Anime continues to capture the attention of audiences, as evidenced by the success of “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.” The film, distributed by Sony’s Crunchyroll, debuted at the top of the North American box office with an impressive $17.2 million from 3,003 theaters. This marks a second consecutive win for Crunchyroll, following the remarkable release of “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle,” which set a genre record with a $70 million opening last month.
“Chainsaw Man” not only met but exceeded expectations, outperforming competition from well-known projects including Disney and 20th Century’s musical biopic “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” and Paramount’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s popular novel “Regretting You.” The latter opened in third place, generating a respectable $12.8 million, while “Springsteen,” starring Jeremy Allen White, managed to secure only $9.1 million in its opening weekend, landing at fourth place.
The sequel to the acclaimed anime series has appealed to a predominantly young male audience, with nearly 75% of its opening weekend viewers being male and 50% under 25 years old. The film received an “A” rating on CinemaScore, reflecting strong audience approval. It’s being shown in both subtitled and dubbed formats and includes premium large formats like IMAX, which helps elevate ticket sales. To date, “Chainsaw Man” has grossed over $108 million globally, aided by a strong international performance.
Industry analyst David A. Gross noted the film’s success as part of a broader trend, stating, “Anime is doing well everywhere now. This is a worldwide phenomenon.” The positive sentiment surrounding the anime genre indicates its growing influence in the global cinema landscape.
Meanwhile, “Black Phone 2” continued its run, slipping to second place with $13 million, a 52% decline from its debut. It has garnered $48 million domestically and $80.4 million worldwide, providing Blumhouse with a crucial win in an otherwise challenging year for horror films.
The biopic “Deliver Me From Nowhere” opened to mixed reviews, landing a “B+” on CinemaScore, but struggled to turn a profit given its $55 million production budget. Its focus on a less commercial narrative surrounding Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 album “Nebraska” sets it apart from other musical biopics.
In other notable openings, “Regretting You,” paired with the combined female audience demographic, marks a significant adaptation of Hoover’s work, following the breakout success of “It Ends With Us.” The film generated $10 million internationally, leading to a total of approximately $22.85 million globally.
Overall, this weekend at the box office saw a 22% decline compared to the same period last year, but experts suggest that upcoming releases, including Universal’s “Wicked” and Disney’s “Zootopia 2,” may stimulate renewed interest among moviegoers as the holiday season approaches. With anticipation building, the month ahead could frame a stronger market for the industry as it navigates the challenges of fluctuating attendance.