Talk about an unexpected September bloom at the box office that continues this weekend with a cornucopia of new offerings, led by the record-smashing U.S. debut of the Japanese anime sequel Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – the Movie Infinity Castle.
Heading into the weekend, tracking suggested the Demon Slayer would open to $35 million to $40 million; others thought $50 million was far more likely.
Directed by Haruo Sotozaki, Infinity Castle adapts the final arc of Koyoharu Gotouge’s best-selling manga series.
Voice cast regulars Natsuki Hanae (Tanjiro), Akari Kitō (Nezuko), Hiro Shimono (Zenitsu) and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Inosuke) return as the Demon Slayer Corps embarks on a climactic assault against the demon king Muzan Kibutsuji.
Demon Slayer and Grand Finale each received an A.
Talk about the box office’s unexpected September bloom, which continues this weekend with a plethora of new releases, including the record-breaking U. A. Infinity Castle, the Japanese anime sequel to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, makes its debut. The film is being handled by Crunchyroll, which is owned by Sony.
The film is expected to have the highest opening ever for an anime film at the North American box office with a weekend haul of anywhere between $56 million and $65 million, based on a massive $33 million Friday haul that included $11.4 million in previews (Sony is sticking with the lower figure, being cautious).
Before the weekend, some predicted that the Demon Slayer would open for $35–40 million, while others believed that $50 million was much more likely. Now, after being embraced by both audiences and critics, it’s ranking even higher.
The first feature film in the three-part cinematic trilogy, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, depicts the decisive battle of the wildly successful and critically acclaimed anime shonen series from renowned animation studio Ufotable.
In Japan, where it made its premiere in July, the movie has also done incredibly well. To date, it has amassed almost $280 million worldwide.
The last arc of Koyoharu Gotouge’s best-selling manga series is adapted in Infinity Castle, which was directed by Haruo Sotozaki. As the Demon Slayer Corps launches a final attack against the demon king Muzan Kibutsuji, voice cast regulars Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Inosuke), Akari Kitō (Nezuko), Hiro Shimono (Zenitsu), and Natsuki Hanae (Tanjiro) make a comeback. A division of the Sony Group called Aniplex contributed to the movie’s funding. With Imax releases scheduled in more than 40 countries worldwide, Toho, Aniplex, and Crunchyroll handle international distribution.
For Imax Japan, the movie also achieved historic results; the same is true for Imax theaters in North America.
Warner Bros. and New Line’s The Conjuring: Last Rites is undoubtedly vying for younger audiences with Demon Slayer, dropping to second place in its second weekend. The record-breaking film is expected to earn between $26 million and $27 million.
With a $19 million or higher debut, the final big-screen version of the adored British series Downton Abbey is expected to place third. The audience and positive reviews for Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale are also helping the show.
With an estimated $11 million to $12 million, Lionsgate’s dystopian film The Long Walk, which is based on a Stephen King novel, is starting the day in fourth place. Unusually for the genre, the film received a B+ CinemaScore. Grand Finale received an A, as did Demon Slayer.
Pixar’s groundbreaking animated film Toy Story is celebrating its 30th anniversary this weekend with a successful rerelease from Disney. With a respectable $3.2 million to $3.8 million, the picture appears to complete the top five.
