Chainsaw Man Leads the U.S. Cinema Earnings in Debut Weekend
Did Sony done it again? Coming after the triumph of the blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which grossed more than $600 million worldwide, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has surpassed the hundred-million-dollar threshold internationally, attaining a international earnings of $108 million during its debut. This movie outperformed the thriller Black Phone 2 (almost $13 million) in its second weekend in cinemas, as well as Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere with actor Jeremy Allen White ($9 million).
Strong Domestic and Worldwide Performance
The work of Tatsuya Yoshihara, the feature is a immediate sequel of the initial season of Chainsaw Man. It brought in over $18 million domestically after a strong five-point-two-million-dollar Saturday and $4.5 million Sunday. Globally, the animated by MAPPA feature added nearly $15 million across 46 Sony markets, bringing its global earnings to $60.4M under Sony ($43.1M international, $18.2 million domestic). Sony has yet to announce its final earnings figure.
Benchmarks to Previous Blockbuster Anime Movies
Promotional firm an industry expert previously spoke, drawing parallels between the film’s projected performance to the anime hit Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which made $34 million in the domestic market in 2022 and started with a nearly identical $18M stateside. The new film's opening frame aligns with that benchmark, while its $108M international sum is now positioned slightly below the earlier film's $166.6 million total earnings. Even if it doesn't seem possible this Chainsaw Man film will earn the numbers of mega hit the enormous hit Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, this is still a major victory for the distributor.
Marketing Campaigns Drive Performance
The studio and its partner Crunchyroll have successfully utilized community involvement to boost their leadership at the animated movie market. The movie's promotional efforts began at the Los Angeles Anime Expo in July with a discussion featuring MAPPA, exclusive activations, and photo opportunities with Pochita, then continued with a notable appearance at New York Comic Con including behind-the-scenes footage, lotteries for fans, and further MAPPA discussions. There was even an private showing for enthusiasts for the public and influencers alike after the last day of the event.
Looking Ahead
2025 stands as a big year for anime, and for the company, which has another animated movie premiering this year in the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in the month of November.
