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Can Sony claim to have done it again? Following the triumph of the hit anime Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which brought in over $600 million globally, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has surpassed the hundred-million-dollar threshold globally, attaining a worldwide gross of $108 million this weekend. This feature beat out the horror sequel Black Phone 2 ($12.9 million) in its second week in cinemas, as well as the music documentary Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere with the talented Jeremy Allen White ($9M).

Impressive American and Global Performance

The work of director Tatsuya Yoshihara, the film is a immediate sequel of the initial season of Chainsaw Man. It earned $18.2 million in North America after a robust $5.2 million Saturday box office and $4.5 million Sunday performance. Overseas, the produced by MAPPA film grossed nearly $15 million across 46 global regions, pushing its worldwide total to over $60 million via Sony ($43.1 million overseas, $18.2 million stateside). Official totals are still pending from Sony its final earnings figure.

Benchmarks to Previous Anime Hits

Anime marketing agency White Box Entertainment noted in prior discussions, drawing parallels between the feature's anticipated earnings to the popular film Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which grossed $34M in the domestic market in 2022 and opened to a nearly identical $18 million in the U.S.. This movie's first weekend matches that marker, while its $108M international sum presently stands a bit short of Jujutsu Kaisen 0’s over $166 million overall box office. Although it’s unlikely this Chainsaw Man film will achieve the box office of mega hit the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, this is still a huge win for the studio.

Promotional Strategies Boost Performance

Along with its affiliate Crunchyroll have successfully utilized community involvement to propel their dominance at the cinema for anime films. The Reze Arc marketing campaign kicked off at the Anime Expo in LA in summer with a discussion featuring MAPPA, unique experiences, and photo opportunities with Pochita, followed by a notable appearance at New York Comic Con showcasing behind-the-scenes footage, audience giveaways, and additional MAPPA panels. Additionally, there was an exclusive fan screening for moviegoers and content creators as well after the last day of the convention.

What’s Next

This year marks a significant period for animated films, and for the company, which has an additional feature-length anime releasing this year in the film Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in late this year.