Can Chainsaw Man Compete with Demon Slayer at the Box Office? An Expert Weighs In

All attention is focused on Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc. After the colossal box-office haul of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, industry observers are debating whether the grisly horror anime can translate that momentum into U.S. ticket sales. A single blockbuster does not automatically set a new baseline, however — the two films differ in audience profile, marketing posture, and franchise history.

Initial returns look promising. Following its rollout in 13 Asian markets on Oct. 12, Reze Arc has already tallied roughly $50 million worldwide before a U.S. release. By contrast, Infinity Castle opened to about $87.0 million in its first week in Japan. Miles Atherton, founder and CEO of anime marketing firm White Box Entertainment, expects that disparity to grow when Reze Arc reaches North America on Oct. 24.

Atherton notes that while Chainsaw Man enjoys strong name recognition among North American anime fans, current indicators show considerably less buzz than what Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle generated during its campaign. He points to several fan-engagement metrics that, at this point in the cycle, favor Demon Slayer by more than twofold.

Before Infinity Castle arrived, Demon Slayer was already a dominant franchise in theaters, helped by the enormous success of 2020’s Mugen Train. By comparison, Chainsaw Man is still establishing itself and may be a closer analog to Jujutsu Kaisen in the way its theatrical potential tracks with its fanbase.

“The first film in that franchise, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, earned about $34 million in the U.S. and Canada in 2022,” Atherton says, adding that a similar haul would be a reasonable target for the Crunchyroll/Sony release — and likely above many current projections for Reze Arc.

Chainsaw Man has strengths and hurdles. Its serialized storylines and divisive reception to the anime adaptation complicate promotion: some viewers criticized the first season’s art choices, pacing, and cinematic tone for diluting the manga’s anarchic energy. That fragmentation makes it harder to mobilize a wide theatrical turnout, Atherton argues.

In short, expecting Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc to match Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle solely because both are distributed by Sony is likely optimistic. The current industry pattern of turning major anime IPs into theatrical releases helps, but franchise depth and preexisting audience commitment matter a great deal.

Infinity Castle benefited from a large, serialized audience already invested in multiple seasons; Reze Arc functions as both an entry point for newcomers and a continuation for existing viewers. That hybrid position means fewer guaranteed ticket-buying fans at release — even as crossplatform hype could draw new viewers into the franchise.

“Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures bring a sizable, dedicated anime audience and appear to have refined theatrical marketing since Infinity Castle,” Atherton observes. “Chainsaw Man may outperform conservative estimates simply because it adapts core, canonical material.”

Ultimately, Reze Arc will likely please newcomers and satisfy series followers alike, but replicating the box-office heights of Infinity Castle is improbable. Atherton sums up the expectation succinctly: if Reze Arc manages even a third of Demon Slayer’s North American intake, it would be a noteworthy achievement.

Source: Polygon