Chainsaw Man Dominates Domestic Cinema Earnings in First Weekend
Has Sony achieved another hit? Coming after the triumph of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which grossed more than $600 million worldwide, the latest Chainsaw Man film has officially crossed the $100 million mark globally, attaining a worldwide gross of $108 million during its debut. This movie surpassed the horror sequel Black Phone 2 (almost $13 million) in its second week in cinemas, as well as the music documentary Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere starring actor Jeremy Allen White ($9M).
Strong U.S. and International Earnings
The work of director Tatsuya Yoshihara, the feature is a direct continuation of the debut season of the Chainsaw Man series. It grossed $18.2M domestically after a powerful $5.2 million Saturday and $4.5 million Sunday take. Globally, the MAPPA-produced feature earned $14.7 million across 46 global regions, bringing its global earnings to $60.4 million through Sony distribution ($43.1M overseas, $18.2 million stateside). Sony has yet to announce its official box office total.
Parallels to Past Anime Hits
Anime marketing agency a leading anime marketing group previously spoke, comparing the feature's anticipated earnings to the anime hit Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which made $34 million in the domestic market in the year 2022 and debuted with a nearly identical $18 million domestically. Reze Arc’s opening frame aligns with that marker, while its hundred-and-eight-million-dollar international sum presently stands a bit short of that movie's $166.6M total earnings. Although it’s unlikely this Chainsaw Man film will achieve the earnings seen by blockbuster the enormous hit Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, nonetheless, it is a huge win for Sony.
Fan Engagement Efforts Drive Box Office Dominance
Along with its affiliate the anime streaming service Crunchyroll have skillfully used community involvement to propel their dominance at the anime box office. This film's advertising push launched at Anime Expo Los Angeles in July with a MAPPA panel, special events, and photo opportunities with Pochita, and later included a notable appearance at NYCC featuring behind-the-scenes footage, fan raffles, and additional MAPPA panels. There was even an private showing for enthusiasts for the public and influencers alike after the last day of the convention.
Looking Ahead
2025 stands as a big year for anime, and for Sony, which has one more anime film releasing in the coming months in the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in late this year.