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Can Sony claim to have repeated their success? Coming after the box office performance of the hit anime Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which grossed in excess of $600 million worldwide, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has surpassed the hundred-million-dollar milestone worldwide, hitting a international earnings of $108M during its debut. This feature outperformed the horror sequel Black Phone 2 ($12.9 million) in its second weekend in cinemas, as well as the film Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere with the talented Jeremy Allen White ($9 million).

Strong U.S. and International Performance

Helmed by filmmaker Tatsuya Yoshihara, the feature is a straightforward follow-up of Chainsaw Man’s first season. It earned over $18 million in North America after a powerful $5.2M Saturday earnings and $4.5M Sunday take. Overseas, the MAPPA-produced movie earned $14.7 million across 46 global regions, bringing its global earnings to over $60 million via Sony (over $43 million international, $18.2M stateside). Sony has yet to announce its complete box office tally.

Comparisons to Other Anime Hits

Specialist agency an industry expert previously spoke, drawing parallels between the movie's expected results to the anime hit Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which made $34 million in the domestic market in 2022 and debuted with a comparable $18M in the U.S.. The new film's debut weekend is in line with that standard, while its $108 million international sum currently tracks just behind Jujutsu Kaisen 0’s over $166 million total earnings. Even if it doesn't seem possible Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc will match the numbers of blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, it remains a major victory for the distributor.

Fan Engagement Campaigns Drive Box Office Dominance

Sony and its subsidiary Crunchyroll have effectively leveraged fan engagement to propel their supremacy at the cinema for anime films. This film's advertising push launched at the Anime Expo in LA in summer with a MAPPA panel, exclusive activations, and Pochita-themed pictures, then continued with a notable appearance at New York Comic Con showcasing never-before-seen content, fan raffles, and further MAPPA discussions. There was even an private showing for enthusiasts for moviegoers and popular figures too after the concluding day of the event.

Future Prospects

This year marks a big year for anime, and for the company, which has an additional animated movie releasing in the coming months in the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in the month of November.