The highly anticipated first film in the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle trilogy, officially titled Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns, stormed North American theaters on Thursday, September 12, earning an impressive US$11.4 million from early preview screenings. The massive haul, generated across 2,800 locations in the U.S., sets a new record for an anime film’s preview performance and positions the movie for a dominant opening weekend.
Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Aniplex are distributing the film, which began its wider release in the United States and Canada on Friday, September 13, in both Japanese with English subtitles and an English dub.
Record-Breaking Performance for a Fan-Favorite Franchise
The strong Thursday preview figures underscore the immense popularity of the Demon Slayer franchise. Projections indicate that the film could achieve a staggering $65 million in ticket sales through September 14, potentially topping the weekend box office. This performance far exceeds earlier tracking estimates, which had placed its opening weekend in North America significantly lower.
This initial success follows the film’s phenomenal run in Japan, where it first premiered on July 18, 2025. It quickly broke multiple box office records, earning ¥1.64 billion (US$11.11 million) on its opening day, marking the highest opening day gross in Japanese box office history. Over its first three days, it accumulated ¥5.52 billion (US$37.42 million), making it the biggest opening weekend ever in Japanese cinema.
Global Box Office Triumph Continues
The Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle film has already garnered over $330 million worldwide, largely driven by its success in Japan and other Asian territories such as South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Thailand. In Japan, the movie has sold over 22 million tickets for a cumulative total of approximately US$213 million, becoming the fastest film in the country’s history to surpass the 30 billion yen mark, achieving this milestone in just 46 days. This surpassed the previous record held by Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train.
The film has also set new benchmarks in other international markets. In Italy, its opening day gross of $948K made it the biggest opening ever for an anime film and the fourth biggest opening of 2025 overall, surpassing major Hollywood releases like Moana 2. Similarly, in India, it debuted with a historic Rs 16 crore gross, becoming the biggest anime opener in the country by a significant margin.
Comparing to Previous Demon Slayer Film Successes
The Demon Slayer franchise has a history of exceptional box office performance. The previous non-compilation film, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train, debuted with $21.23 million from 1,614 locations in North America during the pandemic and went on to gross $49.51 million in the region. Globally, Mugen Train achieved a staggering $486 million.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is already on track to potentially surpass Mugen Train‘s domestic record and is expected to become the highest-grossing domestic anime title by its second weekend. Its overall worldwide performance has already positioned it as the third highest-grossing film in Japanese history, behind only Demon Slayer: Mugen Train and Spirited Away.
What to Expect from the “Infinity Castle” Arc
The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns is the first installment in a three-part cinematic trilogy that will cover the climactic final battle of the acclaimed anime series. The film has garnered critical acclaim, holding a high 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans have lauded the film’s immersive experience, with many noting its extended runtime of approximately three hours.
With its record-breaking preview numbers and strong international performance, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is poised to be a major theatrical event globally, further solidifying the franchise’s status as a cultural phenomenon and a powerhouse in the anime industry.
