Godzilla stomped into theaters nationwide for preview screenings last night, taking in an estimated $9.3 million. That total includes $2.1 million from IMAX screenings alone.

Director Gareth Edwards' action-thriller beat out the $8.7 million Thursday night haul of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which earned $91.6 million during its opening weekend frame on May 2. However, it fell just short of Captain America: The Winter Soldier's $10.2 million Thursday tally, en route to a $95 million opening weekend, which currently stands as the biggest opening weekend gross of 2014.

The movie, which stars Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Juliette Binoche and David Strathairn, is considered to be more front-loaded than both The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which is why it's currently tracking to take in between $70 million and $80 million by most box office prognosticators. However, given the glowing reviews it has received thus far, it's possible that positive word-of-mouth could push this potential blockbuster into the $80 million range for its three-day opening weekend.

Check back on Sunday to see how Godzilla fared against its competitors this weekend.