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Has Sony done it again? Coming after the triumph of the hit anime Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which grossed more than $600 million globally, the latest Chainsaw Man film has reached beyond the $100M milestone worldwide, attaining a global total of $108 million in its opening frame. The film outperformed the horror sequel Black Phone 2 ($12.9M) in its sophomore frame in theaters, as well as the music documentary Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere featuring Jeremy Allen White ($9M).

Impressive American and Global Earnings

The work of Tatsuya Yoshihara, the feature is a straightforward follow-up of the initial season of Chainsaw Man. It earned $18.2 million in North America after a powerful $5.2 million Saturday and $4.5 million Sunday performance. Overseas, the animated by MAPPA movie grossed $14.7M across 46 Sony markets, resulting in a global sum of $60.4 million via Sony (over $43 million overseas, $18.2 million in the U.S.). Sony has yet to announce its official box office total.

Parallels to Other Anime Hits

Specialist agency a leading anime marketing group previously spoke, comparing the movie's expected results to Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which made $34M in the U.S. and Canada in 2022 and debuted with a comparable eighteen million dollars stateside. The new film's first weekend is in line with that benchmark, while its $108M global gross is now positioned just behind Jujutsu Kaisen 0’s $166.6M overall box office. Although it’s unlikely this Chainsaw Man film will achieve the numbers of smash success Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, nonetheless, it is a major victory for the studio.

Fan Engagement Strategies Boost Success

Along with its affiliate Crunchyroll have effectively leveraged community involvement to propel their dominance at the anime box office. The movie's marketing campaign kicked off at the Anime Expo in LA in the month of July with a MAPPA presentation, exclusive activations, and photo opportunities with Pochita, and later included a major presence at NYCC featuring behind-the-scenes footage, lotteries for fans, and further MAPPA discussions. Moreover, organizers held an special preview for fans for moviegoers and influencers alike after the last day of the convention.

Looking Ahead

2025 stands as a big year for anime, and for the studio, which has one more feature-length anime debuting in the coming months in the upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in November.