Can Sony claim to have done it again? Following the box office performance of the blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which earned more than $600 million at the box office, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has surpassed the $100M mark internationally, attaining a international earnings of over $108 million this weekend. This movie outperformed the thriller Black Phone 2 ($12.9 million) in its sophomore frame in cinemas, as well as the music documentary Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere with Jeremy Allen White ($9M).
Strong American 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 brought in $18.2M in the U.S. after a powerful $5.2 million Saturday earnings and $4.5 million Sunday take. Overseas, the animated by MAPPA film grossed nearly $15 million across 46 international territories, bringing its global earnings to $60.4 million through Sony distribution ($43.1 million abroad, $18.2 million domestic). Official totals are still pending from Sony its official box office total.
Comparisons to Past Successful Anime Films
Promotional firm White Box Entertainment previously spoke, contrasting the film’s projected performance to the popular film Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which grossed $34 million in the North America in the year 2022 and debuted with a nearly identical $18 million domestically. The new film's debut weekend aligns with that standard, while its hundred-and-eight-million-dollar international sum presently stands just behind the earlier film's over $166 million final run. Although it’s unlikely this Chainsaw Man film will earn the box office of mega hit the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, it remains a significant success for the distributor.
Promotional Strategies Fuel Success
Sony and its subsidiary Crunchyroll have successfully utilized audience interaction to boost their leadership at the cinema for anime films. The movie's marketing campaign kicked off at the Anime Expo in LA in the month of July with a discussion featuring MAPPA, exclusive activations, and photo opportunities with Pochita, followed by a major presence at NYCC showcasing behind-the-scenes footage, lotteries for fans, and additional MAPPA panels. Moreover, organizers held an special preview for fans for general audiences and influencers alike after the final day of the convention.
Future Prospects
2025 is a major time for anime, and for the company, which has another anime film releasing in the coming months in the film Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in November.
