Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc Dominates Box Office with $15M Opening

LOS ANGELES, CA — Sony/Crunchyroll‘s latest anime release, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc, is projected to open with earnings between $15.5 million and $17 million following a strong $8.5 million on Friday. The film has received an A CinemaScore from fans, indicating its positive reception.

As excitement builds, fans have given Chainsaw Man an 82% definite recommend rating on Screen Engine/Comscore’s PostTrak. This marks the ninth anime film to surpass $10 million at the box office, demonstrating the growing popularity of Japanese animation. Sony is likely to have a new franchise on its hands following the success of Demon Slayer.

The movie has found success at IMAX and premium large format screens, accounting for 58% of its weekend earnings. The highest-grossing regions include the West, South, and South Central areas of the country, with the AMC Empire in New York City leading the pack at nearly $45,000.

In second place, Regretting You, adapted from a novel by Colleen Hoover, opened to approximately $13 million after a $5.2 million Friday. The film drew in an audience that is 83% female, with a PostTrak score showing a 77% definite recommend rate among women. Paramount Pictures aims to capitalize on the growing trend of female-driven narratives in cinema.

Meanwhile, Black Phone 2 took the third spot in its second weekend, expecting to make around $12 million with a total gross of $48 million. Following closely behind is Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, which is projected to earn between $9 million and $10 million after a B+ CinemaScore.

Overall ticket sales for the weekend are estimated at $75.4 million, marking an 8% increase from the previous weekend but a 20% drop compared to the same time last year. The ongoing World Series is reportedly affecting male turnout for some films, prompting a shift towards female-oriented titles.