Did Sony done it again? In the wake of the triumph of the blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which grossed over $600 million globally, the latest Chainsaw Man film has surpassed the $100M threshold internationally, reaching a worldwide gross of $108 million this weekend. This movie outperformed Black Phone 2 ($12.9M) in its second weekend in cinemas, as well as the music documentary Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere starring Jeremy Allen White ($9 million).
Impressive American and Worldwide Performance
The work of filmmaker Tatsuya Yoshihara, the movie is a direct continuation of the debut season of the Chainsaw Man series. It grossed $18.2M in the U.S. after a strong $5.2 million Saturday earnings and four-point-five-million-dollar Sunday performance. Internationally, the animated by MAPPA film grossed $14.7 million across 46 international territories, resulting in a global sum of $60.4M via Sony (over $43 million overseas, $18.2 million in the U.S.). The studio has not yet revealed its complete box office tally.
Parallels to Previous Blockbuster Anime Movies
Anime marketing agency an industry expert previously spoke, contrasting the feature's anticipated earnings to the popular film Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which earned $34 million in the domestic market in 2022 and opened to a nearly identical $18M in the U.S.. Reze Arc’s first weekend aligns with that standard, while its hundred-and-eight-million-dollar worldwide total is now positioned a bit short of Jujutsu Kaisen 0’s $166.6 million total earnings. Although it’s unlikely the Reze Arc movie will match the earnings seen by blockbuster the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, it remains a huge win for Sony.
Marketing Campaigns Boost Success
Along with its affiliate Crunchyroll have successfully utilized fan engagement to drive their leadership at the anime box office. The movie's marketing campaign kicked off at the Los Angeles Anime Expo in July with a discussion featuring MAPPA, unique experiences, and photo opportunities with Pochita, and later included a major presence at the New York Comic Con showcasing exclusive clips, fan raffles, and additional MAPPA panels. There was even an special preview for fans for moviegoers and popular figures too after the final day of the event.
What’s Next
2025 stands as a big year for Japanese animation, and for the company, which has an additional anime film debuting this year in the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in late this year.