The global box office enjoyed another surprise boost in September as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle stormed cinemas with a record-breaking debut.
Sony-owned Crunchyroll released the Japanese anime sequel across 3,315 theatres in the United States and Canada, where it grossed $70 mln, including $33 mln on Friday alone. This makes it the biggest North American opening ever for an anime title, Sony’s strongest launch in recent memory and the largest September animated debut on record.
Internationally, the film brought in $49 mln from 49 additional markets, giving it a weekend global total of $132.1 mln and pushing worldwide earnings to over $400 mln. Crunchyroll’s share now stands at $177.8 mln.
Analysts had expected a $35–40 mln domestic opening, with some suggesting $50 mln was possible. Instead, the film far exceeded forecasts, reflecting the growing appetite for anime among U.S. audiences. The release skewed male, with 57% of ticket buyers aged between 18 and 34.
Infinity Castle is the first instalment in a three-part trilogy adapting the final arc of Koyoharu Gotouge’s bestselling manga, directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by Ufotable. Regular voice actors including Natsuki Hanae (Tanjiro) and Akari Kitō (Nezuko) return as the Demon Slayer Corps face their climactic battle against Muzan Kibutsuji.
The film has already crossed $200 mln in Japan and has delivered record results for Imax both there and in North America, where premium large-format screenings accounted for 44% of grosses.
