Fans packed theaters coast-to-coast as the hit anime’s latest chapter dominated the box office, setting new records in the U.S. and abroad.
Anime fans packed theaters this weekend, and the numbers prove it. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Infinity Castle scored a jaw-dropping $33 million from Friday and preview screenings, making it the biggest opening day ever for an anime film in the U.S. That massive start blew past the $10.9 million record set by Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero in 2022 and even topped the weekend record that Pokémon: The First Movie had been holding since 1998.
The movie, released by Sony’s anime distributor Crunchyroll, is the first part of a trilogy that will wrap up the hit Demon Slayer saga. Fans had plenty of ways to watch it — both dubbed and subtitled screenings were offered, and premium formats like IMAX gave it an extra boost. In fact, IMAX alone brought in $6.4 million on Friday.
Audiences clearly loved what they saw, with CinemaScore giving the film a glowing “A” grade.
Globally, Infinity Castle is proving just as unstoppable. It has already earned more than $279 million worldwide, including over $200 million in Japan, where it’s been sitting at No. 1 for eight weeks and has become the country’s third-highest-grossing film of all time.
For longtime anime fans, this is another milestone that shows just how much mainstream power the genre now has in U.S. theaters.
Sony and Crunchyroll aren’t strangers to this kind of success. Back in 2021, they brought Demon Slayer: Mugen Train to theaters, and that film made $20 million during its opening weekend — a big deal in the middle of pandemic-era box office uncertainty. But Infinity Castle is on track to more than triple that.
Current estimates predict the film could hit $56 million or even $60 million by the end of the weekend, making it Sony’s biggest domestic opener since Venom: The Last Dance last October.
And while Demon Slayer is the clear winner, other films also made a splash. Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale charmed its loyal audience with $8.8 million on Friday and is eyeing about $19.5 million for its opening. Lionsgate’s Stephen King adaptation The Long Walk followed with $4.7 million, aiming for around $11 million overall.
Meanwhile, horror fans kept showing up for The Conjuring: Last Rites, which added $8.2 million on Friday and has already earned more than $113 million domestically in just over a week.
All told, September is shaping up to be much stronger at the box office than expected. With Demon Slayer leading the charge and other fan-favorite properties drawing steady crowds, theaters are getting a welcome boost.
One thing is certain — anime is no longer just a niche genre. It’s now a box office powerhouse.
Source: Variety