Chainsaw Man Tops Domestic Cinema Earnings in Opening Weekend

Can Sony claim to have done it again? Following the triumph of the blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which grossed in excess of $600 million worldwide, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has officially crossed the $100 million milestone globally, reaching a global total of $108M in its opening frame. This feature beat out the thriller Black Phone 2 (almost $13 million) in its second week in movie houses, as well as the film Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere starring actor Jeremy Allen White ($9M).

Notable American and Global Results

Helmed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, the film is a straightforward follow-up of the debut season of the Chainsaw Man series. It earned $18.2 million domestically after a robust five-point-two-million-dollar Saturday box office and four-point-five-million-dollar Sunday. Overseas, the animated by MAPPA feature grossed nearly $15 million across 46 international territories, bringing its global earnings to over $60 million under Sony ($43.1M abroad, $18.2M stateside). Official totals are still pending from Sony its final earnings figure.

Parallels to Past Blockbuster Anime Movies

Anime marketing agency an industry expert had earlier commented, comparing the feature's anticipated earnings to Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which grossed $34 million in the North America in 2022 and started with a nearly identical $18 million domestically. This movie's first weekend matches that marker, while its $108 million international sum presently stands a bit short of Jujutsu Kaisen 0’s $166.6M overall box office. Although it’s unlikely this Chainsaw Man film will earn the box office of smash success the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, it remains a huge win for the distributor.

Marketing Strategies Drive Performance

Sony and its subsidiary Crunchyroll have effectively leveraged community involvement to boost their leadership at the animated movie market. The Reze Arc advertising push began at the Anime Expo in LA in the month of July with a MAPPA panel, special events, and photo opportunities with Pochita, and later included a significant involvement at the New York Comic Con featuring behind-the-scenes footage, fan raffles, and more MAPPA sessions. Moreover, organizers held an exclusive fan screening for general audiences and influencers alike after the concluding day of the gathering.

Looking Ahead

2025 is a significant period for anime, and for Sony, which has another feature-length anime premiering in the coming months in the film Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in late this year.