The first part of the planned trilogy, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, has surpassed one of Hayao Miyazaki‘s most acclaimed features, Spirited Away, at the domestic box office.
The Oscar-winning Studio Ghibli movie, which held onto the second spot at the Japanese box office for decades, has lost its stature to Infinity Castle, which has become the fastest Japanese release to hit $214M in Japan. And at this rate, it’ll likely surpass Spirited Away in the global box office chart.
| Movie | IMDb | Box Office |
| Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle | 8.7 | $272M (so far) |
| Spirited Away | 8,6 | $360M |
As of now, the movie only trails behind 2020’s Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train, further giving weight to why Miyazaki considers the IP his biggest rival. In addition to its highs in the domestic market, the movie is eyeing record-breaking numbers at the US box office.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Is on Track to Hit Big at the US Box Office
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is on route to release in the US this weekend. With Channing Tatum leading the cast of the English dub, Sony is lowballing projections with a potential $35M opening. While by no means bad, especially when it comes to anime releases in the US, some independent trackers are tracking for a $40M+ start at the opening weekend (via The Wrap).
Having already dominated pre-sales, Box Office Pro, on the flip side, has entertained the prospect of a $60M+ opening. Even if the movie crosses the $40M threshold, it would break Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back‘s record, which earned $31M from its Friday-Sunday collection, and a total of $51M from its five-day opening.
With $272M in revenue, the movie has a real shot at entering the top 10 highest-grossing movies of the year, which is currently dominated by Ne Zha 2, F1, and Superman.
What to Watch Before Seeing Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle
Considering it’s the first part of the planned trilogy set to conclude the saga, Infinity Castle has even enticed excitement among viewers, who might not be too well-versed with the IP. While it’s always best to enjoy the full story at your own pace, if you’re short on time, here are the things you should catch up on before experiencing Infinity Castle on the big screen.
To understand the events and character motivations of Infinity Castle, fans can tune in with Demon Slayer: Mugen Train or the TV counterpart, episodes 6 and 7 of the Mugen Train arc. This will allow you to understand Akaza’s story, and as for the Upper Rank demons, who are essential in Infinity Castle, episode 1 of the Swordsmith Village Arc provides a proper explanation.
Additionally, episode 8 of the Hashira Training Arc is recommended, as it lays the groundwork for the theatrical release. Given the commercial success of Demon Slayers: Infinity Castle, it’s safe to say the planned sequels will continue to dominate at the global box office.
Are you excited for the beginning of the end?
Demon Slayers: Infinity Castle will release on September 12 (USA).
