Demon Slayer Sets Anime Preview Record with $11.4M Opening

LOS ANGELES, CA — The highly anticipated anime film, "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle," has debuted with record-breaking Thursday night previews, earning $11.4 million. This surpassed the previous record held by "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero," which grossed $4.3 million in previews before a $10.9 million Friday.

Social media excitement for "Infinity Castle" has reached 200 million followers across platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, fueling positive chatter among fans. The film currently has a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with fans praising its animation quality and memorable character moments.

Thursday showings began at 4 PM at 2,800 venues, boosted by IMAX and large format presentations. This preview total is nearly equal to the first five days of advance ticket sales, marking a record for an anime film, according to Sony/Crunchyroll.

The movie opens as the first installment of a trilogy, drawing significant interest among fans. It is in direct competition with established titles, such as "Five Nights at Freddy's" and "Oppenheimer," which had preview earnings of $10.3 million and $10.5 million, respectively.

Industry projections for the film’s opening weekend vary, with Sony forecasting around $35 million. In contrast, some sources estimate it could even reach $45 million to $60 million. Critics have responded positively as well, giving the film a 96% fresh rating from 27 reviews.

"Infinity Castle" is poised to reshape the box office landscape for anime films, aiming to dethrone the 1999 "Pokemon" film, which holds the record for the highest opening at $31 million.

Additional competitors this weekend include New Line’s "Conjuring: Last Rites" and Focus Features’ "Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale," projected to earn $29 million and between $15 million-$20 million, respectively.