The Reze Arc Movie Tops American Box Office in First Weekend
Did Sony repeated their success? Coming after the triumph of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which grossed over $600 million worldwide, the latest Chainsaw Man film has surpassed the $100 million mark globally, reaching a worldwide gross of $108M in its opening frame. The film surpassed Black Phone 2 (almost $13 million) in its sophomore frame in cinemas, as well as Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere featuring the talented Jeremy Allen White (nine million dollars).
Strong Domestic and Worldwide Results
Directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, the film is a direct continuation of Chainsaw Man’s first season. It brought in over $18 million in North America after a strong $5.2 million Saturday and $4.5M Sunday take. Globally, the MAPPA-produced movie earned $14.7 million across 46 international territories, pushing its worldwide total to $60.4 million under Sony ($43.1 million abroad, $18.2 million in the U.S.). Sony has yet to announce its final earnings figure.
Comparisons to Other Successful Anime Films
Promotional firm White Box Entertainment previously spoke, drawing parallels between the movie's expected results to the anime hit Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which earned $34 million in the North America in 2022 and started with a similar $18 million in the U.S.. This movie's first weekend matches that marker, while its $108M worldwide total presently stands just behind that movie's over $166 million final run. Although it’s unlikely this Chainsaw Man film will match the box office of mega hit the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, this is still a major victory for the studio.
Marketing Strategies Fuel Success
Sony and its subsidiary Crunchyroll have effectively leveraged audience interaction to drive their leadership at the cinema for anime films. The movie's marketing campaign began at the Los Angeles Anime Expo in summer with a MAPPA panel, exclusive activations, and Pochita photo ops, and later included a significant involvement at New York Comic Con including behind-the-scenes footage, lotteries for fans, and more MAPPA sessions. Additionally, there was an special preview for fans for the public and influencers alike after the concluding day of the event.
Looking Ahead
2025 is a big year for animated films, and for Sony, which has another feature-length anime debuting this year in the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in November.
