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Can Sony claim to have repeated their success? Following the triumph of the blockbuster Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which brought in more than $600 million globally, the new movie Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has reached beyond the $100M threshold internationally, hitting a worldwide gross of $108 million during its debut. The film beat out the thriller Black Phone 2 (almost $13 million) in its sophomore frame in movie houses, as well as the film Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere with the talented Jeremy Allen White (nine million dollars).

Strong American and Global Earnings

Helmed by filmmaker Tatsuya Yoshihara, the feature is a straightforward follow-up of the debut season of the Chainsaw Man series. It grossed $18.2M in North America after a powerful $5.2 million Saturday earnings and $4.5M Sunday. Internationally, the MAPPA-produced movie added nearly $15 million across 46 global regions, bringing its global earnings to $60.4M through Sony distribution ($43.1M overseas, $18.2M domestic). The studio has not yet revealed its final earnings figure.

Comparisons to Past Anime Hits

Specialist agency a leading anime marketing group noted in prior discussions, drawing parallels between the film’s projected performance to the anime hit Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which grossed $34M in the U.S. and Canada in 2022 and started with a nearly identical $18 million domestically. The new film's first weekend aligns with that standard, while its hundred-and-eight-million-dollar international sum currently tracks slightly below Jujutsu Kaisen 0’s $166.6M overall box office. While it is improbable the Reze Arc movie will achieve the earnings seen by smash success the enormous hit Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, nonetheless, it is a huge win for the distributor.

Marketing Strategies Boost Box Office Dominance

Along with its affiliate the anime streaming service Crunchyroll have skillfully used fan engagement to propel their leadership at the cinema for anime films. The movie's promotional efforts kicked off at Anime Expo Los Angeles in July with a discussion featuring MAPPA, special events, and Pochita photo ops, and later included a notable appearance at the New York Comic Con showcasing behind-the-scenes footage, lotteries for fans, and more MAPPA sessions. There was even an private showing for enthusiasts for general audiences and popular figures too after the last day of the event.

Looking Ahead

2025 is a big year for anime, and for the studio, which has another animated movie premiering in the coming months in Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in late this year.