‘Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’ Breaks Box Office Records in Multiple Markets with Extraordinary Debut

Anime fans are celebrating as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie Infinity Castle opened to a record-breaking $70 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend.

The movie played in 3,315 theaters, including a massive $33 million earned on Friday alone. According to Crunchyroll, which is distributing the film in North America and several international markets, this marks the highest opening ever for an anime film in the U.S.

“The turnout has been incredible,” a Crunchyroll spokesperson said. “Fans of the series really showed up, and it’s amazing to see the movie breaking records across multiple markets.”

The movie also set new records for Sony and Crunchyroll, becoming the top opening of the year for an animated film in North America and the biggest September animated debut of all time, not adjusted for inflation.

Overseas, the film earned $49 million in 49 additional markets, bringing its global weekend total to $132.1 million. The worldwide gross has now surpassed $400 million, with Crunchyroll’s share reaching $177.8 million.

The film’s audience in the U.S. skewed mostly male, with 57 percent of ticket buyers in the 18 to 34 age range. Analysts had predicted an opening between $35 million and $50 million, but the movie far exceeded expectations. Its success reflects the growing popularity of anime in North America and the positive response from both critics and fans.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is the first film in a three-part trilogy that adapts the final story arc of Koyoharu Gotouge’s best-selling manga. Produced by the renowned animation studio Ufotable, the movie features the return of voice actors Natsuki Hanae as Tanjiro, Akari Kitō as Nezuko, Hiro Shimono as Zenitsu, and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Inosuke.

The story follows the Demon Slayer Corps as they face off against the demon king Muzan Kibutsuji. The film is co-financed by Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony, and distributed internationally by Toho, Aniplex, and Crunchyroll. It is also being released in Imax in over 40 territories worldwide, with both Japanese and North American Imax screens reporting record numbers. Premium large-format screens accounted for 44 percent of the total U.S. opening weekend gross.

In Japan, the movie debuted in July and has already earned more than $200 million, showing strong global demand for the series. The success of Infinity Castle comes after a slow August for theaters in the U.S., with box office numbers bouncing back thanks to new releases and the strong anime audience.

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