Sony’s ‘Demon Slayer’ Holds Off Universal’s ‘Him’ to Become Highest-Grossing Anime Release in the U.S.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Infinity Castle (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures)
September 21, 2025
Crunchyroll/Sony Pictures’ Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle remained No. 1 the domestic box office for the second week in a row, nearing $105 million in total ticket sales following another $17.3 million in weekend revenue through Sept. 21.
The movie, the first in a three-part trilogy representing the final battle of the award-winning anime “shonen” series from animation studio ufotable, is the highest-grossing anime theatrical release in North American history, according to Sony.
The movie has generated $555 million at the global box office, making it Sony’s biggest fiscal release in 2025, when excluding Sony Pictures Animation’s musical KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix.
The tally held off Universal Pictures’ new football-themed horror film Him, which generated $13.5 million in opening weekend ticket sales.
“This is a very good opening for an original psychological horror film,” David A. Gross, analyst with industry newsletter FranchiseRE, wrote in a post. “The weekend figure is well above average for the genre. Producer Jordan Peele, whose name is featured throughout the campaign, is primarily responsible for the success.”
Universal’s Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, the third theatrical adaptation of the popular TV series, added $8.3 million to up its global haul near $60 million, including $31.6 domestically.
Lionsgate thriller The Long Walk added an estimated $6.3 million in sophomore weekend ticket sales. The film has generated a North American tally of $22.8 million, in addition to more than $5 million internationally.
Columbia Pictures’ A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, the romance starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell, made an estimated $3.5 million for opening weekend.
The studio’s Materialists upped its global haul to $103.4 million, including $67 million across foreign screens. The film added $1 million this weekend.
Finally, Paramount Pictures’ reboot The Naked Gun, which was released across domestic digital retail channels on Sept. 2, added $375,000 in foreign ticket sales over the weekend, upping its global tally to $102 million, including $52.7 million domestically, and $49 million internationally.
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