Marlon Wayans Roasts Anime After Demon Slayer Beats His New Movie at Box Office

Marlon Wayans expressed his frustration after his latest movie, Him, was outperformed by the anime blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle at the box office.

In a recent interview, Wayans joked about the situation, saying, “Can I say it? F*** anime! We came at number two! Him first! F*** anime! I was up against it, Him came out that same week against whatever it was… Demon Slayer! I want to wax your beard off your face!”

His co-star Tyriq Withers quickly stepped in, reminding him, “You can’t disrespect anime.”

Wayans’ comments were made in jest, but the numbers show just how dominant Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has been.

The film shattered records in Japan, earning ¥1.64 billion (about $11.1 million) on its first day with 1.15 million admissions, the highest opening day ever there. By the third day, it had made ¥2.03 billion ($13.8 million), setting a new single-day revenue record, and its first three-day total hit ¥5.52 billion ($37.4 million), marking the biggest opening weekend in Japanese cinema history.

Within eight days, it crossed 10 billion yen (around $71 million), breaking the previous speed record set by Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. The anime also performed strongly in the U.S., grossing $70 million during its opening weekend—the biggest ever for an international film and for an R-rated animated movie.

Him, meanwhile, debuted in Mexico on September 18, and in the U.S. on September 19 via Universal Pictures. The film earned $6.5 million on its first day, including $2 million from Thursday previews, and finished its opening weekend with $13.5 million, placing second behind Demon Slayer.

Despite its strong marketing push, Him received generally negative reviews from critics and has grossed just $23 million worldwide, with $22 million from the U.S. and Canada and roughly $479,000 internationally.

There can only be one. #HimMovie is only in theaters September 19. pic.twitter.com/aFqUTu9txB

— HIM (@himmovie) June 17, 2025

While Him faced stiff competition, the success of Demon Slayer highlights the growing global influence of anime, which is now surpassing major Hollywood blockbusters like Superman and Fantastic Four in terms of worldwide performance.

This situation shows just how powerful anime has become at the global box office. Even established actors like Marlon Wayans face challenges when going up against franchises with massive international fanbases. It will be interesting to see how Hollywood adapts to this trend in the coming years.

What do you think about Demon Slayer dominating over Hollywood films like Him? Share your thoughts in the comments.