Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Surpasses Box Office Expectations
The hype surrounding the animated film, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle – Akaza Sairai,” is nothing short of monumental. Variety recently highlighted the significant achievements of this highly anticipated anime feature, which has captured the imagination of audiences worldwide.
In a stunning display of its box office prowess, the film collected approximately $33 million in its opening weekend. This grand total includes $11.4 million from Thursday preview screenings alone. The film, which hit theaters in 3,315 locations across the United States, immediately claimed the top spot at the box office.
Breaking records, “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle – Akaza Sairai” surpassed the previous milestone set by “Pokรฉmon: The First Movie” nearly 26 years ago. In 1999, “Pocket Monsters: Mewtwo Strikes Back” made waves with a $31 million opening weekend. Additionally, this latest installment in the Demon Slayer saga has blasted past the 2022 record set by “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero,” which earned $10 million on its combined preview and opening-day screenings.
As of now, the film has amassed nearly $315 million in total worldwide earnings, demonstrating its potent appeal across various markets. Compared to its predecessor, “Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train,” which raked in $9.5 million on its first day in the U.S., this new entry is swiftly outpacing expectations.
Aniplex, Crunchyroll, and Sony Pictures Entertainment began screening the film in theaters nationwide, covering IMAX and other premium large-screen formats. Both the original Japanese language track with English subtitles and an English dub are available, enhancing accessibility for a broader audience.
Crafter with high-profile talent in its English dub, the film features Channing Tatum as Keizo and Rebecca Wang as Koyuki. This star-studded cast not only contributes to the film’s prestige but also broadens its audience appeal.
In its home country of Japan, the film opened to record-breaking sales on July 18, playing across 443 screens, a franchise high. Its global reach extends to more than 150 countries and regions, outpacing previous international tours by the franchise.
One of the film’s most remarkable achievements is its unprecedented speed in ticket sales within Japan. It sold 22,007,405 tickets, amounting to approximately $213 million, making it the fastest film to reach 30 million yen in ticket sales, breaking the previous record held by “The Movie: Mugen Train.” Moreover, it is poised to surpass “Spirited Away,” another blockbuster from Studio Ghibli.
Behind the scenes, Haruo Sotozaki directs the film at ufotable, also responsible for the screenplay. Notable artists Aimer and LiSA lend their voices to the film, with Aimer performing “Taiyล ga Noboranai Sekai” (“A World Where the Sun Never Rises”) and LiSA singing “Zankoku no Yoru ni Kagayake” (“Shine in the Cruel Night”).
News Source: “(Animenewsnetwork.com)”
