The highly anticipated anime feature, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, has concluded 2025 as the seventh highest-grossing film globally, demonstrating the immense and growing power of the anime franchise on the international stage. Amassing an impressive worldwide total of approximately $780 million, the film, based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s popular manga, solidified its place as a cinematic juggernaut.
A Worldwide Box Office Triumph
Released in Japan on July 18, 2025, and subsequently rolled out internationally in August and September, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle quickly captivated audiences, establishing numerous box office records. The film’s success was particularly pronounced in key markets, where it became the highest-grossing anime film in countries like India and the United States. Its opening weekend in the U.S. set a new benchmark, achieving the biggest opening for an international film and an R-rated animated film. Box Office Mojo reported its worldwide gross at $718,491,762, with a significant portion coming from international markets outside of Japan and the U.S. Other sources, such as Forbes and Screen Realm, also confirmed its strong performance, listing figures around $715 million and $718 million respectively for the year.
This phenomenal performance underscores the enduring appeal of the Demon Slayer series, which continues to translate its television anime and manga success into blockbuster cinematic events. The film’s critical reception also lauded its action sequences, stunning visuals, and engaging narrative, with many fans considering it among Ufotable’s best productions.
Diving into the Infinity Castle Arc
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle directly adapts the critical Infinity Castle arc from the original manga. It serves as a direct sequel to the fourth season of the anime television series and is the inaugural installment of a planned trilogy of films designed to conclude the saga. The narrative plunges the Demon Slayer Corps, including protagonist Tanjiro Kamado and the powerful Hashira, into the labyrinthine and ever-shifting Infinity Castle, the stronghold of the formidable demon Muzan Kibutsuji and his Upper Rank demons. This sets the stage for the climactic final battle, with the heroes scattered and forced into desperate fights for survival and the future of humanity.
The film’s ambitious scope and the arc’s dramatic intensity made it a suitable choice for a multi-film adaptation, distinguishing it from prior feature-length compilations of anime episodes. The strategic decision to bring this pivotal arc to the big screen resonated deeply with the franchise’s global fanbase.
The Broader 2025 Cinematic Landscape
While Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle shone brightly, it was part of a robust year for cinema in 2025, which saw several major titles achieve significant box office success. Topping the worldwide charts was Ne Zha 2, an animated Chinese sequel that became the fifth highest-grossing film of all time globally. Other top earners included Disney’s Zootopia 2 and Lilo & Stitch, as well as A Minecraft Movie, Avatar: Fire and Ash, and Jurassic World: Rebirth.
The success of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle amidst such a competitive landscape highlights the rising influence of Japanese animation in the global film industry, proving its capability to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters.
