Did Sony achieved another hit? Following the box office performance of the hit anime Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which brought in over $600 million worldwide, the new movie Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has surpassed the $100 million milestone globally, hitting a global total of $108 million during its debut. This feature beat out Black Phone 2 ($12.9 million) in its second weekend in theaters, as well as Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere with Jeremy Allen White ($9M).
Impressive U.S. and Worldwide Earnings
Helmed by director Tatsuya Yoshihara, the feature is a immediate sequel of the initial season of Chainsaw Man. It earned $18.2 million in the U.S. after a robust $5.2M Saturday and $4.5M Sunday. Internationally, the produced by MAPPA movie grossed nearly $15 million across 46 global regions, resulting in a global sum of $60.4M through Sony distribution ($43.1 million overseas, $18.2 million domestic). The studio has not yet revealed its official box office total.
Parallels to Past Successful Anime Films
Promotional firm a leading anime marketing group had earlier commented, contrasting the film’s projected performance to Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which made $34M in the North America in 2022 and opened to a similar eighteen million dollars stateside. The new film's opening frame is in line with that marker, while its $108 million global gross presently stands a bit short of that movie's $166.6 million final run. While it is improbable this Chainsaw Man film will match the numbers of mega hit the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, this is still a huge win for the distributor.
Promotional Campaigns Boost Performance
Sony and its subsidiary Crunchyroll have successfully utilized fan engagement to propel their dominance at the anime box office. The movie's marketing campaign kicked off at Anime Expo Los Angeles in summer with a MAPPA panel, exclusive activations, and Pochita photo ops, then continued with a major presence at the New York Comic Con featuring behind-the-scenes footage, fan raffles, and additional MAPPA panels. Moreover, organizers held an exclusive fan screening for general audiences and influencers alike after the final day of the gathering.
Looking Ahead
2025 is a major time for animated films, and for Sony, which has another animated movie releasing this year in the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in the month of November.
