🔗 Share this article

Has Sony done it again? Coming after the box office performance of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which earned over $600 million worldwide, the new movie Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has reached beyond the $100 million mark worldwide, hitting a global total of $108 million this weekend. This movie outperformed Black Phone 2 ($12.9M) in its second weekend in movie houses, as well as the film Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere featuring the talented Jeremy Allen White ($9M).

Impressive American and International Results

Helmed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, the film is a immediate sequel of the debut season of the Chainsaw Man series. It grossed over $18 million domestically after a robust $5.2M Saturday earnings and four-point-five-million-dollar Sunday. Overseas, the produced by MAPPA film added nearly $15 million across 46 Sony markets, resulting in a global sum of $60.4 million under Sony ($43.1 million abroad, $18.2 million in the U.S.). Sony has yet to announce its final earnings figure.

Benchmarks to Other Successful Anime Films

Anime marketing agency an industry expert previously spoke, comparing the movie's expected results to the popular film Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which made $34M in the North America in the year 2022 and opened to a nearly identical $18 million stateside. Reze Arc’s debut weekend matches that marker, while its $108M international sum is now positioned a bit short of that movie's $166.6 million overall box office. Although it’s unlikely Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc will achieve the box office of blockbuster the record-breaking Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, nonetheless, it is a huge win for the distributor.

Promotional Campaigns Fuel Box Office Dominance

Sony and its subsidiary Crunchyroll have effectively leveraged fan engagement to drive their leadership at the cinema for anime films. This film's marketing campaign kicked off at Anime Expo Los Angeles in summer with a MAPPA presentation, special events, and Pochita-themed pictures, followed by a significant involvement at New York Comic Con featuring exclusive clips, lotteries for fans, and more MAPPA sessions. There was even an private showing for enthusiasts for the public and popular figures too after the last day of the event.

Looking Ahead

This year marks a significant period for animated films, and for Sony, which has another animated movie debuting in the coming months in the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in November.