The Chainsaw Man Film Tops Domestic Box Office in Opening Weekend
Has Sony done it again? Coming after the success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which grossed more than $600 million globally, the new movie Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has officially crossed the hundred-million-dollar milestone globally, reaching a worldwide gross of $108M this weekend. This feature outperformed Black Phone 2 ($12.9 million) in its second week in theaters, as well as Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere starring actor Jeremy Allen White (nine million dollars).
Impressive U.S. and Global Earnings
Directed by director Tatsuya Yoshihara, the feature is a direct continuation of Chainsaw Man’s first season. It earned $18.2 million in the U.S. after a powerful $5.2 million Saturday and $4.5M Sunday take. Overseas, the animated by MAPPA feature added nearly $15 million across 46 Sony markets, resulting in a global sum of $60.4 million under Sony ($43.1 million international, $18.2 million in the U.S.). The studio has not yet revealed its complete box office tally.
Comparisons to Other Anime Hits
Anime marketing agency an industry expert previously spoke, comparing the film’s projected performance to the popular film Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which made $34M in the domestic market in the year 2022 and debuted with a comparable $18 million domestically. This movie's first weekend aligns with that benchmark, while its $108M global gross presently stands slightly below the earlier film's $166.6 million final run. While it is improbable Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc will match the numbers of mega hit the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, it remains a major victory for Sony.
Promotional Efforts Boost Box Office Dominance
Sony and its subsidiary Crunchyroll have successfully utilized fan engagement to drive their dominance at the anime box office. This film's marketing campaign launched at the Los Angeles Anime Expo in July with a MAPPA presentation, exclusive activations, and Pochita photo ops, then continued with a major presence at NYCC including never-before-seen content, lotteries for fans, and additional MAPPA panels. Moreover, organizers held an special preview for fans for moviegoers and influencers alike after the last day of the convention.
What’s Next
2025 is a significant period for animated films, and for the studio, which has another feature-length anime releasing in the coming months in the film Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in November.
