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[Image: Natsuki Hanae and Channing Tatum]
Digital Phablet – Record-Breaking Success for Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Infinity Castle has set new box office records. The film earned $33 million on its opening day across 3,315 theaters, reinstating anime’s dominance in the industry. This represents the largest domestic opening day gross ever for an anime film, outpacing 2022’s $10.9 million debut of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Moreover, it achieved the highest opening weekend for an anime, surpassing Pokémon: The First Movie—Mewtwo Strikes Back’s $31 million from 1999 (noting that Mewtwo’s release started on a Wednesday with a two-day run).
As the first installment in a trilogy, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is available in both subtitled and dubbed formats, with higher earnings from premium large-format theaters. In IMAX screenings alone, the movie drew $6.4 million on Friday. Audiences have responded enthusiastically, awarding it an “A” CinemaScore. Currently, the film has amassed over $279 million worldwide, including $200 million from Japan, making it the third-highest grossing movie in the United States eight weeks after release.
The film continues to top the charts internationally and domestically, still holding the No. 1 spot. Early viewers have shown strong support, further elevating anime’s recent achievements.
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While Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle dominates the weekend box office, several other major films have also debuted. Universal’s Focus Features released Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which earned $8.8 million from 3,694 theaters on opening day, with projections reaching $19.5 million for the weekend — up from the $16 million opening of Downton Abbey: A New Era in 2022. The audience received it well, giving it an “A” CinemaScore.
Lionsgate launched The Long Walk, a dark adaptation of Stephen King’s story, which made $4.76 million on Friday across 2,845 theaters. It is expected to open with over $11 million, a promising start considering its $20 million production budget. Critics have responded favorably, and viewers awarded it a “B” CinemaScore.
In other notable releases, Warner Bros. and New Line’s The Conjuring: Last Rites grossed $8.4 million on Friday, dropping 67% from the previous week, with total earnings of $113 million after just over a week. Disney re-released Toy Story in theaters for its 30th anniversary, earning $1.1 million from 2,375 cinemas and potentially rounding out the top five.
Meanwhile, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues opened with $820,000 over the weekend, with limited previews, and may struggle to crack the top ten. This sequel, distributed by Bleecker Street, reunites Rob Reiner with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer to parody modern farewell tours of rock legends. Critics have largely responded positively, and audiences gave it an “A-.”
[Twitter Post: DiscussingFilm]
“Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” nets the biggest domestic opening day for an anime film ever, pulling in $33M.
In summary, while Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle was the main highlight, theaters are also screening numerous other new releases, including Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, The Long Walk, and Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Each contributes to a dynamic box office landscape, with expectations high for the upcoming weekend’s performance.
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