India's New 'Lord of the Rings' Replacement Officially Arrives This Week

In an unusual turn of events, two major international titles are set for a domestic release this week. Japan's highly anticipated Godzilla Minus Zero is expected to handily outperform an Indian heavy hitter at the North American box office, although both movies will likely debut in the top-10. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki, Godzilla Minus Zero serves as a sequel to the runaway blockbuster Godzilla Minus One, which went on to win the Best Visual Effects Oscar despite costing a fraction of its competitors. The sequel carries a similarly frugal budget, which stands in stark contrast to the Indian epic. Based on a mythological text sacred to Hindus, the film reportedly cost more than $200 million. This makes it the most expensive Indian film of all time.

The movie has been produced by the visual-effects house DNEG and is set to be followed by a second installment in a couple of years. Indian films have gradually grown in relevance at the box office, with the word-of-mouth sensation RRR having grossed more than $15 million domestically. Earlier this year, Dhurandhar: The Revenge emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of all time in North America with a haul of nearly $30 million.