Shin Godzilla Specialty Re-Release North America Box Office: Surpasses $2M, Proving Franchise’s Staying Power
This weekend’s box office results showed a surprisingly strong performance from the specialty re-release of Shin Godzilla, which is a testament to the 2016 film’s longevity.
Shin Godzilla Specialty Re-Release North America Box Office ( Photo Credit – Prime Video )
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Shin Godzilla, originally released in 2016 and directed by Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno, has had quite the successful run at the United States box office, with the film being re-released in theaters by GKids in 1,290 theaters. The weekend haul at the box office, per Box Office Mojo, was a respectable $1.63 million, for a cumulative total of $2.48 million.
Shin Godzilla was produced during the interim between Anno’s other high-profile film series, known as Rebuild of Evangelion. The film originally grossed $77.9 million worldwide during its initial box office run back in 2016, per Box Office Mojo. The fact that a special re-release could make millions at the box office despite the film originally being so many years old is a testament to Shin Godzilla’s longevity.
Before the release of Godzilla Minus One in 2023, Shin Godzilla (2016) held the title of the highest-grossing Japanese-produced Godzilla film, earning around $78 million worldwide and surpassing all previous Japanese Godzilla releases, as per Deadline. Godzilla Minus One later overtook it to become the new highest-grossing Japanese Godzilla film with a worldwide gross of $113 million.
Here’s a look at the box office summary of Shin Godzilla, including its original and re-release in 2019 and 2025.
Domestic – $4.4m
International – $76.1m
Worldwide – $77.9m
Shin Godzilla Is The 31st Godzilla Film
The 31st entry in the long-running Godzilla franchise, Shin Godzilla’s production was spurred on by the success of the 2014 Hollywood adaptation called Godzilla, which was directed by Gareth Edwards. Shin Godzilla serves as a continuity reboot of the films, meaning it starts afresh with its plot instead of continuing from prior films. The story portends the arrival of the deadly Godzilla after the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line gets mysteriously flooded. While this incident puts Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Rando Yaguchi on guard, the Prime Minister Seiji Okouchi shrugs off his concerns.
The truth of the matter becomes undeniably clear, however, when the monster’s giant tail emerges from the bay, making it clear that Tokyo has been invaded by a horrific threat. The Japanese Government ends up forming an uncomfortable alliance with the United States to eliminate the menacing Godzilla’s threat, with both nations being pushed to their breaking point as they try to determine the best way to save themselves from utter catastrophe.
Shin Godzilla proved instrumental to reviving the franchise in Japan, leading to a new wave of sequels, starting with the highly acclaimed Godzilla Minus One. The film’s strong niche in North America has cemented its place as a beloved chapter in the long-running franchise’s history.
Shin Godzilla Revitalized The Franchise
Shin Godzilla was released at a crucial moment for the Japanese side of the franchise. The last Godzilla film released in Japan prior to the 2016 smash hit had been Godzilla: Final Wars, which was released all the way back in 2004.
While Gareth Edwards’s 2014 Godzilla proved that the franchise had enduring appeal, Shin Godzilla established that Godzilla’s home country, Japan, could still take the reins on the franchise’s direction. Shin Godzilla grossing millions in a specialty re-release proves that even Japan’s films can take the West by storm.
