doomsday’ to pick other formats for its release.
