Sony's Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle has defied expectations, delivering the studio's biggest opening weekend of 2025 and surpassing many of last year's blockbusters. Industry estimates project a phenomenal $56M-$60M opening, potentially even reaching $70M, significantly outperforming Sony's previous releases like 28 Years Later and even last year's Venom: Let There Be Carnage. This success is all the more remarkable given the relatively modest marketing campaign, highlighting Crunchyroll's ability to effectively target its dedicated fanbase. The film's strong performance reflects both the fervent anticipation surrounding this pivotal chapter in the Demon Slayer saga, often compared to 'The Empire Strikes Back' in its importance to the overall narrative, and the film's exceptional quality. Audiences responded with an A CinemaScore, the highest rating for any Demon Slayer film to date. This impressive box office showing isn't limited to the US either. The film has also broken local opening records for anime films internationally, accumulating a reported $350M in foreign markets. The demographic breakdown reveals a strong showing across various groups, with significant participation from Hispanic and Latino audiences (37%) and a notable male skew (57%). The film's success is also notable given its strong performance in premium large format screens (PLFs and IMAX), accounting for a substantial 44% of the opening weekend's revenue. This success stands in stark contrast to other films released this weekend. Lionsgate's The Long Walk, while garnering a positive audience reaction, underperformed, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the box office and the power of proven franchises like Demon Slayer in capturing audience attention. Meanwhile, Focus Features' Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale performed well, exceeding the previous installment's opening, demonstrating the effectiveness of targeted counter-programming. The weekend's overall box office performance suggests a significant rebound compared to the same period last year, underscoring the enduring appeal of cinema in the current landscape and the remarkable power of a well-loved anime franchise.
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Originally published at: https://deadline.com/2025/09/box-office-demon-slayer-infinity-castle-conjuring-1236529652/
