LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle” carved out a spot in box-office history, skyrocketing to No. 1 and surpassing the horror sequel “The Conjuring: Last Rites.”
The Crunchyroll release, under Sony’s wing, far exceeded expectations with an impressive $70 million debut in North America, based on Sunday estimates from Comscore. This feat sets a new record for the largest domestic opening for an anime film, outdoing “Pokémon: The First Movie,” which earned $31 million during its 1999 debut.
The film continued its remarkable performance, securing the most significant anime opening yet with a $132.1 million weekend, according to Comscore. Crunchyroll and Sony launched it across North America and 49 international territories, bringing the global earnings to $177.8 million.
“This film’s success shows the unpredictability of the box office,” noted Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “If just a few weeks ago someone suggested a Japanese anime film would top the box office and rake in $70 million, it would have sounded unlikely. Kudos to those who foresaw this result.”
This movie is the inaugural installment of a three-part cinematic saga leading the popular Shonen series to its thrilling climax. The tale follows Tanjiro Kamado, a compassionate boy who learns swordsmanship after his family’s massacre and his sister, Nezuko’s transformation into a demon. Together, they battle a shadowy realm of monstrous adversaries, all while striving to maintain their humanity.
The “Infinity Castle” debut originates from the esteemed studio Ufotable, whose stunning visuals and high-speed fight scenes have propelled the franchise into a global powerhouse and phenomenon.
The film’s domination also points to a September rebound after a sluggish August. Warner Bros.’ “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” which opened to $83 million last weekend, slipped to second with $26 million.
The horror sequel has now scared up $131 million domestically.
“This shows that two months of down trending box office can be totally reversed over the course of a couple of weekends,” Dergarabedian said.
Focus Features’ “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” opened in third with $18.1 million. Set in the 1930s, the film finds Lady Mary embroiled in a public scandal as the Crawleys confront financial strain and the looming threat of social disgrace. While the aristocratic family adapts to change, the household staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton into the future.
In fourth place, Lionsgate’s “The Long Walk” debuted with $11.5 million. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the adaptation of Stephen King’s first-written novel is a thriller that asks a chilling question: “How far would you go to survive?”
Pixar’s “Toy Story (30th Anniversary)” brought Buzz, Woody and the gang back to the big screen, opening in fifth with $3.5 million across 2,375 theaters. Warner Bros.’ “Weapons” followed in sixth with $2.75 million, while Disney’s filmed musical “Hamilton” landed seventh with $2.2 million. “Freakier Friday” claimed eighth with $2.1 million.
Rounding out the top 10: “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” debuted with $1.6 million, narrowly edging “The Sound of Music (60th Anniversary),” which sang up $1.4 million.
Dergarabedian said he expects more September good fortunes with the release of Jordan Peele’s horror film “HIM” next week and Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” coming out this month.
“September, after a very modest month of August, is proving to be an absolutely fantastic post-summer month for movies and for audiences and for movie theaters,” he said.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:
1. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle” $70 million
2. “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” $26 million.
3. “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” $18.1 million.
4. “The Long Walk,” $11.5 million.
5. ““Toy Story (30th Anniversary),” $3.5 million.
6. “Weapons,” $2.75 million.
7. “Hamilton,” $2.2 million.
8. “Freakier Friday,” $2.1 million.
9. ““Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” $1.6 million.
10. “The Sound of Music (60th Anniversary),” $1.4 million.
